1908 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

1908

n/a Frank Arellanes 1908 Boston Red Sox 07-28-1908 26
n/a Walter Carlisle 1908 Boston Red Sox 05-08-1908 26
n/a Gavvy Cravath 1908 Boston Red Sox 04-18-1908 27
n/a Pat Donahue 1908 Boston Red Sox 05-29-1908 23
n/a Larry Gardner 1908 Boston Red Sox 06-25-1908 22
n/a Charlie Hartman 1908 Boston Red Sox 06-24-1908 19
n/a Amby McConnell 1908 Boston Red Sox 04-17-1908 24
n/a Jim McHale 1908 Boston Red Sox 04-14-1908 32
n/a Doc McMahon 1908 Boston Red Sox 10-06-1908 21
n/a Joe Wood 1908 Boston Red Sox 08-24-1908 18
n/a Andy Nelson 1908 Chicago White Sox 05-26-1908 23
n/a Fred Olmstead 1908 Chicago White Sox 07-02-1908 26
n/a Billy Purtell 1908 Chicago White Sox 04-16-1908 22
n/a Homer Davidson 1908 Cleveland Naps 04-25-1908 23
n/a Ed Foster 1908 Cleveland Naps 07-31-1908 0
n/a Jack Graney 1908 Cleveland Naps 04-30-1908 21
n/a Grover Land 1908 Cleveland Naps 09-02-1908 23
n/a Bill Lattimore 1908 Cleveland Naps 04-17-1908 23
n/a George Perring 1908 Cleveland Naps 04-25-1908 23
n/a Jack Ryan 1908 Cleveland Naps 07-02-1908 23
n/a Donie Bush 1908 Detroit Tigers 09-18-1908 20
n/a Clay Perry 1908 Detroit Tigers 09-02-1908 26
n/a George Suggs 1908 Detroit Tigers 04-21-1908 25
n/a Ed Summers 1908 Detroit Tigers 04-16-1908 23
n/a Harry Billiard 1908 New York Highlanders 07-31-1908 24
n/a Birdie Cree 1908 New York Highlanders 09-17-1908 25
n/a Earle Gardner 1908 New York Highlanders 09-18-1908 24
n/a Joe Lake 1908 New York Highlanders 04-21-1908 27
n/a Andy O'Connor 1908 New York Highlanders 10-06-1908 24
n/a Queenie O'Rourke 1908 New York Highlanders 08-15-1908 24
n/a Ed Sweeney 1908 New York Highlanders 05-16-1908 19
n/a Hippo Vaughn 1908 New York Highlanders 06-19-1908 20
n/a Jack Warhop 1908 New York Highlanders 09-19-1908 24
n/a Pete Wilson 1908 New York Highlanders 09-15-1908 22
n/a Frank Baker 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 09-21-1908 22
n/a Scotty Barr 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 08-22-1908 21
n/a Jack Barry 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 07-13-1908 21
n/a Nick Carter 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 04-14-1908 28
n/a Ben Egan 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 09-29-1908 24
n/a Eddie Files 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 10-03-1908 25
n/a Jack Flater 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 09-18-1908 24
n/a Jack Fox 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 06-02-1908 23
n/a Joe Jackson 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 08-25-1908 19
n/a Al Kellogg 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 09-25-1908 22
n/a Harry Krause 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 04-20-1908 19
n/a Jack Lapp 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 09-11-1908 24
n/a Frank Manush 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 08-31-1908 24
n/a Doc Martin 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 10-07-1908 21
n/a Herbie Moran 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 04-16-1908 24
n/a Gus Salve 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 09-14-1908 22
n/a Biff Schlitzer 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 04-17-1908 23
n/a Syd Smith 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 04-14-1908 24
n/a Amos Strunk 1908 Philadelphia Athletics 09-24-1908 19
n/a Bert Blue 1908 St. Louis Browns 06-15-1908 30
n/a Dode Criss 1908 St. Louis Browns 04-20-1908 23
n/a Bill Grahame 1908 St. Louis Browns 04-18-1908 23
n/a Al Schweitzer 1908 St. Louis Browns 04-30-1908 25
n/a Bill Burns 1908 Washington Senators 04-18-1908 28
n/a Eli Cates 1908 Washington Senators 04-20-1908 31
n/a Jerry Freeman 1908 Washington Senators 04-14-1908 28
n/a Burt Keeley 1908 Washington Senators 04-18-1908 28
1908 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1908 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.

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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