1973 American League Baseball Debuts / Rookies by Baseball Almanac

1973 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."

"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

American League Debuts 1973
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
37	Doug DeCinces	1973 Baltimore Orioles	09-09-1973	23
18	Jim Fuller	1973 Baltimore Orioles	09-10-1973	22
17	Wayne Garland	1973 Baltimore Orioles	09-13-1973	22
44	Don Hood	1973 Baltimore Orioles	07-16-1973	23
38	Jesse Jefferson	1973 Baltimore Orioles	06-23-1973	24
18, 41	Mario Guerrero	1973 Boston Red Sox	04-08-1973	23
45	Dick Pole	1973 Boston Red Sox	08-03-1973	22
49	Craig Skok	1973 Boston Red Sox	05-04-1973	25
7	Dave Chalk	1973 California Angels	09-04-1973	23
40	Frank Tanana	1973 California Angels	09-09-1973	20
47	Terry Wilshusen	1973 California Angels	04-07-1973	24
30	Bucky Dent	1973 Chicago White Sox	06-01-1973	21
16	Brian Downing	1973 Chicago White Sox	05-31-1973	22
10	Sam Ewing	1973 Chicago White Sox	09-11-1973	24
2, 30	Jerry Hairston	1973 Chicago White Sox	07-26-1973	21
5	Bill Sharp	1973 Chicago White Sox	05-26-1973	23
8	Pete Varney	1973 Chicago White Sox	08-26-1973	24
8	Alan Ashby	1973 Cleveland Indians	07-03-1973	21
26	Tommy Smith	1973 Cleveland Indians	09-06-1973	25
22	Ron Cash	1973 Detroit Tigers	09-04-1973	23
45	Gary Ignasiak	1973 Detroit Tigers	09-20-1973	24
35	Dave Lemanczyk	1973 Detroit Tigers	04-15-1973	22
27	Dick Sharon	1973 Detroit Tigers	05-13-1973	23
7	Tom Veryzer	1973 Detroit Tigers	08-14-1973	20
29	Doug Bird	1973 Kansas City Royals	04-29-1973	23
25	George Brett	1973 Kansas City Royals	08-02-1973	20
27	Mark Littell	1973 Kansas City Royals	06-14-1973	20
42	Keith Marshall	1973 Kansas City Royals	04-07-1973	21
17	Frank Ortenzio	1973 Kansas City Royals	09-09-1973	22
5	Tom Poquette	1973 Kansas City Royals	09-01-1973	21
20	Barry Raziano	1973 Kansas City Royals	08-18-1973	26
19	Frank White	1973 Kansas City Royals	06-12-1973	22
26	Bob Coluccio	1973 Milwaukee Brewers	04-15-1973	21
9	Pedro Garcia	1973 Milwaukee Brewers	04-06-1973	22
28	Wilbur Howard	1973 Milwaukee Brewers	09-04-1973	24
4	Tim Johnson	1973 Milwaukee Brewers	04-24-1973	23
34	Kevin Kobel	1973 Milwaukee Brewers	09-08-1973	19
22	Charlie Moore	1973 Milwaukee Brewers	09-08-1973	20
23	Eduardo Rodriguez	1973 Milwaukee Brewers	06-20-1973	21
44	Gorman Thomas	1973 Milwaukee Brewers	04-06-1973	22
33	Carlos Velazquez	1973 Milwaukee Brewers	07-20-1973	25
20	Vic Albury	1973 Minnesota Twins	08-07-1973	26
18	Eddie Bane	1973 Minnesota Twins	07-04-1973	21
24	Bill Campbell	1973 Minnesota Twins	07-14-1973	24
16	Danny Fife	1973 Minnesota Twins	08-18-1973	23
22	Craig Kusick	1973 Minnesota Twins	09-08-1973	24
7	Jerry Terrell	1973 Minnesota Twins	04-14-1973	26
29	Tom Buskey	1973 New York Yankees	08-05-1973	26
18, 50	Dave Pagan	1973 New York Yankees	07-01-1973	23
24, 53	Otto Velez	1973 New York Yankees	09-04-1973	22
36	Glenn Abbott	1973 Oakland Athletics	07-29-1973	22
3	Phil Garner	1973 Oakland Athletics	09-10-1973	24
35	Jose Morales	1973 Oakland Athletics	08-13-1973	28
8	Manny Trillo	1973 Oakland Athletics	06-28-1973	22
37	Don Castle	1973 Texas Rangers	09-11-1973	23
32, 50	David Clyde	1973 Texas Rangers	06-27-1973	18
29	Steve Foucault	1973 Texas Rangers	04-07-1973	23
22	Rick Henninger	1973 Texas Rangers	09-03-1973	25
33	Jim Kremmel	1973 Texas Rangers	07-04-1973	25
24	Pete Mackanin	1973 Texas Rangers	07-03-1973	21
38	Bill Madlock	1973 Texas Rangers	09-07-1973	22
39	Rick Waits	1973 Texas Rangers	09-17-1973	21
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
1973 American League Debuts

1973 N.L. Debuts

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1973 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?

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.

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