1974 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 no Major League record held by a rookie. It's revealing to see just how far the rookie marks are below the single season marks. This is a testament to how difficult the game is to learn and play." - Luke Salisbury in The Answer is Baseball (1989)
American League Debuts

1974

19 Robin Yount 1974 Milwaukee Brewers 04-05-1974 18
15 Claudell Washington 1974 Oakland Athletics 07-05-1974 19
27 Roy Howell 1974 Texas Rangers 09-09-1974 20
37 Sixto Lezcano 1974 Milwaukee Brewers 09-10-1974 20
27 Roger Miller 1974 Milwaukee Brewers 09-08-1974 20
20 Nyls Nyman 1974 Chicago White Sox 09-06-1974 20
43 Larry Anderson 1974 Milwaukee Brewers 09-25-1974 21
47 Francisco Barrios 1974 Chicago White Sox 08-18-1974 21
39 Tim Blackwell 1974 Boston Red Sox 07-03-1974 21
55 Jack Kucek 1974 Chicago White Sox 08-08-1974 21
18, 52 Larry Murray 1974 New York Yankees 09-07-1974 21
14 Jim Rice 1974 Boston Red Sox 08-19-1974 21
25 Bill Travers 1974 Milwaukee Brewers 05-19-1974 21
51 Terry Whitfield 1974 New York Yankees 09-29-1974 21
35 Bill Castro 1974 Milwaukee Brewers 08-20-1974 22
18 Al Cowens 1974 Kansas City Royals 04-06-1974 22
5 John Doherty 1974 California Angels 06-01-1974 22
25 Luis Gomez 1974 Minnesota Twins 04-28-1974 22
19 Fred Lynn 1974 Boston Red Sox 09-05-1974 22
25 Dan Meyer 1974 Detroit Tigers 09-14-1974 22
16 Morris Nettles 1974 California Angels 04-26-1974 22
44 Luis Quintana 1974 California Angels 07-09-1974 22
1 Orlando Ramirez 1974 California Angels 07-06-1974 22
10 Jim Sundberg 1974 Texas Rangers 04-04-1974 22
3 Herb Washington 1974 Oakland Athletics 04-04-1974 22
8 John Balaz 1974 California Angels 09-10-1974 23
46 Steve Barr 1974 Boston Red Sox 10-01-1974 23
22 Bruce Bochte 1974 California Angels 07-19-1974 23
7 Rick Burleson 1974 Boston Red Sox 05-04-1974 23
4 Mike Cubbage 1974 Texas Rangers 04-07-1974 23
1 Sergio Ferrer 1974 Minnesota Twins 04-05-1974 23
31 Jim Hughes 1974 Minnesota Twins 09-14-1974 23
48 Lamar Johnson 1974 Chicago White Sox 05-18-1974 23
32 Tom Johnson 1974 Minnesota Twins 09-10-1974 23
22 Dennis Leonard 1974 Kansas City Royals 09-04-1974 23
34 Bill Moran 1974 Chicago White Sox 04-12-1974 23
38 Jim Otten 1974 Chicago White Sox 07-31-1974 23
44 Leon Roberts 1974 Detroit Tigers 09-03-1974 23
31 Vern Ruhle 1974 Detroit Tigers 09-09-1974 23
2 Bob Sheldon 1974 Milwaukee Brewers 04-10-1974 23
46 Jeff Terpko 1974 Texas Rangers 09-21-1974 23
43 Jim Deidel 1974 New York Yankees 05-31-1974 24
21 Mike Hargrove 1974 Texas Rangers 04-07-1974 24
8 Bob Jones 1974 Texas Rangers 10-01-1974 24
52 Don Kirkwood 1974 California Angels 09-13-1974 24
18 Duane Kuiper 1974 Cleveland Indians 09-09-1974 24
40 Tippy Martinez 1974 New York Yankees 08-09-1974 24
9 Mike Reinbach 1974 Baltimore Orioles 04-07-1974 24
43 Reggie Sanders 1974 Detroit Tigers 09-01-1974 24
23 Stan Thomas 1974 Texas Rangers 07-05-1974 24
13, 47 Bruce Ellingsen 1974 Cleveland Indians 07-04-1974 25
37 Ed Figueroa 1974 California Angels 04-09-1974 25
14 Bob Hansen 1974 Milwaukee Brewers 05-10-1974 25
45 Dave Johnson 1974 Baltimore Orioles 07-02-1974 25
34 Jim Kern 1974 Cleveland Indians 09-06-1974 25
38 Aurelio Lopez 1974 Kansas City Royals 09-01-1974 25
43 Tim Nordbrook 1974 Baltimore Orioles 09-13-1974 25
45 John Wockenfuss 1974 Detroit Tigers 08-11-1974 25
20 Leon Hooten 1974 Oakland Athletics 04-13-1974 26
42 Ron LeFlore 1974 Detroit Tigers 08-01-1974 26
30 Dave Moates 1974 Texas Rangers 09-21-1974 26
40 Rick Sawyer 1974 New York Yankees 04-28-1974 26
40 Joe Henderson 1974 Chicago White Sox 06-07-1974 27
23 Gaylen Pitts 1974 Oakland Athletics 05-12-1974 27
28 Champ Summers 1974 Oakland Athletics 05-04-1974 27
8 Jack Lind 1974 Milwaukee Brewers 09-10-1974 28
38 Tom Robson 1974 Texas Rangers 09-14-1974 28
1974 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1974 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."

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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