1889 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

1889

n/a Andy Dunning 1889 Pittsburgh Alleghenys 05-23-1889 17
n/a Amos Rusie 1889 Indianapolis Hoosiers 05-09-1889 17
n/a Alex Beam 1889 Pittsburgh Alleghenys 05-25-1889 19
n/a Alex Jones 1889 Pittsburgh Alleghenys 09-25-1889 19
n/a Dave Anderson 1889 Philadelphia Phillies 08-24-1889 20
n/a John Thornton 1889 Washington Senators 08-14-1889 20
n/a Spider Clark 1889 Washington Senators 05-02-1889 21
n/a Bill Daley 1889 Boston Beaneaters 07-17-1889 21
n/a Jack Fee 1889 Indianapolis Hoosiers 09-14-1889 21
n/a Bill Garfield 1889 Pittsburgh Alleghenys 07-10-1889 21
n/a John Carney 1889 Washington Senators 04-24-1889 22
n/a Bill Day 1889 Philadelphia Phillies 08-20-1889 22
n/a Alex Ferson 1889 Washington Senators 05-04-1889 22
n/a Mike Sullivan 1889 Washington Senators 06-17-1889 22
n/a Varney Anderson 1889 Indianapolis Hoosiers 08-01-1889 23
n/a Al Krumm 1889 Pittsburgh Alleghenys 05-17-1889 24
n/a Jimmy McAleer 1889 Cleveland Spiders 04-24-1889 24
n/a Art McCoy 1889 Washington Senators 07-08-1889 24
n/a Jerry Hurley 1889 Boston Beaneaters 05-01-1889 25
n/a John Riddle 1889 Washington Senators 09-18-1889 25
n/a Pete Weckbecker 1889 Indianapolis Hoosiers 10-05-1889 25
n/a Jack Fanning 1889 Indianapolis Hoosiers 09-20-1889 26
n/a Harry Clarke 1889 Washington Senators 08-28-1889 28
n/a Hi Ebright 1889 Washington Senators 04-24-1889 29
1889 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1889 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."

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.
     

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