1972 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."
"Baseball is the sport that cackles back at can't-miss kids. Baseball humbles every player sooner or later. Baseball confers greatness stingily, in its own sweet time. At least that's what the bow-tied essayists and sandlot scouts solemnly tell us." - Johnette Howard in Sports Illustrated
American League Debuts

1972

9 Buddy Bell 1972 Cleveland Indians 04-15-1972 20
35 Joe Lovitto 1972 Texas Rangers 04-15-1972 21
6 Jorge Orta 1972 Chicago White Sox 04-15-1972 21
54 Goose Gossage 1972 Chicago White Sox 04-16-1972 20
7 Jack Brohamer 1972 Cleveland Indians 04-18-1972 22
44 Roric Harrison 1972 Baltimore Orioles 04-18-1972 25
22 Tom Norton 1972 Minnesota Twins 04-18-1972 21
41 Dick Tidrow 1972 Cleveland Indians 04-18-1972 24
31 Paul Jata 1972 Detroit Tigers 04-19-1972 22
17 Don Stanhouse 1972 Texas Rangers 04-19-1972 21
14 Dan Monzon 1972 Minnesota Twins 04-25-1972 25
55 Jim Geddes 1972 Chicago White Sox 04-28-1972 23
43 Mickey Scott 1972 Baltimore Orioles 05-06-1972 24
47 Phil Meeler 1972 Detroit Tigers 05-10-1972 23
46 Bob Strampe 1972 Detroit Tigers 05-10-1972 21
44 Bob Gallagher 1972 Boston Red Sox 05-17-1972 23
33 Dave Hamilton 1972 Oakland Athletics 05-29-1972 24
41 Cy Acosta 1972 Chicago White Sox 06-04-1972 25
48 Don Leshnock 1972 Detroit Tigers 06-07-1972 25
10 Celerino Sanchez 1972 New York Yankees 06-13-1972 28
28 Don Newhauser 1972 Boston Red Sox 06-15-1972 24
36 Lynn McGlothen 1972 Boston Red Sox 06-25-1972 22
44 Bill Slayback 1972 Detroit Tigers 06-26-1972 24
43 Gary Ryerson 1972 Milwaukee Brewers 06-28-1972 24
24 Glenn Borgmann 1972 Minnesota Twins 07-01-1972 22
20 Hugh Yancy 1972 Chicago White Sox 07-05-1972 22
30 Dave Goltz 1972 Minnesota Twins 07-18-1972 23
7 Vic Harris 1972 Texas Rangers 07-21-1972 22
39 Norm Angelini 1972 Kansas City Royals 07-22-1972 24
20 Fred Holdsworth 1972 Detroit Tigers 07-27-1972 20
7 John Knox 1972 Detroit Tigers 08-01-1972 24
46 Dave Sells 1972 California Angels 08-02-1972 25
24 Steve Lawson 1972 Texas Rangers 08-03-1972 21
12 Gonzalo Marquez 1972 Oakland Athletics 08-11-1972 26
14 Chris Coletta 1972 California Angels 08-15-1972 28
10 Sergio Robles 1972 Baltimore Orioles 08-27-1972 26
2 Rich Coggins 1972 Baltimore Orioles 08-29-1972 21
47 Ken Frailing 1972 Chicago White Sox 09-01-1972 24
42 Charlie Spikes 1972 New York Yankees 09-01-1972 21
6 Jim Wohlford 1972 Kansas City Royals 09-01-1972 21
1 Al Bumbry 1972 Baltimore Orioles 09-05-1972 25
50 Doc Medich 1972 New York Yankees 09-05-1972 23
42 Joe Staton 1972 Detroit Tigers 09-05-1972 24
19 Rudy Hernandez 1972 Chicago White Sox 09-06-1972 20
29 Doug Howard 1972 California Angels 09-06-1972 24
22 Ike Blessitt 1972 Detroit Tigers 09-07-1972 22
40 John Gamble 1972 Detroit Tigers 09-07-1972 24
40 Steve Busby 1972 Kansas City Royals 09-08-1972 22
39 Dan Neumeier 1972 Chicago White Sox 09-08-1972 24
35 Dick Lange 1972 California Angels 09-09-1972 24
25 Mike Adams 1972 Minnesota Twins 09-10-1972 24
27 Bucky Guth 1972 Minnesota Twins 09-12-1972 25
40, 24 Dwight Evans 1972 Boston Red Sox 09-16-1972 20
32 Enos Cabell 1972 Baltimore Orioles 09-17-1972 22
45 Larry Gowell 1972 New York Yankees 09-21-1972 24
52 Larry Johnson 1972 Cleveland Indians 10-03-1972 22
48 Vic Correll 1972 Boston Red Sox 10-04-1972 26
1972 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1972 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.

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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