1923 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."
"You never forget your first hit in the Major Leagues. It was in my third at bat. That was kind of a relief. You could start off 0-for-34." - Ralph Kiner
American League Debuts

1923

n/a Maurice Archdeacon 1923 Chicago White Sox 09-17-1923 25
n/a Benny Bengough 1923 New York Yankees 05-18-1923 24
n/a Herschel Bennett 1923 St. Louis Browns 04-19-1923 26
n/a Clarence Blethen 1923 Boston Red Sox 09-17-1923 30
n/a Les Burke 1923 Detroit Tigers 05-02-1923 20
n/a Dennis Burns 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 09-19-1923 25
n/a Paul Castner 1923 Chicago White Sox 08-06-1923 26
n/a Rufe Clarke 1923 Detroit Tigers 09-03-1923 23
n/a Bill Conroy 1923 Washington Senators 04-18-1923 24
n/a Jess Cortazzo 1923 Chicago White Sox 09-01-1923 18
n/a Buck Crouse 1923 Chicago White Sox 08-01-1923 26
n/a John Donahue 1923 Boston Red Sox 09-25-1923 29
n/a Charlie Dorman 1923 Chicago White Sox 05-14-1923 25
n/a Jumbo Elliott 1923 St. Louis Browns 04-21-1923 22
n/a Roy Elsh 1923 Chicago White Sox 04-19-1923 32
n/a Slim Embrey 1923 Chicago White Sox 10-01-1923 22
n/a Homer Ezzell 1923 St. Louis Browns 04-22-1923 27
n/a Showboat Fisher 1923 Washington Senators 04-24-1923 24
n/a Walt French 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 09-15-1923 24
n/a Skipper Friday 1923 Washington Senators 06-17-1923 25
n/a Johnson Fry 1923 Cleveland Indians 08-24-1923 21
n/a Jackie Gallagher 1923 Cleveland Indians 08-24-1923 21
n/a Mike Gazella 1923 New York Yankees 07-02-1923 27
n/a Lou Gehrig 1923 New York Yankees 06-15-1923 19
n/a Claral Gillenwater 1923 Chicago White Sox 08-20-1923 23
n/a George Grant 1923 St. Louis Browns 09-17-1923 20
n/a Tom Gulley 1923 Cleveland Indians 08-24-1923 23
n/a Hinkey Haines 1923 New York Yankees 04-20-1923 24
n/a John Happenny 1923 Chicago White Sox 07-02-1923 22
n/a Pinky Hargrave 1923 Washington Senators 05-18-1923 27
n/a Harvey Hendrick 1923 New York Yankees 04-20-1923 25
n/a Les Howe 1923 Boston Red Sox 08-18-1923 27
n/a Hank Hulvey 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 09-05-1923 26
n/a John Jones 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 09-26-1923 22
n/a Willie Kamm 1923 Chicago White Sox 04-18-1923 23
n/a Al Kellett 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 06-29-1923 21
n/a Ren Kelly 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 09-18-1923 23
n/a John Kerr 1923 Detroit Tigers 05-01-1923 24
n/a Ray Knode 1923 Cleveland Indians 06-30-1923 22
n/a Dutch Levsen 1923 Cleveland Indians 09-28-1923 25
n/a Rube Lutzke 1923 Cleveland Indians 04-18-1923 25
n/a Ted Lyons 1923 Chicago White Sox 07-02-1923 22
n/a Heinie Manush 1923 Detroit Tigers 04-20-1923 21
n/a Firpo Marberry 1923 Washington Senators 08-11-1923 24
n/a Wid Matthews 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 04-18-1923 26
n/a Roy Meeker 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 09-22-1923 23
n/a Monroe Mitchell 1923 Washington Senators 07-11-1923 21
n/a Bill Mizeur 1923 St. Louis Browns 09-30-1923 26
n/a Bobby Murray 1923 Washington Senators 09-24-1923 29
n/a Doc Ozmer 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 05-11-1923 21
n/a George Pipgras 1923 New York Yankees 06-09-1923 23
n/a Squire Potter 1923 Washington Senators 08-07-1923 21
n/a Red Proctor 1923 Chicago White Sox 08-06-1923 22
n/a Jake Propst 1923 Washington Senators 08-07-1923 28
n/a Harry Rice 1923 St. Louis Browns 04-18-1923 21
n/a Harry Riconda 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 04-19-1923 26
n/a Clay Roe 1923 Washington Senators 10-03-1923 19
n/a Oscar Roettger 1923 New York Yankees 07-07-1923 23
n/a Charlie Root 1923 St. Louis Browns 04-18-1923 24
n/a Lou Rosenberg 1923 Chicago White Sox 05-22-1923 19
n/a Chuck Rowland 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 05-11-1923 23
n/a Fred Schemanske 1923 Washington Senators 09-15-1923 20
n/a Johnny Schulte 1923 St. Louis Browns 04-18-1923 26
n/a Wally Shaner 1923 Cleveland Indians 05-04-1923 22
n/a Syl Simon 1923 St. Louis Browns 10-01-1923 25
n/a Carr Smith 1923 Washington Senators 09-23-1923 22
n/a Roxy Snipes 1923 Chicago White Sox 07-15-1923 26
n/a Carl Stimson 1923 Boston Red Sox 06-06-1923 28
n/a Leo Taylor 1923 Chicago White Sox 05-03-1923 21
n/a Sloppy Thurston 1923 St. Louis Browns 04-19-1923 23
n/a Rip Wade 1923 Washington Senators 04-19-1923 25
n/a Ed Wells 1923 Detroit Tigers 06-16-1923 23
n/a Bill Whaley 1923 St. Louis Browns 04-18-1923 24
n/a Earl Whitehill 1923 Detroit Tigers 09-15-1923 24
n/a Ted Wingfield 1923 Washington Senators 09-23-1923 24
n/a Chuck Wolfe 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 08-02-1923 26
n/a Doc Wood 1923 Philadelphia Athletics 07-21-1923 23
n/a Paul Zahniser 1923 Washington Senators 05-18-1923 26
1923 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1923 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

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.

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."
     

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