1949 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."
"There is a certain amount of fascination to the big league debut of any athlete. Sometimes they are incredible successes. Sometimes they are frenetic failures." - Sportswriter Arthur Daley
National League Debuts

1949

4, 8 Smoky Burgess 1949 Chicago Cubs 04-19-1949 22
19 Jack Cassini 1949 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-19-1949 29
12 Tommy Glaviano 1949 St. Louis Cardinals 04-19-1949 25
26 Bobby Hofman 1949 New York Giants 04-19-1949 23
17 Stan Hollmig 1949 Philadelphia Phillies 04-19-1949 23
32 Cal Abrams 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers 04-20-1949 25
24 Kurt Krieger 1949 St. Louis Cardinals 04-21-1949 22
19, 29 Bill Werle 1949 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-22-1949 28
24 Cloyd Boyer 1949 St. Louis Cardinals 04-23-1949 21
25 Bob Hall 1949 Boston Braves 04-23-1949 25
33 Bill Reeder 1949 St. Louis Cardinals 04-23-1949 27
20 Lloyd Merriman 1949 Cincinnati Reds 04-24-1949 24
8 Johnny Pramesa 1949 Cincinnati Reds 04-24-1949 23
23 Don Thompson 1949 Boston Braves 04-24-1949 25
40 Frank Fanovich 1949 Cincinnati Reds 04-25-1949 26
16 Morrie Martin 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers 04-25-1949 26
23 Pat McGlothin 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers 04-25-1949 28
40 Bud Podbielan 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers 04-25-1949 25
22 Solly Hemus 1949 St. Louis Cardinals 04-27-1949 26
19 Rocky Nelson 1949 St. Louis Cardinals 04-27-1949 24
48 Andy Tomasic 1949 New York Giants 04-28-1949 31
9 Rube Novotney 1949 Chicago Cubs 04-29-1949 24
36 Chuck Connors 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers 05-01-1949 28
36 Jim Kirby 1949 Chicago Cubs 05-01-1949 25
36 Don Newcombe 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers 05-20-1949 22
14 Dino Restelli 1949 Pittsburgh Pirates 06-14-1949 24
23 Del Crandall 1949 Boston Braves 06-17-1949 19
18 Tom Saffell 1949 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-02-1949 27
7 Monte Irvin 1949 New York Giants 07-08-1949 30
9 Mike Goliat 1949 Philadelphia Phillies 08-03-1949 27
6 Wayne Terwilliger 1949 Chicago Cubs 08-06-1949 24
36 Bill Howerton 1949 St. Louis Cardinals 09-11-1949 27
33 Ed Sanicki 1949 Philadelphia Phillies 09-14-1949 26
3 Bill Glynn 1949 Philadelphia Phillies 09-16-1949 24
41 Bob Miller 1949 Philadelphia Phillies 09-16-1949 23
6 Bill Serena 1949 Chicago Cubs 09-16-1949 24
26 Davey Williams 1949 New York Giants 09-16-1949 21
29 Wally Post 1949 Cincinnati Reds 09-18-1949 20
5 Steve Bilko 1949 St. Louis Cardinals 09-22-1949 20
17 Roger Bowman 1949 New York Giants 09-22-1949 22
28 Rudy Rufer 1949 New York Giants 09-22-1949 22
16 Steve Kuczek 1949 Boston Braves 09-29-1949 24
1949 National League Debuts


 

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

Ray Jansen (four for five in his first game), Aubrey Epps (three for four in his first game) and Ed Irvin (two for three in his first game) all finished their career with lifetime batting averages which were greater than their career fielding percentages.

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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