1896 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

1896

n/a Bill Keister 1896 Baltimore Orioles 05-20-1896 24
n/a Marty Bergen 1896 Boston Beaneaters 04-17-1896 24
n/a Fred Klobedanz 1896 Boston Beaneaters 08-20-1896 25
n/a Ted Lewis 1896 Boston Beaneaters 07-06-1896 23
n/a Dan McGann 1896 Boston Beaneaters 08-08-1896 25
n/a George Yeager 1896 Boston Beaneaters 09-25-1896 22
n/a Fielder Jones 1896 Brooklyn Bridegrooms 04-18-1896 24
n/a Harley Payne 1896 Brooklyn Bridegrooms 04-18-1896 28
n/a Buttons Briggs 1896 Chicago Colts 04-23-1896 20
n/a George Flynn 1896 Chicago Colts 04-17-1896 24
n/a Algie McBride 1896 Chicago Colts 05-12-1896 26
n/a Josh Reilly 1896 Chicago Colts 05-02-1896 0
n/a Wiley Davis 1896 Cincinnati Reds 04-18-1896 20
n/a Lou Criger 1896 Cleveland Spiders 09-21-1896 24
n/a Dale Gear 1896 Cleveland Spiders 08-15-1896 24
n/a Sport McAllister 1896 Cleveland Spiders 08-07-1896 22
n/a Eddie Boyle 1896 Louisville Colonels 04-17-1896 21
n/a Pete Cassidy 1896 Louisville Colonels 04-18-1896 23
n/a Charlie Dexter 1896 Louisville Colonels 04-17-1896 19
n/a Joe Dolan 1896 Louisville Colonels 08-11-1896 23
n/a Charlie Emig 1896 Louisville Colonels 09-04-1896 21
n/a Frank Eustace 1896 Louisville Colonels 04-16-1896 22
n/a Chick Fraser 1896 Louisville Colonels 04-16-1896 22
n/a Lawrence Freund 1896 Louisville Colonels 08-02-1896 21
n/a Art Herman 1896 Louisville Colonels 06-29-1896 25
n/a Bill Hill 1896 Louisville Colonels 04-18-1896 21
n/a Abbie Johnson 1896 Louisville Colonels 09-01-1896 25
n/a Joe Kostal 1896 Louisville Colonels 07-14-1896 20
n/a Herm McFarland 1896 Louisville Colonels 04-21-1896 26
n/a Ollie Pickering 1896 Louisville Colonels 08-09-1896 26
n/a Sammy Strang 1896 Louisville Colonels 07-10-1896 19
n/a Cy Bowen 1896 New York Giants 04-28-1896 25
n/a Sal Campfield 1896 New York Giants 05-15-1896 28
n/a Reddy Foster 1896 New York Giants 06-03-1896 31
n/a Charlie Gettig 1896 New York Giants 08-05-1896 0
n/a Bill Reidy 1896 New York Giants 07-21-1896 22
n/a Cy Seymour 1896 New York Giants 04-22-1896 23
n/a Dave Zearfoss 1896 New York Giants 04-17-1896 28
n/a Ben Ellis 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 07-16-1896 26
n/a William Gallagher 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 08-19-1896 22
n/a Ned Garvin 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 07-13-1896 22
n/a Phil Geier 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 08-17-1896 20
n/a Billy Hulen 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 05-02-1896 26
n/a Charlie Jordan 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 07-31-1896 24
n/a Harry Keener 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 06-27-1896 24
n/a Nap Lajoie 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 08-12-1896 21
n/a Dan Leahy 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 09-02-1896 26
n/a Sam Mertes 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 06-30-1896 23
n/a Jerry Nops 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 09-07-1896 21
n/a George Wheeler 1896 Philadelphia Phillies 09-18-1896 27
n/a Jot Goar 1896 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-18-1896 26
n/a Elmer Horton 1896 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-24-1896 27
n/a Abel Lizotte 1896 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-17-1896 26
n/a Dick Padden 1896 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-15-1896 25
n/a Klondike Douglass 1896 St. Louis Browns 04-23-1896 23
n/a Bert Myers 1896 St. Louis Browns 04-25-1896 22
n/a Tom Niland 1896 St. Louis Browns 04-19-1896 26
n/a John Wood 1896 St. Louis Browns 05-09-1896 24
n/a Effie Norton 1896 Washington Senators 08-08-1896 22
n/a Jim Rogers 1896 Washington Senators 04-17-1896 24
n/a Harvey Smith 1896 Washington Senators 08-19-1896 25
n/a Zeke Wrigley 1896 Washington Senators 08-31-1896 22
1896 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 1896 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

On the final day of the 1930 season, Dizzy Dean was called up and pitched a three-hitter. In Spring Training the following year, Dean had a fight with catcher Gabby Street and the franchise left him in the Minor Leagues all season long.

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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