1883 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

1883

n/a John Coleman 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 05-01-1883 20
n/a Sid Farrar 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 05-01-1883 23
n/a Mike Hines 1883 Boston Beaneaters 05-01-1883 0
n/a Paul Radford 1883 Boston Beaneaters 05-01-1883 21
n/a Frank Ringo 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 05-01-1883 22
n/a Cal Broughton 1883 Cleveland Blues 05-02-1883 22
n/a Mert Hackett 1883 Boston Beaneaters 05-02-1883 23
n/a Hardie Henderson 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 05-02-1883 20
n/a Dick Burns 1883 Detroit Wolverines 05-03-1883 19
n/a Tip O'Neill 1883 New York Gothams 05-05-1883 24
n/a Dick Cramer 1883 New York Gothams 05-11-1883 0
n/a Art Benedict 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 05-14-1883 21
n/a Frank McIntyre 1883 Detroit Wolverines 05-16-1883 23
n/a Jim Lillie 1883 Buffalo Bisons 05-17-1883 21
n/a Dave Orr 1883 New York Gothams 05-17-1883 23
n/a Billy Sunday 1883 Chicago White Stockings 05-22-1883 20
n/a Edgar Smith 1883 Providence Grays 05-25-1883 20
n/a George Radbourn 1883 Detroit Wolverines 05-30-1883 27
n/a Joe Mulvey 1883 Providence Grays 05-31-1883 24
n/a Bill White 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 06-01-1883 23
n/a Abe Wolstenholme 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 06-04-1883 22
n/a Piggy Ward 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 06-12-1883 16
n/a Charlie Kelly 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 06-14-1883 0
n/a Dupee Shaw 1883 Detroit Wolverines 06-18-1883 24
n/a Edgar Smith 1883 Boston Beaneaters 06-20-1883 22
n/a Conny Doyle 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 06-23-1883 0
n/a Art Hagan 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 06-30-1883 20
n/a Dell Darling 1883 Buffalo Bisons 07-03-1883 21
n/a Ed Cushman 1883 Buffalo Bisons 07-06-1883 31
n/a Alonzo Breitenstein 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 07-07-1883 25
n/a Buck Gladmon 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 07-07-1883 19
n/a John Humphries 1883 New York Gothams 07-07-1883 21
n/a Jack Jones 1883 Detroit Wolverines 07-09-1883 22
n/a Myron Allen 1883 New York Gothams 07-19-1883 29
n/a Will Sawyer 1883 Cleveland Blues 07-21-1883 18
n/a Tony Suck 1883 Buffalo Bisons 08-09-1883 24
n/a Lem Hunter 1883 Cleveland Blues 09-01-1883 20
n/a Ben Guiney 1883 Detroit Wolverines 09-04-1883 24
n/a Charlie Cady 1883 Cleveland Blues 09-05-1883 18
n/a Jim Pirie 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 09-25-1883 30
n/a Charlie Hilsey 1883 Philadelphia Phillies 09-27-1883 19
1883 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1883 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

Five-for-five debuts? Believe it or not it has happened twice: On June 30, 1894 Fred Clarke of the Louisville Colonels and on May 16, 1933, Cecil Travis of the Washington Senators made their Major League debuts and both went five-for-five at the plate.

Rich Amaral spent nine seasons in the Minor Leagues and upon his callup he commented, "I've been to every baseball park in America, except those in the American and National League."
     

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