1916 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."
"Always be cautious about rookie performances in September. They don't indicate what will happen in April." - Texas Rangers General Manager Tom Grieve
American League Debuts

1916

n/a Bill Stellbauer 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 04-12-1916 22
n/a Zeb Terry 1916 Chicago White Sox 04-12-1916 24
n/a Whitey Witt 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 04-12-1916 20
n/a George Cunningham 1916 Detroit Tigers 04-14-1916 21
n/a George Harper 1916 Detroit Tigers 04-15-1916 23
n/a Byrd Lynn 1916 Chicago White Sox 04-16-1916 27
n/a Ray Shook 1916 Chicago White Sox 04-16-1916 26
n/a Verne Clemons 1916 St. Louis Browns 04-22-1916 24
n/a Bill Fincher 1916 St. Louis Browns 04-23-1916 21
n/a Joe Fautsch 1916 Chicago White Sox 04-24-1916 29
n/a Urban Shocker 1916 New York Yankees 04-24-1916 25
n/a Patsy Gharrity 1916 Washington Senators 05-16-1916 24
n/a Shorty Des Jardien 1916 Cleveland Indians 05-20-1916 22
n/a Jack Bradley 1916 Cleveland Indians 06-18-1916 22
n/a Red Gunkel 1916 Cleveland Indians 06-18-1916 22
n/a Red Lanning 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 06-20-1916 21
n/a Harland Rowe 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 06-23-1916 20
n/a Lee King 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 06-24-1916 22
n/a Doc Carroll 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 06-27-1916 24
n/a Jing Johnson 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 06-27-1916 21
n/a Otis Lawry 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 06-28-1916 22
n/a George Hesselbacher 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 06-29-1916 21
n/a Cy Wright 1916 Chicago White Sox 06-30-1916 22
n/a Lee McElwee 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 07-03-1916 22
n/a Michael Driscoll 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 07-06-1916 23
n/a Walt Whittaker 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 07-06-1916 22
n/a Ralph Mitterling 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 07-07-1916 26
n/a Marsh Williams 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 07-07-1916 23
n/a Al Gould 1916 Cleveland Indians 07-11-1916 23
n/a Otis Lambeth 1916 Cleveland Indians 07-16-1916 26
n/a Val Picinich 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 07-25-1916 19
n/a Charlie Grimm 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 07-30-1916 17
n/a Moxie Divis 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 08-04-1916 22
n/a Molly Craft 1916 Washington Senators 08-08-1916 20
n/a Mike Cantwell 1916 New York Yankees 08-17-1916 22
n/a Al Bergman 1916 Cleveland Indians 08-29-1916 26
n/a Ollie Welf 1916 Cleveland Indians 08-30-1916 27
n/a Ziggy Hasbrouck 1916 Chicago White Sox 09-06-1916 22
n/a Marv Goodwin 1916 Washington Senators 09-07-1916 25
n/a Ray Kennedy 1916 St. Louis Browns 09-08-1916 21
n/a Lou Guisto 1916 Cleveland Indians 09-10-1916 21
n/a Ken Penner 1916 Cleveland Indians 09-11-1916 20
n/a Hank DeBerry 1916 Cleveland Indians 09-12-1916 21
n/a Roy Grover 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 09-13-1916 24
n/a Claude Thomas 1916 Washington Senators 09-14-1916 26
n/a Jess Buckles 1916 New York Yankees 09-17-1916 26
n/a Babe Ellison 1916 Detroit Tigers 09-18-1916 19
n/a Ted Jourdan 1916 Chicago White Sox 09-18-1916 21
n/a Rube Parnham 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 09-20-1916 22
n/a Bill Johnson 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 09-22-1916 23
n/a Deacon Jones 1916 Detroit Tigers 09-23-1916 23
n/a Buck Thrasher 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 09-27-1916 27
n/a Axel Lindstrom 1916 Philadelphia Athletics 10-03-1916 21
1916 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1916 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.

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.
     

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