1878 National League Baseball Debuts / Rookies by Baseball Almanac

1878 National League Debuts

Willie Mays played his first Major League game on May 25, 1951, and went 0-for-5 at the plate. He started his career 1-for-25 and told his manager, "I can't do it, Mr. Leo. You better bench me."

Casey Stengel played his first Major League game on July 27, 1912, and went 4-for-4 at the plate. He commented later in his life, "I broke in with four hits and the writers promptly decided they had seen the new Ty Cobb. It took me only a few days to correct that impression."

Both Mays and Stengel would continue their Major League careers down separate paths of greatness, but each still had to appear in that memorable first Major League game. Baseball Almanac is pleased to present what Cubs broadcaster Steve Stone once described as, "His first Major League debut."

"Always be cautious about rookie performances in September. They don't indicate what will happen in April." - Texas Rangers General Manager Tom Grieve

National League Debuts 1878
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
n/a	Frank Hankinson	1878 Chicago White Stockings	05-01-1878	22
n/a	Bill McClellan	1878 Chicago White Stockings	05-20-1878	22
n/a	Phil Powers	1878 Chicago White Stockings	08-31-1878	24
n/a	Bill Sullivan	1878 Chicago White Stockings	08-09-1878	25
n/a	Bill Traffley	1878 Chicago White Stockings	07-27-1878	18
n/a	Buttercup Dickerson	1878 Cincinnati Reds	07-15-1878	19
n/a	Billy Geer	1878 Cincinnati Reds	06-11-1878	0
n/a	King Kelly	1878 Cincinnati Reds	05-01-1878	20
n/a	Jim McCormick	1878 Indianapolis Browns	05-20-1878	21
n/a	Russ McKelvy	1878 Indianapolis Browns	05-01-1878	23
n/a	Candy Nelson	1878 Indianapolis Browns	06-11-1878	29
n/a	The Only Nolan	1878 Indianapolis Browns	05-01-1878	20
n/a	Joe Quest	1878 Indianapolis Browns	08-30-1878	25
n/a	Ned Williamson	1878 Indianapolis Browns	05-01-1878	20
n/a	Charlie Bennett	1878 Milwaukee Cream Citys	05-01-1878	23
n/a	Frank Bliss	1878 Milwaukee Cream Citys	06-20-1878	25
n/a	George Creamer	1878 Milwaukee Cream Citys	05-01-1878	0
n/a	Abner Dalrymple	1878 Milwaukee Cream Citys	05-01-1878	20
n/a	Joe Ellick	1878 Milwaukee Cream Citys	05-13-1878	24
n/a	Mike Golden	1878 Milwaukee Cream Citys	05-02-1878	26
n/a	Jake Goodman	1878 Milwaukee Cream Citys	05-02-1878	24
n/a	Alamazoo Jennings	1878 Milwaukee Cream Citys	08-15-1878	27
n/a	Jake Knowdell	1878 Milwaukee Cream Citys	06-20-1878	37
n/a	Dan Morgan	1878 Milwaukee Cream Citys	05-04-1878	25
n/a	Fred Corey	1878 Providence Grays	05-01-1878	23
n/a	Tom Healey	1878 Providence Grays	06-13-1878	25
n/a	John Ward	1878 Providence Grays	07-15-1878	18
n/a	Harry Wheeler	1878 Providence Grays	06-19-1878	20
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
1878 National League Debuts

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Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1878 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

On April 13, 1954, Hank Aaron made his Major League debut and went 0-for-5. However, in his own autobiography Aaron wrote that he went 0-for-4.

When Christy Mathewson made his Major League debut the newspaper wrote, "The untried semi-professional possessed great speed and plenty of confidence in himself, but could not control his curves."

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