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

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

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."

Did you know that on September 27, 1963 the Houston Colt .45s fielded an all-rookie lineup that included future stars Joe Morgan, Jerry Grote, and Rusty Staub?
     

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