1885 American Association 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."
"There is no Major League record held by a rookie. It's revealing to see just how far the rookie marks are below the single season marks. This is a testament to how difficult the game is to learn and play." - Luke Salisbury in The Answer is Baseball (1989)
American Association Debuts

1885

n/a Gene Derby 1885 Baltimore Orioles 09-03-1885 25
n/a Ed Greer 1885 Baltimore Orioles 06-24-1885 0
n/a George Mappes 1885 Baltimore Orioles 09-23-1885 19
n/a Sandy McDermott 1885 Baltimore Orioles 06-18-1885 29
n/a John Tener 1885 Baltimore Orioles 06-08-1885 21
n/a Joe Visner 1885 Baltimore Orioles 07-04-1885 25
n/a Shorty Wetzel 1885 Baltimore Orioles 08-26-1885 20
n/a Frank Bell 1885 Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers 07-07-1885 22
n/a Jim McTamany 1885 Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers 08-15-1885 22
n/a George McVey 1885 Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers 09-19-1885 20
n/a George Pechiney 1885 Cincinnati Red Stockings 08-04-1885 23
n/a Amos Cross 1885 Louisville Colonels 04-22-1885 25
n/a Reddy Mack 1885 Louisville Colonels 09-16-1885 19
n/a Al Mays 1885 Louisville Colonels 05-10-1885 19
n/a Toad Ramsey 1885 Louisville Colonels 09-05-1885 21
n/a Unknown Jones 1885 New York Metropolitans 04-30-1885 0
n/a Dick Pierson 1885 New York Metropolitans 06-23-1885 27
n/a Joe Reilly 1885 New York Metropolitans 06-08-1885 0
n/a Ed Knouff 1885 Philadelphia Athletics 07-01-1885 0
n/a Tom Lovett 1885 Philadelphia Athletics 06-04-1885 21
n/a John Hofford 1885 Pittsburgh Alleghenys 09-26-1885 22
n/a Mike Drissel 1885 St. Louis Browns 09-05-1885 20
1885 American Association Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American Association during the 1885 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

Ray Jansen (four for five in his first game), Aubrey Epps (three for four in his first game) and Ed Irvin (two for three in his first game) all finished their career with lifetime batting averages which were greater than their career fielding percentages.

Did you know that on September 27, 1963 the Houston Colt .45s fielded an all-rookie lineup that included future stars Joe Morgan, Jerry Grote, and Rusty Staub?
     

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