1942 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

1942

31 Ducky Detweiler 1942 Boston Braves 09-12-1942 23
20 George Diehl 1942 Boston Braves 04-19-1942 24
21 Bill Donovan 1942 Boston Braves 04-19-1942 25
3 Nanny Fernandez 1942 Boston Braves 04-14-1942 23
24 Jim Hickey 1942 Boston Braves 04-25-1942 21
1 Tommy Holmes 1942 Boston Braves 04-14-1942 25
11 Clyde Kluttz 1942 Boston Braves 04-20-1942 24
20 Frank McElyea 1942 Boston Braves 09-10-1942 24
28 Johnny Sain 1942 Boston Braves 04-24-1942 24
19 Mike Sandlock 1942 Boston Braves 09-19-1942 26
16 Warren Spahn 1942 Boston Braves 04-19-1942 20
27 Lou Tost 1942 Boston Braves 04-20-1942 30
16 Lefty Wallace 1942 Boston Braves 05-05-1942 20
19 Cliff Dapper 1942 Brooklyn Dodgers 04-19-1942 22
33 Chet Kehn 1942 Brooklyn Dodgers 04-30-1942 20
3 Stan Rojek 1942 Brooklyn Dodgers 09-22-1942 23
31 Les Webber 1942 Brooklyn Dodgers 05-17-1942 27
31 Joe Berry 1942 Chicago Cubs 09-06-1942 37
17 Hi Bithorn 1942 Chicago Cubs 04-15-1942 26
32 Cy Block 1942 Chicago Cubs 09-07-1942 23
2, 43 Marv Felderman 1942 Chicago Cubs 04-19-1942 26
30 Jesse Flores 1942 Chicago Cubs 04-16-1942 27
2 Paul Gillespie 1942 Chicago Cubs 09-11-1942 21
45 Ed Hanyzewski 1942 Chicago Cubs 05-12-1942 21
9 Chico Hernandez 1942 Chicago Cubs 04-16-1942 26
43 Peanuts Lowrey 1942 Chicago Cubs 04-14-1942 24
48 Whitey Platt 1942 Chicago Cubs 09-16-1942 22
46 Marv Rickert 1942 Chicago Cubs 09-10-1942 21
45 Hank Wyse 1942 Chicago Cubs 09-07-1942 24
12 Joe Abreu 1942 Cincinnati Reds 04-23-1942 28
44 Ewell Blackwell 1942 Cincinnati Reds 04-21-1942 19
28 Frankie Kelleher 1942 Cincinnati Reds 07-18-1942 25
4 Al Lakeman 1942 Cincinnati Reds 04-19-1942 23
21 Max Marshall 1942 Cincinnati Reds 05-10-1942 28
16 Damon Phillips 1942 Cincinnati Reds 07-19-1942 23
29 Clyde Vollmer 1942 Cincinnati Reds 05-31-1942 20
21 Charlie Fox 1942 New York Giants 09-24-1942 20
2 Willard Marshall 1942 New York Giants 04-14-1942 21
19 Howie Moss 1942 New York Giants 04-14-1942 23
6 Connie Ryan 1942 New York Giants 04-14-1942 22
19 Bill Voiselle 1942 New York Giants 09-01-1942 23
28 Bill Burich 1942 Philadelphia Phillies 04-15-1942 23
25 Benny Culp 1942 Philadelphia Phillies 09-17-1942 28
16 Hilly Flitcraft 1942 Philadelphia Phillies 08-31-1942 19
30 Ed Freed 1942 Philadelphia Phillies 09-11-1942 23
25 Bert Hodges 1942 Philadelphia Phillies 04-14-1942 24
6 Andy Lapihuska 1942 Philadelphia Phillies 09-12-1942 19
33 Ed Murphy 1942 Philadelphia Phillies 09-10-1942 24
32 Earl Naylor 1942 Philadelphia Phillies 04-15-1942 22
33 Ron Northey 1942 Philadelphia Phillies 04-14-1942 21
12 Bill Peterman 1942 Philadelphia Phillies 04-26-1942 21
18 Johnny Barrett 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-14-1942 26
- Frank Colman 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-12-1942 24
4 Huck Geary 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-17-1942 25
- Jim Russell 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-12-1942 23
- Harry Shuman 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-14-1942 27
23 Johnny Wyrostek 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-10-1942 23
2 Buddy Blattner 1942 St. Louis Cardinals 04-18-1942 22
2 Jeff Cross 1942 St. Louis Cardinals 09-27-1942 24
5 Ray Sanders 1942 St. Louis Cardinals 04-14-1942 25
1942 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1942 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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