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."
"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

1901

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

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."

Did you know that Future hall of famer Addie Joss made his Major League pitching debut on April 26, 1902 and tossed a one hitter?
     

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