1962 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."
"Always be cautious about rookie performances in September. They don't indicate what will happen in April." - Texas Rangers General Manager Tom Grieve
American League Debuts

1962

4 Tommie Agee 1962 Cleveland Indians 09-14-1962 20
12 Bernie Allen 1962 Minnesota Twins 04-10-1962 22
10 Max Alvis 1962 Cleveland Indians 09-11-1962 24
17 Bob Baird 1962 Washington Senators 09-03-1962 22
11 George Banks 1962 Minnesota Twins 04-15-1962 23
36 Bo Belinsky 1962 Los Angeles Angels 04-18-1962 25
4 Ken Berry 1962 Chicago White Sox 09-09-1962 21
33 Joe Bonikowski 1962 Minnesota Twins 04-12-1962 21
22 Bob Botz 1962 Los Angeles Angels 05-08-1962 27
56 Jim Bouton 1962 New York Yankees 04-22-1962 23
16 Ed Charles 1962 Kansas City Athletics 04-11-1962 28
9 Ramon Conde 1962 Chicago White Sox 07-17-1962 27
40 Jack Cullen 1962 New York Yankees 09-09-1962 22
34 Bobby Darwin 1962 Los Angeles Angels 09-30-1962 19
22 Dave DeBusschere 1962 Chicago White Sox 04-22-1962 21
25 Doc Edwards 1962 Cleveland Indians 04-21-1962 25
8 Andy Etchebarren 1962 Baltimore Orioles 09-26-1962 19
19 Bill Faul 1962 Detroit Tigers 09-19-1962 22
31 Tom Fletcher 1962 Detroit Tigers 09-12-1962 20
32, 51 Doug Gallagher 1962 Detroit Tigers 04-09-1962 22
41 Jake Gibbs 1962 New York Yankees 09-11-1962 23
5, 54 Purnal Goldy 1962 Detroit Tigers 06-12-1962 24
19 Jim Hannan 1962 Washington Senators 04-17-1962 22
46 Bob Humphreys 1962 Detroit Tigers 09-08-1962 27
1 Jack Jenkins 1962 Washington Senators 09-13-1962 19
12 Manny Jimenez 1962 Kansas City Athletics 04-11-1962 23
20, 50 Deacon Jones 1962 Chicago White Sox 09-08-1962 28
23 Mike Joyce 1962 Chicago White Sox 07-02-1962 21
34 John Kennedy 1962 Washington Senators 09-05-1962 21
25 Dick Kenworthy 1962 Chicago White Sox 09-08-1962 21
14 Bill Kern 1962 Kansas City Athletics 09-19-1962 29
39 Ed Kirkpatrick 1962 Los Angeles Angels 09-13-1962 17
28, 42 Hal Kolstad 1962 Boston Red Sox 04-22-1962 26
46 Frank Kostro 1962 Detroit Tigers 09-02-1962 25
29 Frank Kreutzer 1962 Chicago White Sox 09-20-1962 23
34 Phil Linz 1962 New York Yankees 04-13-1962 22
25 Don Lock 1962 Washington Senators 07-17-1962 25
26 Dick Luebke 1962 Baltimore Orioles 08-11-1962 27
47 Billy Macleod 1962 Boston Red Sox 09-13-1962 20
42 Jim Manning 1962 Minnesota Twins 04-15-1962 18
17 Hector Martinez 1962 Kansas City Athletics 09-30-1962 23
38 Marty Martinez 1962 Minnesota Twins 05-02-1962 20
8 Brian McCall 1962 Chicago White Sox 09-18-1962 19
34 Mickey McGuire 1962 Baltimore Orioles 09-07-1962 21
19 Dave McNally 1962 Baltimore Orioles 09-26-1962 19
17 John Miller 1962 Baltimore Orioles 09-22-1962 21
35 Julio Navarro 1962 Los Angeles Angels 09-03-1962 26
17 Fred Newman 1962 Los Angeles Angels 09-16-1962 20
15, 19 Merlin Nippert 1962 Boston Red Sox 09-12-1962 24
36 Fred Norman 1962 Kansas City Athletics 09-21-1962 20
37 Tony Oliva 1962 Minnesota Twins 09-09-1962 24
31 Dan Osinski 1962 Kansas City Athletics 04-11-1962 28
25 Joe Pepitone 1962 New York Yankees 04-10-1962 21
27 Art Quirk 1962 Baltimore Orioles 04-17-1962 24
17 Dick Radatz 1962 Boston Red Sox 04-10-1962 25
20 Ray Rippelmeyer 1962 Washington Senators 04-14-1962 28
44 Jim Roland 1962 Minnesota Twins 09-20-1962 19
24 Diego Segui 1962 Kansas City Athletics 04-12-1962 24
10 Dick Simpson 1962 Los Angeles Angels 09-21-1962 19
27 Nate Smith 1962 Baltimore Orioles 09-19-1962 27
49 Pete Smith 1962 Boston Red Sox 09-13-1962 22
15 Dave Stenhouse 1962 Washington Senators 04-18-1962 28
15 Jose Tartabull 1962 Kansas City Athletics 04-10-1962 23
22 Ron Taylor 1962 Cleveland Indians 04-11-1962 24
41 Verle Tiefenthaler 1962 Chicago White Sox 08-19-1962 24
30 Bob Tillman 1962 Boston Red Sox 04-15-1962 25
31 Rupe Toppin 1962 Kansas City Athletics 07-28-1962 20
19 Felix Torres 1962 Los Angeles Angels 04-10-1962 29
26 Dave Tyriver 1962 Cleveland Indians 08-21-1962 24
28 Pete Ward 1962 Baltimore Orioles 09-21-1962 25
23 Floyd Weaver 1962 Cleveland Indians 09-30-1962 21
6 Al Weis 1962 Chicago White Sox 09-15-1962 24
17 John Wojcik 1962 Kansas City Athletics 09-09-1962 20
1962 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1962 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

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.

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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