1879 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."
"Baseball is the sport that cackles back at can't-miss kids. Baseball humbles every player sooner or later. Baseball confers greatness stingily, in its own sweet time. At least that's what the bow-tied essayists and sandlot scouts solemnly tell us." - Johnette Howard in Sports Illustrated
National League Debuts

1879

n/a Al Hall 1879 Troy Trojans 05-01-1879 0
n/a Sadie Houck 1879 Boston Red Stockings 05-01-1879 0
n/a John Magner 1879 Cincinnati Reds 07-14-1879 0
n/a Charlie Reilly 1879 Troy Trojans 05-01-1879 0
n/a Sandy Taylor 1879 Troy Trojans 08-11-1879 0
n/a Rudy Kemmler 1879 Providence Grays 07-26-1879 19
n/a Pat McManus 1879 Troy Trojans 05-22-1879 19
n/a Len Stockwell 1879 Cleveland Blues 05-17-1879 19
n/a Bill White 1879 Providence Grays 06-21-1879 19
n/a Gid Gardner 1879 Troy Trojans 08-23-1879 20
n/a John Kelly 1879 Cleveland Blues 06-07-1879 20
n/a Dan Brouthers 1879 Troy Trojans 06-23-1879 21
n/a Jack Farrell 1879 Syracuse Stars 05-01-1879 21
n/a Jack Glasscock 1879 Cleveland Blues 05-01-1879 21
n/a Emil Gross 1879 Providence Grays 08-13-1879 21
n/a Fred Gunkle 1879 Cleveland Blues 05-17-1879 21
n/a Joe Hornung 1879 Buffalo Bisons 05-01-1879 21
n/a Mike Mansell 1879 Syracuse Stars 05-01-1879 21
n/a Jack Neagle 1879 Cincinnati Reds 07-08-1879 21
n/a Denny Sullivan 1879 Providence Grays 08-25-1879 21
n/a Aaron Clapp 1879 Troy Trojans 05-01-1879 22
n/a Jake Evans 1879 Troy Trojans 05-01-1879 22
n/a Pud Galvin 1879 Buffalo Bisons 05-22-1879 22
n/a Fred Goldsmith 1879 Troy Trojans 05-01-1879 22
n/a Hickey Hoffman 1879 Cleveland Blues 05-10-1879 22
n/a Pete Hotaling 1879 Cincinnati Reds 05-01-1879 22
n/a Kick Kelly 1879 Syracuse Stars 05-01-1879 22
n/a Dan O'Leary 1879 Providence Grays 09-03-1879 22
n/a Bill Phillips 1879 Cleveland Blues 05-01-1879 22
n/a Lee Richmond 1879 Boston Red Stockings 09-27-1879 22
n/a Jack Rowe 1879 Buffalo Bisons 09-06-1879 22
n/a George Strief 1879 Cleveland Blues 05-01-1879 22
n/a Jack Allen 1879 Syracuse Stars 05-01-1879 23
n/a Hick Carpenter 1879 Syracuse Stars 05-01-1879 23
n/a Frank Decker 1879 Syracuse Stars 06-25-1879 23
n/a Curry Foley 1879 Boston Red Stockings 05-13-1879 23
n/a Barney Gilligan 1879 Cleveland Blues 06-12-1879 23
n/a Harry McCormick 1879 Syracuse Stars 05-01-1879 23
n/a Charlie Osterhout 1879 Syracuse Stars 06-23-1879 23
n/a Jim Tyng 1879 Boston Red Stockings 09-23-1879 23
n/a George Adams 1879 Syracuse Stars 06-14-1879 24
n/a Tom Dolan 1879 Chicago White Stockings 09-30-1879 24
n/a George Gore 1879 Chicago White Stockings 05-01-1879 24
n/a Jimmy Macullar 1879 Syracuse Stars 05-05-1879 24
n/a Tom Mansell 1879 Troy Trojans 05-01-1879 24
n/a Bill McGunnigle 1879 Buffalo Bisons 05-02-1879 24
n/a Hardy Richardson 1879 Buffalo Bisons 05-01-1879 24
n/a Billy Riley 1879 Cleveland Blues 05-01-1879 24
n/a Harry Salisbury 1879 Troy Trojans 08-28-1879 24
n/a Mike Burke 1879 Cincinnati Reds 05-01-1879 25
n/a Ed Cogswell 1879 Boston Red Stockings 07-11-1879 25
n/a Bill Hawes 1879 Boston Red Stockings 05-01-1879 25
n/a Doc Kennedy 1879 Cleveland Blues 05-01-1879 25
n/a Steve Libby 1879 Buffalo Bisons 05-10-1879 25
n/a Blondie Purcell 1879 Syracuse Stars 05-01-1879 25
n/a Oscar Walker 1879 Buffalo Bisons 05-01-1879 25
n/a Thorny Hawkes 1879 Troy Trojans 05-01-1879 26
n/a Ed Caskin 1879 Troy Trojans 05-01-1879 27
n/a John Shoup 1879 Troy Trojans 05-03-1879 27
n/a Red Woodhead 1879 Syracuse Stars 05-01-1879 28
n/a John O'Rourke 1879 Boston Red Stockings 05-01-1879 29
n/a John Stedronsky 1879 Chicago White Stockings 09-25-1879 29
1879 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 1879 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

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."

Did you know that Future hall of famer Addie Joss made his Major League pitching debut on April 26, 1902 and tossed a one hitter?
     

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