1929 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."
"Always be cautious about rookie performances in September. They don't indicate what will happen in April." - Texas Rangers General Manager Tom Grieve
National League Debuts

1929

n/a Tom Angley 1929 Chicago Cubs 04-23-1929 24
n/a Red Barron 1929 Boston Braves 06-10-1929 28
n/a Footsie Blair 1929 Chicago Cubs 04-28-1929 28
n/a Buzz Boyle 1929 Boston Braves 09-11-1929 21
n/a Joe Bradshaw 1929 Brooklyn Robins 05-09-1929 31
n/a Leon Chagnon 1929 Pittsburgh Pirates 10-05-1929 27
n/a Stu Clarke 1929 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-12-1929 23
n/a Estel Crabtree 1929 Cincinnati Reds 04-18-1929 25
n/a Pat Crawford 1929 New York Giants 04-18-1929 27
n/a Bruce Cunningham 1929 Boston Braves 05-07-1929 23
n/a Sam Dailey 1929 Philadelphia Phillies 07-04-1929 25
n/a Eddie Delker 1929 St. Louis Cardinals 04-28-1929 23
n/a Clise Dudley 1929 Brooklyn Robins 04-18-1929 25
n/a Bill Dunlap 1929 Boston Braves 09-02-1929 20
n/a Hal Elliott 1929 Philadelphia Phillies 04-19-1929 29
n/a Ralph Erickson 1929 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-11-1929 27
n/a Johnny Frederick 1929 Brooklyn Robins 04-18-1929 27
n/a Larry French 1929 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-18-1929 21
n/a Benny Frey 1929 Cincinnati Reds 09-18-1929 23
n/a Charlie Gelbert 1929 St. Louis Cardinals 04-16-1929 23
n/a Al Grabowski 1929 St. Louis Cardinals 09-11-1929 28
n/a Earl Grace 1929 Chicago Cubs 04-23-1929 22
n/a Marv Gudat 1929 Cincinnati Reds 05-21-1929 25
n/a Jim Holloway 1929 Philadelphia Phillies 05-17-1929 20
n/a Trader Horne 1929 Chicago Cubs 04-24-1929 30
n/a Mel Ingram 1929 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-24-1929 25
n/a Bernie James 1929 Boston Braves 04-24-1929 23
n/a Dutch Kemner 1929 Cincinnati Reds 04-19-1929 30
n/a Lou Legett 1929 Boston Braves 05-08-1929 27
n/a Sam Leslie 1929 New York Giants 10-06-1929 24
n/a Bob Linton 1929 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-26-1929 27
n/a Ray Lucas 1929 New York Giants 09-28-1929 20
n/a Terry Lyons 1929 Philadelphia Phillies 04-19-1929 20
n/a Doc Marshall 1929 New York Giants 09-28-1929 23
n/a Elmer Miller 1929 Philadelphia Phillies 06-21-1929 26
n/a Cy Moore 1929 Brooklyn Robins 06-07-1929 24
n/a Jim Mosolf 1929 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-09-1929 24
n/a Bobo Newsom 1929 Brooklyn Robins 09-11-1929 22
n/a Joe O'Rourke 1929 Philadelphia Phillies 04-19-1929 24
n/a Roy Parmelee 1929 New York Giants 09-28-1929 22
n/a Jimmy Pattison 1929 Brooklyn Robins 04-18-1929 20
n/a Henry Peploski 1929 Boston Braves 09-19-1929 24
n/a Billy Rhiel 1929 Brooklyn Robins 04-20-1929 28
n/a Ben Sankey 1929 Pittsburgh Pirates 10-05-1929 22
n/a Carey Selph 1929 St. Louis Cardinals 05-25-1929 27
n/a Tripp Sigman 1929 Philadelphia Phillies 09-18-1929 30
n/a Harry Smythe 1929 Philadelphia Phillies 07-21-1929 24
n/a Jim Stroner 1929 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-01-1929 27
n/a George Susce 1929 Philadelphia Phillies 04-23-1929 21
n/a Evar Swanson 1929 Cincinnati Reds 04-18-1929 26
n/a Steve Swetonic 1929 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-17-1929 25
n/a Jim Tennant 1929 New York Giants 09-28-1929 22
n/a Phil Voyles 1929 Boston Braves 09-04-1929 29
n/a Al Weston 1929 Boston Braves 06-29-1929 23
1929 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1929 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

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.

When Christy Mathewson made his Major League debut the newspaper wrote, "The untried semi-professional possessed great speed and plenty of confidence in himself, but could not control his curves."
     

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