1953 National League Baseball Debuts / Rookies by Baseball Almanac

1953 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 1953
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
24, 32	Bill Antonello	1953 Brooklyn Dodgers	04-30-1953	25
19	Jim Gilliam	1953 Brooklyn Dodgers	04-14-1953	24
46	Glenn Mickens	1953 Brooklyn Dodgers	07-19-1953	22
25	Bob Milliken	1953 Brooklyn Dodgers	04-22-1953	26
45	Johnny Podres	1953 Brooklyn Dodgers	04-17-1953	20
37	Dick Teed	1953 Brooklyn Dodgers	07-24-1953	27
31	Fred Baczewski	1953 Chicago Cubs	04-26-1953	26
37	Gene Baker	1953 Chicago Cubs	09-20-1953	28
14	Ernie Banks	1953 Chicago Cubs	09-17-1953	22
36	Don Elston	1953 Chicago Cubs	09-17-1953	24
26	Bill Moisan	1953 Chicago Cubs	09-17-1953	28
14	Paul Schramka	1953 Chicago Cubs	04-14-1953	25
30	Duke Simpson	1953 Chicago Cubs	05-06-1953	25
10	Bob Talbot	1953 Chicago Cubs	09-16-1953	26
28	Jim Willis	1953 Chicago Cubs	04-22-1953	26
2	Ed Bailey	1953 Cincinnati Redlegs	09-26-1953	22
5, 8	Frank Baldwin	1953 Cincinnati Redlegs	04-22-1953	24
6	Hank Foiles	1953 Cincinnati Redlegs	04-21-1953	23
20	Bob Marquis	1953 Cincinnati Redlegs	04-17-1953	28
48	Barney Martin	1953 Cincinnati Redlegs	04-22-1953	30
27	Joe Szekely	1953 Cincinnati Redlegs	09-13-1953	28
38	Bill Bruton	1953 Milwaukee Braves	04-13-1953	27
10	Bob Buhl	1953 Milwaukee Braves	04-17-1953	24
2	Harry Hanebrink	1953 Milwaukee Braves	05-03-1953	25
47	Joey Jay	1953 Milwaukee Braves	07-21-1953	17
16	Dave Jolly	1953 Milwaukee Braves	05-09-1953	28
15, 43	Don Liddle	1953 Milwaukee Braves	04-17-1953	27
3	Jim Pendleton	1953 Milwaukee Braves	04-17-1953	29
14	Mel Roach	1953 Milwaukee Braves	07-31-1953	20
28	Ruben Gomez	1953 New York Giants	04-17-1953	25
26	Al Worthington	1953 New York Giants	07-06-1953	24
7	Ted Kazanski	1953 Philadelphia Phillies	06-25-1953	19
34	Thornton Kipper	1953 Philadelphia Phillies	06-07-1953	24
23	Stan Palys	1953 Philadelphia Phillies	09-20-1953	23
33	Tom Qualters	1953 Philadelphia Phillies	09-13-1953	18
17	Carlos Bernier	1953 Pittsburgh Pirates	04-22-1953	26
26	Roy Face	1953 Pittsburgh Pirates	04-16-1953	25
31	Vic Janowicz	1953 Pittsburgh Pirates	05-31-1953	23
9	Nick Koback	1953 Pittsburgh Pirates	07-29-1953	18
14	Felipe Montemayor	1953 Pittsburgh Pirates	04-14-1953	25
14	Pete Naton	1953 Pittsburgh Pirates	06-16-1953	21
27	Eddie O'Brien	1953 Pittsburgh Pirates	04-25-1953	22
30	Johnny O'Brien	1953 Pittsburgh Pirates	04-19-1953	22
10	Jack Shepard	1953 Pittsburgh Pirates	06-19-1953	21
21	Paul Smith	1953 Pittsburgh Pirates	04-14-1953	22
10	Grant Dunlap	1953 St. Louis Cardinals	04-21-1953	29
10	Harry Elliott	1953 St. Louis Cardinals	08-01-1953	29
41	Jack Faszholz	1953 St. Louis Cardinals	04-25-1953	26
11	Ray Jablonski	1953 St. Louis Cardinals	04-14-1953	26
15	Fred Marolewski	1953 St. Louis Cardinals	09-19-1953	24
20	Eddie Phillips	1953 St. Louis Cardinals	09-10-1953	22
16	Dick Rand	1953 St. Louis Cardinals	09-16-1953	22
8	Rip Repulski	1953 St. Louis Cardinals	04-14-1953	24
39	John Romonosky	1953 St. Louis Cardinals	09-06-1953	24
19	Dick Schofield	1953 St. Louis Cardinals	07-03-1953	18
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
1953 National League Debuts

1953 A.L. Debuts

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1953 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 Future hall of famer Addie Joss made his Major League pitching debut on April 26, 1902 and tossed a one hitter?

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