1949 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."
"There is no Major League record held by a rookie. It's revealing to see just how far the rookie marks are below the single season marks. This is a testament to how difficult the game is to learn and play." - Luke Salisbury in The Answer is Baseball (1989)
American League Debuts

1949

35 Ed Albrecht 1949 St. Louis Browns 10-02-1949 20
1 Bobby Avila 1949 Cleveland Indians 04-30-1949 25
58 Jim Baumer 1949 Chicago White Sox 09-14-1949 18
11, 39 Hank Biasetti 1949 Philadelphia Athletics 04-23-1949 27
22, 36 Jim Bilbrey 1949 St. Louis Browns 05-17-1949 25
12 Billy Bowers 1949 Chicago White Sox 04-24-1949 27
49 Jack Bruner 1949 Chicago White Sox 09-16-1949 25
56 Bob Cain 1949 Chicago White Sox 09-18-1949 24
42 Jerry Coleman 1949 New York Yankees 04-20-1949 24
16, 31 Tod Davis 1949 Philadelphia Athletics 04-27-1949 24
3 Walt Dropo 1949 Boston Red Sox 04-19-1949 26
9 Luke Easter 1949 Cleveland Indians 08-11-1949 34
3 George Elder 1949 St. Louis Browns 07-22-1949 28
56 Bill Evans 1949 Chicago White Sox 04-21-1949 30
- Owen Friend 1949 St. Louis Browns 10-02-1949 22
25 Gordon Goldsberry 1949 Chicago White Sox 04-20-1949 21
16 Julio Gonzalez 1949 Washington Senators 08-09-1949 28
26, 59 Fred Hancock 1949 Chicago White Sox 04-26-1949 29
58 Bill Higdon 1949 Chicago White Sox 09-10-1949 25
37 Lloyd Hittle 1949 Washington Senators 06-12-1949 25
39, 52 Wally Hood, Jr. 1949 New York Yankees 09-23-1949 23
17 Hal Keller 1949 Washington Senators 09-13-1949 22
24 Rocky Krsnich 1949 Chicago White Sox 09-13-1949 22
23 Dick Kryhoski 1949 New York Yankees 04-19-1949 24
12 Dick Lane 1949 Chicago White Sox 06-20-1949 21
28 Eddie Malone 1949 Chicago White Sox 07-17-1949 29
15 Fred Marsh 1949 Cleveland Indians 04-19-1949 25
30 Bob Mavis 1949 Detroit Tigers 09-17-1949 31
18 Irv Medlinger 1949 St. Louis Browns 04-20-1949 21
18 Minnie Minoso 1949 Cleveland Indians 04-19-1949 23
18, 23 Fenton Mole 1949 New York Yankees 09-01-1949 24
3 Al Naples 1949 St. Louis Browns 06-25-1949 22
17 Milt Nielsen 1949 Cleveland Indians 09-27-1949 24
3 Frankie Pack 1949 St. Louis Browns 06-05-1949 21
19 Jim Pearce 1949 Washington Senators 09-08-1949 24
35 Duane Pillette 1949 New York Yankees 07-19-1949 26
26 Frank Quinn 1949 Boston Red Sox 05-29-1949 21
40 Ribs Raney 1949 St. Louis Browns 09-18-1949 26
32 Earl Rapp 1949 Detroit Tigers 04-28-1949 27
28 Herman Reich 1949 Washington Senators 05-03-1949 31
28 Jack Robinson 1949 Boston Red Sox 05-04-1949 28
23 Saul Rogovin 1949 Detroit Tigers 04-28-1949 25
30 Bobby Shantz 1949 Philadelphia Athletics 05-01-1949 23
15 Roy Sievers 1949 St. Louis Browns 04-21-1949 22
23 John Simmons 1949 Washington Senators 04-22-1949 24
24 Marlin Stuart 1949 Detroit Tigers 04-26-1949 30
16 Max Surkont 1949 Chicago White Sox 04-19-1949 26
11 Dizzy Sutherland 1949 Washington Senators 09-20-1949 27
38 Don Wheeler 1949 Chicago White Sox 04-23-1949 26
6 Gus Zernial 1949 Chicago White Sox 04-19-1949 25
1949 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1949 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

Did you know that Future hall of famer Addie Joss made his Major League pitching debut on April 26, 1902 and tossed a one hitter?

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.
     

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