1921 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."
"Baseball is the sport that cackles back at can't-miss kids. Baseball humbles every player sooner or later. Baseball confers greatness stingily, in its own sweet time. At least that's what the bow-tied essayists and sandlot scouts solemnly tell us." - Johnette Howard in Sports Illustrated
National League Debuts

1921

n/a Petie Behan 1921 Philadelphia Phillies 09-16-1921 33
n/a Joe Berry 1921 New York Giants 07-18-1921 26
n/a Garland Braxton 1921 Boston Braves 05-27-1921 20
n/a Frank Bruggy 1921 Philadelphia Phillies 04-13-1921 29
n/a Lefty Clarke 1921 Cincinnati Reds 10-02-1921 25
n/a Joe Connolly 1921 New York Giants 10-01-1921 27
n/a Johnny Cooney 1921 Boston Braves 04-19-1921 20
n/a Bill Cunningham 1921 New York Giants 07-14-1921 26
n/a Kiki Cuyler 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-29-1921 23
n/a Pete Donohue 1921 Cincinnati Reds 07-01-1921 20
n/a Astyanax Douglass 1921 Cincinnati Reds 07-30-1921 23
n/a Carter Elliott 1921 Chicago Cubs 09-10-1921 27
n/a Reuben Ewing 1921 St. Louis Cardinals 06-21-1921 21
n/a Lew Fonseca 1921 Cincinnati Reds 04-13-1921 22
n/a Buck Freeman 1921 Chicago Cubs 04-13-1921 27
n/a Oscar Fuhr 1921 Chicago Cubs 04-19-1921 27
n/a Johnny Gooch 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-09-1921 23
n/a Ray Gordinier 1921 Brooklyn Robins 09-17-1921 29
n/a Ollie Hanson 1921 Chicago Cubs 04-27-1921 25
n/a Bud Heine 1921 New York Giants 10-01-1921 21
n/a Butch Henline 1921 New York Giants 04-13-1921 26
n/a Kenny Hogan 1921 Cincinnati Reds 10-02-1921 18
n/a Bill Hughes 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-15-1921 24
n/a Walt Irwin 1921 St. Louis Cardinals 04-24-1921 23
n/a Howie Jones 1921 St. Louis Cardinals 09-05-1921 24
n/a Claude Jonnard 1921 New York Giants 10-01-1921 23
n/a Tony Kaufmann 1921 Chicago Cubs 09-23-1921 20
n/a Joe Klugmann 1921 Chicago Cubs 09-23-1921 26
n/a Wally Kopf 1921 New York Giants 10-01-1921 22
n/a Jim Mahady 1921 New York Giants 10-02-1921 20
n/a Johnny Mokan 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-15-1921 25
n/a John Monroe 1921 New York Giants 04-16-1921 22
n/a Cy Morgan 1921 Boston Braves 06-08-1921 25
n/a Phil Morrison 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-30-1921 26
n/a Charlie Niebergall 1921 St. Louis Cardinals 06-17-1921 22
n/a Frank Parkinson 1921 Philadelphia Phillies 04-13-1921 26
n/a Pat Patterson 1921 New York Giants 04-14-1921 24
n/a Drew Rader 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-18-1921 20
n/a Goldie Rapp 1921 New York Giants 04-13-1921 29
n/a Lance Richbourg 1921 Philadelphia Phillies 07-04-1921 23
n/a Tink Riviere 1921 St. Louis Cardinals 04-15-1921 21
n/a Ray Rohwer 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-13-1921 25
n/a Duke Sedgwick 1921 Philadelphia Phillies 07-12-1921 23
n/a Bill Skiff 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-17-1921 25
n/a George Stueland 1921 Chicago Cubs 09-15-1921 22
n/a Red Thomas 1921 Chicago Cubs 09-13-1921 23
n/a Specs Toporcer 1921 St. Louis Cardinals 04-13-1921 22
n/a Bill Warwick 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-18-1921 23
n/a Rip Wheeler 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-30-1921 23
n/a Denny Williams 1921 Cincinnati Reds 04-15-1921 24
n/a Mike Wilson 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 06-04-1921 24
n/a Kettle Wirts 1921 Chicago Cubs 07-20-1921 23
n/a Chief Yellow Horse 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-15-1921 23
n/a Walter Zink 1921 New York Giants 07-06-1921 22
1921 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1921 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

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."

On the final day of the 1930 season, Dizzy Dean was called up and pitched a three-hitter. In Spring Training the following year, Dean had a fight with catcher Gabby Street and the franchise left him in the Minor Leagues all season long.
     

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