1938 National League Baseball Debuts / Rookies by Baseball Almanac

1938 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 1938
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
21	Mike Balas	1938 Boston Bees	04-27-1938	27
27	Tom Earley	1938 Boston Bees	09-27-1938	21
18	Dick Errickson	1938 Boston Bees	04-27-1938	26
29	Jim Hitchcock	1938 Boston Bees	08-24-1938	27
22, 29	Bob Kahle	1938 Boston Bees	04-21-1938	22
29	Tom Kane	1938 Boston Bees	08-03-1938	31
11	Art Kenney	1938 Boston Bees	07-01-1938	22
21	Harl Maggert	1938 Boston Bees	04-19-1938	23
12	Ralph McLeod	1938 Boston Bees	09-14-1938	21
26	Hiker Moran	1938 Boston Bees	09-29-1938	26
18	Johnny Niggeling	1938 Boston Bees	04-30-1938	34
10, 25	Butch Sutcliffe	1938 Boston Bees	08-28-1938	23
29	Joe Walsh	1938 Boston Bees	07-01-1938	21
4	Max West	1938 Boston Bees	04-19-1938	21
3	Pete Coscarart	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	04-26-1938	24
-	John Gaddy	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	09-27-1938	24
17	Oris Hockett	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	09-04-1938	28
20, 33	Ernie Koy	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	04-19-1938	28
-	Sam Nahem	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	10-02-1938	22
21	Bill Posedel	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	04-23-1938	31
23	Dykes Potter	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	04-26-1938	27
18	Tot Pressnell	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	04-21-1938	31
1, 7	Packy Rogers	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	07-12-1938	25
7	Ray Thomas	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	07-21-1938	28
7	Woody Williams	1938 Brooklyn Dodgers	09-05-1938	26
30	Jim Asbell	1938 Chicago Cubs	05-08-1938	23
56	Al Epperly	1938 Chicago Cubs	04-25-1938	19
29	Bobby Mattick	1938 Chicago Cubs	05-05-1938	22
21	Steve Mesner	1938 Chicago Cubs	09-23-1938	20
41	Vance Page	1938 Chicago Cubs	08-06-1938	32
32	Coaker Triplett	1938 Chicago Cubs	04-19-1938	26
49	Nino Bongiovanni	1938 Cincinnati Reds	04-23-1938	26
50	Willard Hershberger	1938 Cincinnati Reds	04-19-1938	27
46, 51	Don Lang	1938 Cincinnati Reds	07-04-1938	23
59	Dick West	1938 Cincinnati Reds	09-28-1938	22
18	Oscar Georgy	1938 New York Giants	06-04-1938	21
7	George Myatt	1938 New York Giants	08-16-1938	24
28	Les Powers	1938 New York Giants	09-17-1938	28
23	Johnnie Wittig	1938 New York Giants	08-04-1938	24
10	Cap Clark	1938 Philadelphia Phillies	04-23-1938	31
-	Eddie Feinberg	1938 Philadelphia Phillies	09-11-1938	20
-	Tom Lanning	1938 Philadelphia Phillies	09-14-1938	31
9	Heinie Mueller	1938 Philadelphia Phillies	04-19-1938	25
-	Alex Pitko	1938 Philadelphia Phillies	09-11-1938	23
19	Art Rebel	1938 Philadelphia Phillies	04-19-1938	23
16	Tommy Reis	1938 Philadelphia Phillies	04-27-1938	23
-	Justin Stein	1938 Philadelphia Phillies	05-28-1938	26
4	Ray Stoviak	1938 Philadelphia Phillies	06-05-1938	22
41	Bob Klinger	1938 Pittsburgh Pirates	04-19-1938	29
12	Johnny Rizzo	1938 Pittsburgh Pirates	04-19-1938	25
30	Mort Cooper	1938 St. Louis Cardinals	09-14-1938	25
24	Creepy Crespi	1938 St. Louis Cardinals	09-14-1938	20
17	Hal Epps	1938 St. Louis Cardinals	09-09-1938	24
32	Max Lanier	1938 St. Louis Cardinals	04-20-1938	22
16	Max Macon	1938 St. Louis Cardinals	04-21-1938	22
22	Lynn Myers	1938 St. Louis Cardinals	07-13-1938	24
19	Preacher Roe	1938 St. Louis Cardinals	08-22-1938	22
9	Enos Slaughter	1938 St. Louis Cardinals	04-19-1938	21
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
1938 National League Debuts

1938 A.L. Debuts

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1938 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.

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.

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