1901 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."

"You never forget your first hit in the Major Leagues. It was in my third at bat. That was kind of a relief. You could start off 0-for-34." - Ralph Kiner
National League Debuts

1901

n/a Jerry Hurley 1901 Cincinnati Reds 09-23-1901 0
n/a Dick Scott 1901 Cincinnati Reds 06-26-1901 18
n/a Jim Miller 1901 New York Giants 09-09-1901 20
n/a Terry Turner 1901 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-25-1901 20
n/a Charlie Case 1901 Cincinnati Reds 07-05-1901 21
n/a Jim Delahanty 1901 Chicago Orphans 04-19-1901 21
n/a George Grossart 1901 Boston Beaneaters 06-07-1901 21
n/a Crese Heismann 1901 Cincinnati Reds 09-25-1901 21
n/a George Merritt 1901 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-06-1901 21
n/a Bill Bergen 1901 Cincinnati Reds 05-06-1901 22
n/a Fred Brown 1901 Boston Beaneaters 05-04-1901 22
n/a Harry Felix 1901 New York Giants 10-05-1901 22
n/a Larry Hoffman 1901 Chicago Orphans 07-09-1901 22
n/a Len Swormstedt 1901 Cincinnati Reds 09-29-1901 22
n/a Happy Townsend 1901 Philadelphia Phillies 04-19-1901 22
n/a Doc White 1901 Philadelphia Phillies 04-22-1901 22
n/a Gene Wright 1901 Brooklyn Superbas 10-05-1901 22
n/a Harry Bay 1901 Cincinnati Reds 07-23-1901 23
n/a Truck Eagan 1901 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-01-1901 23
n/a Emil Haberer 1901 Cincinnati Reds 07-09-1901 23
n/a Larry Hesterfer 1901 New York Giants 09-05-1901 23
n/a Willie Mills 1901 New York Giants 07-13-1901 23
n/a Bill Richardson 1901 St. Louis Cardinals 09-20-1901 23
n/a Bob Wicker 1901 St. Louis Cardinals 08-11-1901 23
n/a Charlie Buelow 1901 New York Giants 06-01-1901 24
n/a Fred Crolius 1901 Boston Beaneaters 04-19-1901 24
n/a John Hinton 1901 Boston Beaneaters 06-03-1901 24
n/a Bob Lawson 1901 Boston Beaneaters 05-07-1901 24
n/a Barney McFadden 1901 Cincinnati Reds 04-24-1901 24
n/a Pete O'Brien 1901 Cincinnati Reds 09-21-1901 24
n/a Mike O'Neill 1901 St. Louis Cardinals 09-20-1901 24
n/a George Browne 1901 Philadelphia Phillies 09-27-1901 25
n/a Farmer Burns 1901 St. Louis Cardinals 07-06-1901 25
n/a Pat Carney 1901 Boston Beaneaters 09-20-1901 25
n/a John Dobbs 1901 Cincinnati Reds 04-20-1901 25
n/a Daff Gammons 1901 Boston Beaneaters 04-23-1901 25
n/a Gene McCann 1901 Brooklyn Superbas 04-19-1901 25
n/a Pat Moran 1901 Boston Beaneaters 05-15-1901 25
n/a Frank Murphy 1901 Boston Beaneaters 07-02-1901 25
n/a Ray Nelson 1901 New York Giants 05-06-1901 25
n/a Fred Raymer 1901 Chicago Orphans 04-24-1901 25
n/a Germany Schaefer 1901 Chicago Orphans 10-05-1901 25
n/a Ike Van Zandt 1901 New York Giants 08-05-1901 25
n/a Lefty Davis 1901 Brooklyn Superbas 04-18-1901 26
n/a Dummy Deegan 1901 New York Giants 08-03-1901 26
n/a Charlie Ferguson 1901 Chicago Orphans 09-20-1901 26
n/a John Gochnaur 1901 Brooklyn Superbas 09-29-1901 26
n/a Jake Livingstone 1901 New York Giants 09-06-1901 26
n/a Charlie Krause 1901 Cincinnati Reds 07-27-1901 27
n/a Lew Carr 1901 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-02-1901 28
n/a Bill Gannon 1901 Chicago Orphans 09-09-1901 28
n/a Hughie Hearne 1901 Brooklyn Superbas 08-29-1901 28
n/a Chink Heileman 1901 Cincinnati Reds 07-08-1901 28
n/a Joe Wall 1901 New York Giants 09-22-1901 28
n/a Pete Childs 1901 St. Louis Cardinals 04-24-1901 29
n/a Whitey Guese 1901 Cincinnati Reds 07-13-1901 29
n/a Eddie Hickey 1901 Chicago Orphans 09-03-1901 29
n/a Snake Wiltse 1901 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-05-1901 29
1901 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1901 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

On April 13, 1954, Hank Aaron made his Major League debut and went 0-for-5. However, in his own autobiography Aaron wrote that he went 0-for-4.

Ted Cox made his Major League debut in 1977 with the Boston Red Sox and over two games on September 18 and 19, Cox went six for six before he made an out.

     

Baseball Almanac on Facebook