1952 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."
"You never forget your first hit in the Major Leagues. It was in my third at bat. That was kind of a relief. You could start off 0-for-34." - Ralph Kiner
National League Debuts

1952

40, 44 Buzz Clarkson 1952 Boston Braves 04-30-1952 37
56 Gene Conley 1952 Boston Braves 04-17-1952 21
37 George Crowe 1952 Boston Braves 04-16-1952 31
7 Jack Daniels 1952 Boston Braves 04-18-1952 24
6 Jack Dittmer 1952 Boston Braves 06-17-1952 24
30 Dick Hoover 1952 Boston Braves 04-16-1952 26
22 Virgil Jester 1952 Boston Braves 06-18-1952 24
2 Billy Klaus 1952 Boston Braves 04-16-1952 23
41 Eddie Mathews 1952 Boston Braves 04-15-1952 20
6 Billy Reed 1952 Boston Braves 04-15-1952 29
22 Bert Thiel 1952 Boston Braves 04-17-1952 25
8 Pete Whisenant 1952 Boston Braves 04-16-1952 22
5 Sandy Amoros 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers 08-22-1952 22
49 Joe Black 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers 05-01-1952 28
18 Jim Hughes 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers 09-13-1952 29
16 Ken Lehman 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers 09-05-1952 24
45 Ray Moore 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers 08-01-1952 26
34 Ron Negray 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers 09-14-1952 22
15 Johnny Rutherford 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers 04-30-1952 26
11 Toby Atwell 1952 Chicago Cubs 04-15-1952 28
43 Leon Brinkopf 1952 Chicago Cubs 04-18-1952 25
30, 37 Vern Fear 1952 Chicago Cubs 08-03-1952 27
41 Bud Hardin 1952 Chicago Cubs 04-15-1952 29
53 Cal Howe 1952 Chicago Cubs 09-26-1952 27
23 Jim Greengrass 1952 Cincinnati Reds 09-09-1952 24
9 Joe Rossi 1952 Cincinnati Reds 04-20-1952 31
16 Johnny Temple 1952 Cincinnati Reds 04-15-1952 24
8 Ray Katt 1952 New York Giants 09-16-1952 25
38 Dusty Rhodes 1952 New York Giants 07-15-1952 25
5 Daryl Spencer 1952 New York Giants 09-17-1952 24
49 Hoyt Wilhelm 1952 New York Giants 04-19-1952 29
5 Tony Bartirome 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-19-1952 19
30 Bill Bell 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-05-1952 18
17 Brandy Davis 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-15-1952 24
8 Bobby Del Greco 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-16-1952 19
29 Jim Dunn 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-26-1952 21
24 Dick Groat 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 06-19-1952 21
18 Dick Hall 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-15-1952 21
36 Cal Hogue 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-15-1952 24
20 Ron Kline 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-21-1952 20
26 Clem Koshorek 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-15-1952 26
29 Jim Mangan 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-16-1952 22
21 Ron Necciai 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-10-1952 20
14 Sonny Senerchia 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-22-1952 21
6 Lee Walls 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-21-1952 19
23 Jim Waugh 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-19-1952 18
34 Ed Wolfe 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-19-1952 23
22 Mike Clark 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 07-27-1952 30
17 Les Fusselman 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 04-16-1952 31
38 Herb Gorman 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 04-19-1952 27
42 Harvey Haddix 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 08-20-1952 26
41 Fred Hahn 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 04-19-1952 23
40 Neal Hertweck 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 09-27-1952 20
36 Stu Miller 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 08-12-1952 24
33 Vinegar Bend Mizell 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 04-22-1952 21
44 Willard Schmidt 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 04-19-1952 23
44 Bobby Tiefenauer 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 07-14-1952 22
43 Eddie Yuhas 1952 St. Louis Cardinals 04-17-1952 27
1952 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1952 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.

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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