1971 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

1971

29 Jay Franklin 1971 San Diego Padres 09-04-1971 18
28 Mike Ivie 1971 San Diego Padres 09-04-1971 19
48 Doyle Alexander 1971 Los Angeles Dodgers 06-26-1971 20
40 Mike Anderson 1971 Philadelphia Phillies 09-02-1971 20
43 Rudy Arroyo 1971 St. Louis Cardinals 06-01-1971 20
14 Leo Foster 1971 Atlanta Braves 07-09-1971 20
35 Chris Speier 1971 San Francisco Giants 04-07-1971 20
6 Rennie Stennett 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-10-1971 20
19 Derrel Thomas 1971 Houston Astros 09-14-1971 20
29 Rich Chiles 1971 Houston Astros 04-20-1971 21
44 Bill Greif 1971 Houston Astros 07-19-1971 21
48 Ross Grimsley 1971 Cincinnati Reds 05-16-1971 21
44 Burt Hooton 1971 Chicago Cubs 06-17-1971 21
25 Bruce Kison 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-04-1971 21
32 Jon Matlack 1971 New York Mets 07-11-1971 21
28 John Milner 1971 New York Mets 09-15-1971 21
50 Bob O'Brien 1971 Los Angeles Dodgers 04-11-1971 21
50 J.R. Richard 1971 Houston Astros 09-05-1971 21
17 Jay Schlueter 1971 Houston Astros 06-18-1971 21
10 Frank Taveras 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-25-1971 21
31 Larry Yount 1971 Houston Astros 09-15-1971 21
33 Bill Bonham 1971 Chicago Cubs 04-07-1971 22
16 Ray Busse 1971 Houston Astros 07-24-1971 22
23 Mike Caldwell 1971 San Diego Padres 09-04-1971 22
11 Enzo Hernandez 1971 San Diego Padres 04-17-1971 22
16 Gene Hiser 1971 Chicago Cubs 08-20-1971 22
22 Terry Humphrey 1971 Montreal Expos 09-05-1971 22
45 Dave Kingman 1971 San Francisco Giants 07-30-1971 22
48 Rimp Lanier 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-11-1971 22
8 Dave Rader 1971 San Francisco Giants 09-05-1971 22
19 Jim Willoughby 1971 San Francisco Giants 09-05-1971 22
10 Richie Zisk 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-08-1971 22
31 Chris Arnold 1971 San Francisco Giants 09-07-1971 23
33 Jim Barr 1971 San Francisco Giants 07-31-1971 23
38 Buzz Capra 1971 New York Mets 09-15-1971 23
10 Ron Cey 1971 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-03-1971 23
5 Frank Estrada 1971 New York Mets 09-14-1971 23
20 Rich Hacker 1971 Montreal Expos 07-02-1971 23
29 Manny Muniz 1971 Philadelphia Phillies 09-03-1971 23
25 Billy North 1971 Chicago Cubs 09-03-1971 23
37 Earl Stephenson 1971 Chicago Cubs 04-07-1971 23
33 Steve Stone 1971 San Francisco Giants 04-08-1971 23
35 Charlie Williams 1971 New York Mets 04-23-1971 23
19 Pat Bourque 1971 Chicago Cubs 09-06-1971 24
39 Tom House 1971 Atlanta Braves 06-23-1971 24
37 Jim Howarth 1971 San Francisco Giants 09-05-1971 24
21 Ernie McAnally 1971 Montreal Expos 04-11-1971 24
31 Don Rose 1971 New York Mets 09-15-1971 24
45 Ray Newman 1971 Chicago Cubs 05-16-1971 25
43 Jimmy Rosario 1971 San Francisco Giants 04-08-1971 25
25 Hal Breeden 1971 Chicago Cubs 04-07-1971 26
42 Steve Blateric 1971 Cincinnati Reds 09-17-1971 27
37 Stan Swanson 1971 Montreal Expos 06-23-1971 27
1971 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1971 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."

When Christy Mathewson made his Major League debut the newspaper wrote, "The untried semi-professional possessed great speed and plenty of confidence in himself, but could not control his curves."
     

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