1918 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."
"There is no Major League record held by a rookie. It's revealing to see just how far the rookie marks are below the single season marks. This is a testament to how difficult the game is to learn and play." - Luke Salisbury in The Answer is Baseball (1989)
National League Debuts

1918

n/a Jake Hehl 1918 Brooklyn Robins 06-20-1918 18
n/a Waite Hoyt 1918 New York Giants 07-24-1918 18
n/a Doc Bass 1918 Boston Braves 07-29-1918 19
n/a Oscar Tuero 1918 St. Louis Cardinals 05-30-1918 19
n/a Hugh Canavan 1918 Boston Braves 04-23-1918 20
n/a Cliff Heathcote 1918 St. Louis Cardinals 06-04-1918 20
n/a Ted Menze 1918 St. Louis Cardinals 04-23-1918 20
n/a Jack Ogden 1918 New York Giants 06-22-1918 20
n/a Ty Pickup 1918 Philadelphia Phillies 04-30-1918 20
n/a Dick Wheeler 1918 St. Louis Cardinals 06-13-1918 20
n/a Rip Conway 1918 Boston Braves 04-16-1918 21
n/a Harry Heitmann 1918 Brooklyn Robins 07-27-1918 21
n/a Charlie Hollocher 1918 Chicago Cubs 04-16-1918 21
n/a Bob Larmore 1918 St. Louis Cardinals 05-14-1918 21
n/a Tom Miller 1918 Boston Braves 07-29-1918 21
n/a Bill Sherdel 1918 St. Louis Cardinals 04-22-1918 21
n/a Red Sheridan 1918 Brooklyn Robins 07-03-1918 21
n/a Dutch Distel 1918 St. Louis Cardinals 06-21-1918 22
n/a Austin McHenry 1918 St. Louis Cardinals 06-22-1918 22
n/a Hugh McQuillan 1918 Boston Braves 07-26-1918 22
n/a Larry Jacobus 1918 Cincinnati Reds 07-15-1918 23
n/a Buzz Murphy 1918 Boston Braves 07-14-1918 23
n/a Frank Woodward 1918 Philadelphia Phillies 04-17-1918 23
n/a Red Causey 1918 New York Giants 04-26-1918 24
n/a Jesse Haines 1918 Cincinnati Reds 07-20-1918 24
n/a Earl Howard 1918 St. Louis Cardinals 04-18-1918 24
n/a Marty Herrmann 1918 Brooklyn Robins 07-10-1918 25
n/a Bill McCabe 1918 Chicago Cubs 04-16-1918 25
n/a Norman Plitt 1918 Brooklyn Robins 04-26-1918 25
n/a Mickey Devine 1918 Philadelphia Phillies 08-02-1918 26
n/a George Ross 1918 New York Giants 06-27-1918 26
n/a Roy Massey 1918 Boston Braves 04-16-1918 27
n/a Jake Northrop 1918 Boston Braves 07-29-1918 30
1918 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1918 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

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?

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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