1921 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 a certain amount of fascination to the big league debut of any athlete. Sometimes they are incredible successes. Sometimes they are frenetic failures." - Sportswriter Arthur Daley
American League Debuts

1921

n/a Sam Barnes 1921 Detroit Tigers 09-14-1921 21
n/a Bill Barrett 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 05-13-1921 20
n/a Red Bird 1921 Washington Senators 09-17-1921 31
n/a Bill Bishop 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 09-15-1921 20
n/a Lu Blue 1921 Detroit Tigers 04-14-1921 24
n/a Fred Bratschi 1921 Chicago White Sox 07-24-1921 29
n/a Frank Brazill 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 04-13-1921 21
n/a Frank Callaway 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 09-17-1921 23
n/a Bert Cole 1921 Detroit Tigers 04-19-1921 24
n/a Sarge Connally 1921 Chicago White Sox 09-10-1921 23
n/a Lum Davenport 1921 Chicago White Sox 05-03-1921 20
n/a Sam Dodge 1921 Boston Red Sox 09-24-1921 21
n/a Hod Fenner 1921 Chicago White Sox 09-09-1921 24
n/a George Foss 1921 Washington Senators 04-16-1921 23
n/a Harvey Freeman 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 07-10-1921 23
n/a Dot Fulghum 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 09-15-1921 21
n/a Curt Fullerton 1921 Boston Red Sox 04-14-1921 22
n/a Nemo Gaines 1921 Washington Senators 06-26-1921 23
n/a Goose Goslin 1921 Washington Senators 09-16-1921 20
n/a Chicken Hawks 1921 New York Yankees 04-14-1921 25
n/a Bernie Henderson 1921 Cleveland Indians 09-05-1921 22
n/a Dutch Henry 1921 St. Louis Browns 09-16-1921 19
n/a Carl Holling 1921 Detroit Tigers 04-19-1921 24
n/a Tex Jeanes 1921 Cleveland Indians 04-20-1921 20
n/a Ray Kolp 1921 St. Louis Browns 04-16-1921 26
n/a George Lees 1921 Chicago White Sox 05-07-1921 26
n/a Elmer Leifer 1921 Chicago White Sox 09-07-1921 28
n/a Ben Mallonee 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 09-14-1921 27
n/a Vance McIlree 1921 Washington Senators 09-13-1921 23
n/a Doug McWeeny 1921 Chicago White Sox 04-24-1921 24
n/a Herm Merritt 1921 Detroit Tigers 08-24-1921 20
n/a John Michaelson 1921 Chicago White Sox 08-28-1921 28
n/a Bing Miller 1921 Washington Senators 04-16-1921 26
n/a Ralph Miller 1921 Washington Senators 09-16-1921 22
n/a Ray Miner 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 09-15-1921 24
n/a Johnny Mitchell 1921 New York Yankees 05-21-1921 26
n/a Dominic Mulrenan 1921 Chicago White Sox 04-24-1921 27
n/a Ernie Neitzke 1921 Boston Red Sox 06-02-1921 26
n/a Ted Odenwald 1921 Cleveland Indians 04-13-1921 19
n/a Red Ostergard 1921 Chicago White Sox 06-14-1921 25
n/a Slicker Parks 1921 Detroit Tigers 07-11-1921 25
n/a Rusty Pence 1921 Chicago White Sox 05-13-1921 21
n/a John Perrin 1921 Boston Red Sox 07-11-1921 23
n/a Jesse Petty 1921 Cleveland Indians 04-14-1921 26
n/a Pinky Pittenger 1921 Boston Red Sox 04-15-1921 22
n/a Frank Pratt 1921 Chicago White Sox 05-13-1921 23
n/a Jim Riley 1921 St. Louis Browns 07-03-1921 26
n/a Joe Sargent 1921 Detroit Tigers 04-27-1921 27
n/a Luke Sewell 1921 Cleveland Indians 06-30-1921 20
n/a Earl Sheely 1921 Chicago White Sox 04-14-1921 28
n/a Ginger Shinault 1921 Cleveland Indians 07-04-1921 28
n/a Riggs Stephenson 1921 Cleveland Indians 04-13-1921 23
n/a Lefty Stewart 1921 Detroit Tigers 04-20-1921 20
n/a Luke Stuart 1921 St. Louis Browns 07-28-1921 29
n/a Jim Sullivan 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 09-27-1921 27
n/a Suds Sutherland 1921 Detroit Tigers 04-14-1921 27
n/a Jackie Tavener 1921 Detroit Tigers 09-24-1921 23
n/a Arlas Taylor 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 09-15-1921 25
n/a Lee Thompson 1921 Chicago White Sox 09-04-1921 23
n/a Cy Twombly 1921 Chicago White Sox 06-25-1921 24
n/a Jim Walsh 1921 Detroit Tigers 08-25-1921 27
n/a Jack Wieneke 1921 Chicago White Sox 07-04-1921 27
n/a Lefty Wolf 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 07-04-1921 21
n/a Yam Yaryan 1921 Chicago White Sox 04-23-1921 28
n/a Elmer Yoter 1921 Philadelphia Athletics 09-09-1921 21
1921 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1921 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.

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.
     

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.