Notable Farewells – Society for American Baseball Research

October 14, 1862: The Martyrdom of Jim Creighton

September 29, 1871: Chicago beats Boston in last baseball game before the Great Fire

October 30, 1875: Dominant Red Stockings close out National Association season with 71st win

Columbia Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania, date unknown (SABR PICTORIAL HISTORY COMMITTEE)

May 31, 1884: Mountain Citys fall in final major-league game played in Altoona

June 29, 1909: Pirates bid farewell to Exposition Park in Pittsburgh

Cy Young (CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM)

September 22, 1911: Boston’s Cy Young blanks Pirates in Forbes Field for 511th career win

October 6, 1911: Cy Young pitches his final game

October 3, 1915: Chicago Whales clinch final Federal League title

A promotional poster advertising the September 4, 1916 matchup between Mordecai Brown and Christy Mathewson. This game would be the last of 24 matchups in which the two future Hall of Famer pitchers would face each other. (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

September 4, 1916: Pitching legends Mordecai Brown, Christy Mathewson duel for the final time

Eddie Plank (TRADING CARD DB)

July 22, 1917: Eddie Plank shuts out Washington for his 326th and final win

August 6, 1917: Eddie Plank retires after losing to Walter Johnson, 1-0 in 11 innings

August 16, 1920: Ray Chapman suffers fatal blow to his skull on pitch from Carl Mays

July 28, 1927: Walter Johnson records 417th and final career win for Senators

Walter Johnson (TRADING CARD DB)

September 22, 1927: ‘Big Train’ Walter Johnson makes his last stop on the mound

May 28, 1930: Pete Alexander bows out in final big-league appearance

September 30, 1934: 58-year-old Charley O’Leary becomes oldest AL/NL player credited with a hit

May 25, 1935: Babe Ruth smashes three homers in final hurrah

May 30, 1935: Babe Ruth plays his final major-league game with Boston Braves

April 30, 1939: Lou Gehrig plays his final game with Yankees

May 2, 1939: Lou Gehrig’s streak ends in Detroit

Lou Gehrig pauses while giving a farewell address on July 4, 1939, at Yankee Stadium in New York (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)

July 4, 1939: Lou Gehrig says farewell to baseball with ‘Luckiest Man’ speech at Yankee Stadium

Babe Ruth, circa 1934 (MLB.COM)

April 27, 1947: Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium

Babe Ruth waves his hat to fans at Yankee Stadium. (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS)

June 13, 1948: Babe Ruth makes final visit to Yankee Stadium

August 27, 1949: Tiny Bonham’s last game