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amead17 · 12-03-2025, 10:54 AM

DIAMOND VETERANS LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS AS 1911 SEASON ENDS
By George F. Winthrop, Sporting Times
October 25th, 1911

Each passing year brings its changing of the guard, as the seasoned statesmen of our game yield the field to the next wave of eager youth. The close of the 1911 campaign is no exception, but the roll of retiring players is marked by several names whose departure leaves a deep impression upon the sport.

Foremost among them is Billy Hamilton, the 45-year-old marvel whose long tenure in the majors has rewritten the record books time and again. Since his debut in 1888, Hamilton has been the very embodiment of consistency, and he retires with a lifetime batting average of .304 over 24 seasons. His list of accomplishments is unmatched: 2,986 games played, 10,361 at-bats, 2,217 runs scored, 2,622 singles, 1,106 stolen bases, and 1,943 walks—all standing as the best marks the game has known. Hamilton was also instrumental in carrying the Philadelphia Athletics to their 1904 and 1905 world’s series triumphs.
Reflecting on his retirement, Hamilton said, “I’ve given the game all I had, and it has given me more than I ever dreamed. It’s time to step aside, but I shall forever cherish the years I spent upon the diamond.”

On the pitching side, the most notable departure is Rube Waddell, whose 14 seasons of service from 1897 to the present have left an indelible mark. Waddell retires at age 35 with 222 victories, 145 defeats, and an earned run average of 2.71. His blazing talent brought him Pitcher of the Year honors in 1901, 1903, and 1905, and he played a crucial role in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 1901 and 1902 world’s series championships. His fearsome strikeout prowess leaves him with the finest strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio in history at 6.7.
Waddell offered a typically plain-spoken farewell: “I’ve had my share of battles, and I’ve loved every one. If my arm’s thrown its last, I can still say it carried me farther than I ever expected.”

Beyond these two titans of the game, a substantial list of respected veterans also hangs up their spikes this year. Among them are:

Jesse Burkett
Jesse Tannehill
Vic Willis
Cupid Childs
Jimmy Collins
Jake Beckley
George Browne
Duff Cooley
Tom Daly
Cozy Dolan
Sam Dungan
Billy Gibert
Sam Mertes
Freddy Parent
Heinie Peitz
George Stone
Billy Sullivan
Joe Yeager
Claude Ritchey
Nick Altrock
Bill Dinneen
Bob Ewing
Fred Glade
Brickyard Kennedy
Sam Leever
Jerry Nops
Bill Phillips
Barney Wolfe

Thus, the game bids farewell to a generation that shaped its very character. Their feats may pass into history, but their names will long endure in the memories of those who marvelled at their skill.

12-03-2025, 10:54 AM	#496
amead17 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 9,288	DIAMOND VETERANS LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS AS 1911 SEASON ENDS By George F. Winthrop, Sporting Times October 25th, 1911 Each passing year brings its changing of the guard, as the seasoned statesmen of our game yield the field to the next wave of eager youth. The close of the 1911 campaign is no exception, but the roll of retiring players is marked by several names whose departure leaves a deep impression upon the sport. Foremost among them is Billy Hamilton, the 45-year-old marvel whose long tenure in the majors has rewritten the record books time and again. Since his debut in 1888, Hamilton has been the very embodiment of consistency, and he retires with a lifetime batting average of .304 over 24 seasons. His list of accomplishments is unmatched: 2,986 games played, 10,361 at-bats, 2,217 runs scored, 2,622 singles, 1,106 stolen bases, and 1,943 walks—all standing as the best marks the game has known. Hamilton was also instrumental in carrying the Philadelphia Athletics to their 1904 and 1905 world’s series triumphs. Reflecting on his retirement, Hamilton said, “I’ve given the game all I had, and it has given me more than I ever dreamed. It’s time to step aside, but I shall forever cherish the years I spent upon the diamond.” On the pitching side, the most notable departure is Rube Waddell, whose 14 seasons of service from 1897 to the present have left an indelible mark. Waddell retires at age 35 with 222 victories, 145 defeats, and an earned run average of 2.71. His blazing talent brought him Pitcher of the Year honors in 1901, 1903, and 1905, and he played a crucial role in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 1901 and 1902 world’s series championships. His fearsome strikeout prowess leaves him with the finest strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio in history at 6.7. Waddell offered a typically plain-spoken farewell: “I’ve had my share of battles, and I’ve loved every one. If my arm’s thrown its last, I can still say it carried me farther than I ever expected.” Beyond these two titans of the game, a substantial list of respected veterans also hangs up their spikes this year. Among them are: Jesse Burkett Jesse Tannehill Vic Willis Cupid Childs Jimmy Collins Jake Beckley George Browne Duff Cooley Tom Daly Cozy Dolan Sam Dungan Billy Gibert Sam Mertes Freddy Parent Heinie Peitz George Stone Billy Sullivan Joe Yeager Claude Ritchey Nick Altrock Bill Dinneen Bob Ewing Fred Glade Brickyard Kennedy Sam Leever Jerry Nops Bill Phillips Barney Wolfe Thus, the game bids farewell to a generation that shaped its very character. Their feats may pass into history, but their names will long endure in the memories of those who marvelled at their skill.