1919 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."
"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)
American League Debuts

1919

n/a Gene Robertson 1919 St. Louis Browns 07-04-1919 19
n/a Lena Styles 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-10-1919 19
n/a Bill Bayne 1919 St. Louis Browns 09-20-1919 20
n/a Harry Courtney 1919 Washington Senators 09-13-1919 20
n/a Charlie High 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-05-1919 20
n/a Frank Kelliher 1919 Washington Senators 09-19-1919 20
n/a George Uhle 1919 Cleveland Indians 04-30-1919 20
n/a Dick Burrus 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 06-23-1919 21
n/a Snooks Dowd 1919 Detroit Tigers 04-27-1919 21
n/a Clarence Fisher 1919 Washington Senators 09-14-1919 21
n/a Bill Grevell 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 05-14-1919 21
n/a Hal Haid 1919 St. Louis Browns 09-05-1919 21
n/a Mike Kircher 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 08-08-1919 21
n/a Bill Snyder 1919 Washington Senators 09-14-1919 21
n/a Al Wingo 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-09-1919 21
n/a George Winn 1919 Boston Red Sox 04-29-1919 21
n/a Pat Collins 1919 St. Louis Browns 09-05-1919 22
n/a Charlie Eckert 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-18-1919 22
n/a Ivy Griffin 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-09-1919 22
n/a Bucky Harris 1919 Washington Senators 08-28-1919 22
n/a Lefty O'Doul 1919 New York Yankees 04-29-1919 22
n/a Danny Silva 1919 Washington Senators 08-11-1919 22
n/a Johnny Walker 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-19-1919 22
n/a Frank Welch 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-09-1919 22
n/a Ike Davis 1919 Washington Senators 04-23-1919 23
n/a Frank Ellerbe 1919 Washington Senators 08-28-1919 23
n/a Chick Galloway 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-09-1919 23
n/a Ed Gill 1919 Washington Senators 07-05-1919 23
n/a Bob Hasty 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-11-1919 23
n/a Charlie Robertson 1919 Chicago White Sox 05-13-1919 23
n/a Elam Vangilder 1919 St. Louis Browns 09-18-1919 23
n/a Curt Walker 1919 New York Yankees 09-17-1919 23
n/a Bob Allen 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 08-20-1919 24
n/a Jesse Baker 1919 Washington Senators 09-14-1919 24
n/a Dan Boone 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-10-1919 24
n/a George Halas 1919 New York Yankees 05-06-1919 24
n/a Harvey McClellan 1919 Chicago White Sox 05-31-1919 24
n/a Ray Roberts 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-12-1919 24
n/a Joe Schepner 1919 St. Louis Browns 09-11-1919 24
n/a Jimmy Zinn 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-04-1919 24
n/a Art Ewoldt 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-17-1919 25
n/a Frank Gleich 1919 New York Yankees 09-17-1919 25
n/a Fred Hofmann 1919 New York Yankees 09-26-1919 25
n/a Dickey Kerr 1919 Chicago White Sox 04-25-1919 25
n/a Luke Nelson 1919 New York Yankees 05-25-1919 25
n/a John Sullivan 1919 Chicago White Sox 07-19-1919 25
n/a Tony Faeth 1919 Cleveland Indians 08-10-1919 26
n/a Harry Lunte 1919 Cleveland Indians 05-19-1919 26
n/a Norm McNeil 1919 Boston Red Sox 06-21-1919 26
n/a Al Schacht 1919 Washington Senators 09-18-1919 26
n/a Lefty York 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-12-1919 26
n/a Pat Martin 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 09-20-1919 27
n/a Rolla Mapel 1919 St. Louis Browns 08-31-1919 29
n/a Harry Thompson 1919 Washington Senators 04-24-1919 29
n/a Lew Groh 1919 Philadelphia Athletics 08-02-1919 35
1919 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1919 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.
     

Baseball Almanac on Facebook

Copyright © 2000-2013. All Rights Reserved by Baseball-Almanac. Privacy Policy.Design by Geisler Young. Web hosting by Hosting 4 Less.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Football Almanac | Pigskin Fever | Today in Baseball History.