1969 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."
"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
American League Debuts

1969

37 Terry Crowley 1969 Baltimore Orioles 09-04-1969 22
18 Al Severinsen 1969 Baltimore Orioles 07-01-1969 24
4 Billy Conigliaro 1969 Boston Red Sox 04-11-1969 21
40 Carlton Fisk 1969 Boston Red Sox 09-18-1969 21
39 Mike Garman 1969 Boston Red Sox 09-22-1969 20
17 Ray Jarvis 1969 Boston Red Sox 04-15-1969 22
37 Bill Lee 1969 Boston Red Sox 06-25-1969 22
43 Tony Muser 1969 Boston Red Sox 09-14-1969 22
15 Mike Nagy 1969 Boston Red Sox 04-21-1969 21
19 Syd O'Brien 1969 Boston Red Sox 04-15-1969 25
51, 50, 40 Lloyd Allen 1969 California Angels 09-01-1969 19
33 Pedro Borbon 1969 California Angels 04-09-1969 22
29 Tom Bradley 1969 California Angels 09-09-1969 22
28 Randy Brown 1969 California Angels 09-11-1969 25
17 Vern Geishert 1969 California Angels 08-26-1969 23
42 Marty Perez 1969 California Angels 09-09-1969 22
40, 19 Ken Tatum 1969 California Angels 05-28-1969 25
23 Greg Washburn 1969 California Angels 06-07-1969 22
39 Wally Wolf 1969 California Angels 09-27-1969 27
32 Doug Adams 1969 Chicago White Sox 09-08-1969 26
1 Angel Bravo 1969 Chicago White Sox 06-06-1969 26
10 Chuck Brinkman 1969 Chicago White Sox 07-10-1969 24
41 Paul Edmondson 1969 Chicago White Sox 06-20-1969 26
42 Bart Johnson 1969 Chicago White Sox 09-08-1969 19
47 Dennis O'Toole 1969 Chicago White Sox 09-08-1969 20
23 Jose Ortiz 1969 Chicago White Sox 09-04-1969 22
27 Don Secrist 1969 Chicago White Sox 04-11-1969 25
22 Bob Spence 1969 Chicago White Sox 09-05-1969 23
21 Frank Baker 1969 Cleveland Indians 07-27-1969 25
54 Gary Boyd 1969 Cleveland Indians 08-01-1969 22
36 Larry Burchart 1969 Cleveland Indians 04-10-1969 23
17 Lou Camilli 1969 Cleveland Indians 08-09-1969 22
18 Jack Heidemann 1969 Cleveland Indians 05-02-1969 19
38 Phil Hennigan 1969 Cleveland Indians 09-02-1969 23
41 Ron Law 1969 Cleveland Indians 06-29-1969 23
9 Ike Brown 1969 Detroit Tigers 06-17-1969 27
35 Mike Kilkenny 1969 Detroit Tigers 04-11-1969 24
36 Norm McRae 1969 Detroit Tigers 09-13-1969 21
20 Bob Reed 1969 Detroit Tigers 09-05-1969 24
39 Fred Scherman 1969 Detroit Tigers 04-26-1969 24
47 Gary Taylor 1969 Detroit Tigers 09-02-1969 23
28 Tom Timmermann 1969 Detroit Tigers 06-18-1969 29
27 Ron Woods 1969 Detroit Tigers 04-22-1969 26
29 Bill Butler 1969 Kansas City Royals 04-09-1969 22
38 Jerry Cram 1969 Kansas City Royals 09-03-1969 21
41 Dick Drago 1969 Kansas City Royals 04-11-1969 23
42 Al Fitzmorris 1969 Kansas City Royals 09-08-1969 23
16 Fran Healy 1969 Kansas City Royals 09-03-1969 22
21 Buck Martinez 1969 Kansas City Royals 06-18-1969 20
44 Scott Northey 1969 Kansas City Royals 09-02-1969 22
23 Don O'Riley 1969 Kansas City Royals 06-20-1969 24
28 Dennis Paepke 1969 Kansas City Royals 06-02-1969 24
46 Fred Rico 1969 Kansas City Royals 09-01-1969 25
12 Juan Rios 1969 Kansas City Royals 04-09-1969 26
27 Jerry Crider 1969 Minnesota Twins 05-21-1969 27
8 Rick Dempsey 1969 Minnesota Twins 09-23-1969 20
28 Herman Hill 1969 Minnesota Twins 09-02-1969 23
9 Charlie Manuel 1969 Minnesota Twins 04-08-1969 25
22 Tom Tischinski 1969 Minnesota Twins 04-11-1969 24
27 Charlie Walters 1969 Minnesota Twins 04-11-1969 22
18 Dick Woodson 1969 Minnesota Twins 04-08-1969 24
25 Bill Zepp 1969 Minnesota Twins 08-12-1969 23
12 Ron Blomberg 1969 New York Yankees 09-10-1969 21
50 Bill Burbach 1969 New York Yankees 04-11-1969 21
23 John Ellis 1969 New York Yankees 05-17-1969 20
51 Ron Klimkowski 1969 New York Yankees 09-15-1969 25
21 Jim Lyttle 1969 New York Yankees 05-17-1969 22
55 Dave McDonald 1969 New York Yankees 09-15-1969 26
15 Thurman Munson 1969 New York Yankees 08-08-1969 22
21 Vida Blue 1969 Oakland Athletics 07-20-1969 19
15 Bobby Brooks 1969 Oakland Athletics 09-01-1969 23
16, 24 Marcel Lachemann 1969 Oakland Athletics 06-04-1969 27
37 Bill McNulty 1969 Oakland Athletics 07-09-1969 22
24 Gene Tenace 1969 Oakland Athletics 05-29-1969 22
32, 45 Dick Baney 1969 Seattle Pilots 07-11-1969 22
46 Dick Bates 1969 Seattle Pilots 04-27-1969 23
14 Miguel Fuentes 1969 Seattle Pilots 09-01-1969 23
36 Steve Hovley 1969 Seattle Pilots 06-26-1969 24
22 Fred Stanley 1969 Seattle Pilots 09-11-1969 22
45, 50 Gary Timberlake 1969 Seattle Pilots 06-18-1969 20
30 Freddie Velazquez 1969 Seattle Pilots 04-20-1969 31
51 Billy Williams 1969 Seattle Pilots 08-15-1969 36
22 Jan Dukes 1969 Washington Senators 09-06-1969 24
17 Toby Harrah 1969 Washington Senators 09-05-1969 20
14 Dick Smith 1969 Washington Senators 08-20-1969 24
1969 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1969 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

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?

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.
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