1904 American 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
American League Debuts

1904

n/a Tom Doran 1904 Boston Americans 04-19-1904 23
n/a Bill O'Neill 1904 Boston Americans 05-07-1904 27
n/a Claude Berry 1904 Chicago White Sox 04-22-1904 24
n/a Tom Dougherty 1904 Chicago White Sox 04-24-1904 22
n/a Gus Dundon 1904 Chicago White Sox 04-14-1904 29
n/a Frank Smith 1904 Chicago White Sox 04-22-1904 24
n/a Elmer Stricklett 1904 Chicago White Sox 04-22-1904 27
n/a Ed Walsh 1904 Chicago White Sox 05-07-1904 22
n/a Mike Donovan 1904 Cleveland Blues 05-29-1904 22
n/a Jack Hickey 1904 Cleveland Blues 04-16-1904 22
n/a Harry Ostdiek 1904 Cleveland Blues 09-10-1904 23
n/a Claude Rossman 1904 Cleveland Blues 09-16-1904 23
n/a Bill Schwartz 1904 Cleveland Blues 05-02-1904 20
n/a George Stovall 1904 Cleveland Blues 07-04-1904 26
n/a Rube Vinson 1904 Cleveland Blues 09-27-1904 25
n/a Cy Ferry 1904 Detroit Tigers 05-12-1904 25
n/a Charlie Jaeger 1904 Detroit Tigers 09-09-1904 29
n/a Charley O'Leary 1904 Detroit Tigers 04-14-1904 28
n/a Bugs Raymond 1904 Detroit Tigers 09-23-1904 22
n/a Walter Clarkson 1904 New York Highlanders 07-02-1904 25
n/a Orth Collins 1904 New York Highlanders 06-01-1904 24
n/a Red Kleinow 1904 New York Highlanders 05-03-1904 26
n/a Bob Unglaub 1904 New York Highlanders 04-15-1904 22
n/a Fred Applegate 1904 Philadelphia Athletics 09-30-1904 25
n/a John Barthold 1904 Philadelphia Athletics 05-17-1904 22
n/a Lou Bruce 1904 Philadelphia Athletics 06-22-1904 27
n/a Jim Mullin 1904 Philadelphia Athletics 06-01-1904 20
n/a Pete Noonan 1904 Philadelphia Athletics 06-20-1904 22
n/a Art Bader 1904 St. Louis Browns 08-02-1904 17
n/a Harry Vahrenhorst 1904 St. Louis Browns 09-21-1904 19
n/a Joe Cassidy 1904 Washington Senators 04-18-1904 21
n/a Izzy Hoffman 1904 Washington Senators 04-14-1904 29
n/a Beany Jacobson 1904 Washington Senators 04-30-1904 22
n/a Del Mason 1904 Washington Senators 04-23-1904 20
n/a Rabbit Nill 1904 Washington Senators 09-27-1904 23
1904 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1904 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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