1977 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

1977

31 Ed Romero 1977 Milwaukee Brewers 07-16-1977 19
42 Alan Trammell 1977 Detroit Tigers 09-09-1977 19
32 Thad Bosley 1977 California Angels 06-29-1977 20
27 Jeff Byrd 1977 Toronto Blue Jays 06-20-1977 20
1 John Flannery 1977 Chicago White Sox 09-02-1977 20
9 Clint Hurdle 1977 Kansas City Royals 09-18-1977 20
30 Eddie Miller 1977 Texas Rangers 09-05-1977 20
19 Dave Rozema 1977 Detroit Tigers 04-11-1977 20
20 Gary Serum 1977 Minnesota Twins 07-22-1977 20
43 Lou Whitaker 1977 Detroit Tigers 09-09-1977 20
18 Jim Clancy 1977 Toronto Blue Jays 07-26-1977 21
18 Barry Cort 1977 Milwaukee Brewers 04-22-1977 21
28 Mike Darr 1977 Toronto Blue Jays 09-06-1977 21
36 Jerry Garvin 1977 Toronto Blue Jays 04-10-1977 21
47 Silvio Martinez 1977 Chicago White Sox 04-09-1977 21
30 Byron McLaughlin 1977 Seattle Mariners 09-18-1977 21
18 Rance Mulliniks 1977 California Angels 06-18-1977 21
33 Eddie Murray 1977 Baltimore Orioles 04-07-1977 21
13 Lance Parrish 1977 Detroit Tigers 09-05-1977 21
22 Gil Patterson 1977 New York Yankees 04-19-1977 21
39 Lary Sorensen 1977 Milwaukee Brewers 06-07-1977 21
45 Don Aase 1977 Boston Red Sox 07-26-1977 22
22 Willie Aikens 1977 California Angels 05-17-1977 22
39 Steve Burke 1977 Seattle Mariners 09-10-1977 22
18 Ted Cox 1977 Boston Red Sox 09-18-1977 22
2 Julio Cruz 1977 Seattle Mariners 07-04-1977 22
36 Mike Dimmel 1977 Baltimore Orioles 09-02-1977 22
33 Steve Kemp 1977 Detroit Tigers 04-07-1977 22
27 Matt Keough 1977 Oakland Athletics 09-03-1977 22
19 Ken Landreaux 1977 California Angels 09-11-1977 22
47 Jack Morris 1977 Detroit Tigers 07-26-1977 22
32 Mike Parrott 1977 Baltimore Orioles 09-05-1977 22
46 Bob Stanley 1977 Boston Red Sox 04-16-1977 22
27 Bob Sykes 1977 Detroit Tigers 04-09-1977 22
14 Jose Baez 1977 Seattle Mariners 04-06-1977 23
2 Randy Bass 1977 Minnesota Twins 09-03-1977 23
45 Tony Chevez 1977 Baltimore Orioles 05-31-1977 23
50 Ken Clay 1977 New York Yankees 06-07-1977 23
26 Dick Davis 1977 Milwaukee Brewers 07-12-1977 23
23 Puchy Delgado 1977 Seattle Mariners 09-06-1977 23
35 Greg Erardi 1977 Seattle Mariners 09-06-1977 23
40 Sam Hinds 1977 Milwaukee Brewers 05-21-1977 23
40 Rick Honeycutt 1977 Seattle Mariners 08-24-1977 23
34 Bob Lacey 1977 Oakland Athletics 05-13-1977 23
19 Sheldon Mallory 1977 Oakland Athletics 04-10-1977 23
54 Steve McCatty 1977 Oakland Athletics 09-17-1977 23
31 Randy McGilberry 1977 Kansas City Royals 09-06-1977 23
48 Mike Paxton 1977 Boston Red Sox 05-25-1977 23
27 John Poloni 1977 Texas Rangers 09-16-1977 23
18 Pat Putnam 1977 Texas Rangers 09-02-1977 23
21 Lenn Sakata 1977 Milwaukee Brewers 07-21-1977 23
23 Paul Thormodsgard 1977 Minnesota Twins 04-10-1977 23
30 U.L. Washington 1977 Kansas City Royals 09-06-1977 23
7 Rob Wilfong 1977 Minnesota Twins 04-10-1977 23
13 Mark Williams 1977 Oakland Athletics 05-20-1977 23
20 Al Woods 1977 Toronto Blue Jays 04-07-1977 23
19 Joe Zdeb 1977 Kansas City Royals 04-07-1977 23
27, 59 Dell Alston 1977 New York Yankees 05-17-1977 24
29 Sam Bowen 1977 Boston Red Sox 08-25-1977 24
11 Bud Bulling 1977 Minnesota Twins 07-03-1977 24
39 John Caneira 1977 California Angels 09-10-1977 24
25 Tim Corcoran 1977 Detroit Tigers 05-18-1977 24
22 Dennis DeBarr 1977 Toronto Blue Jays 05-14-1977 24
39 Bo Diaz 1977 Boston Red Sox 09-06-1977 24
28 Gil Flores 1977 California Angels 05-08-1977 24
37 Dave Frost 1977 Chicago White Sox 09-11-1977 24
24 Gary Gray 1977 Texas Rangers 06-23-1977 24
21, 36 Jeff Holly 1977 Minnesota Twins 05-01-1977 24
31 Fred Kuhaulua 1977 California Angels 08-02-1977 24
35 Randy Miller 1977 Baltimore Orioles 09-07-1977 24
8 Rob Picciolo 1977 Oakland Athletics 04-09-1977 24
26 Keith Smith 1977 Texas Rangers 08-02-1977 24
32 Bruce Taylor 1977 Detroit Tigers 08-05-1977 24
1 Bump Wills 1977 Texas Rangers 04-07-1977 24
39 Larry Wolfe 1977 Minnesota Twins 09-16-1977 24
40 Bob Adams 1977 Detroit Tigers 07-10-1977 25
11 Ramon Aviles 1977 Boston Red Sox 07-10-1977 25
49 Cardell Camper 1977 Cleveland Indians 09-11-1977 25
40 Dave Criscione 1977 Baltimore Orioles 07-17-1977 25
24, 53 Bobby Cuellar 1977 Texas Rangers 09-09-1977 25
19 Bob Galasso 1977 Seattle Mariners 07-24-1977 25
35 Bob Gorinski 1977 Minnesota Twins 04-10-1977 25
51 Larry McCall 1977 New York Yankees 09-10-1977 25
6 Mitchell Page 1977 Oakland Athletics 04-09-1977 25
20 Jimmy Sexton 1977 Seattle Mariners 09-02-1977 25
8 Dave Skaggs 1977 Baltimore Orioles 04-17-1977 25
52 Randy Wiles 1977 Chicago White Sox 08-07-1977 25
30 Dave Coleman 1977 Boston Red Sox 04-13-1977 26
21 Tom McMillan 1977 Seattle Mariners 09-17-1977 26
24 Willie Norwood 1977 Minnesota Twins 04-21-1977 26
26 Dave Oliver 1977 Cleveland Indians 09-25-1977 26
40 Sam Perlozzo 1977 Minnesota Twins 09-13-1977 26
2 Steve Staggs 1977 Toronto Blue Jays 07-01-1977 26
33 Mike Willis 1977 Toronto Blue Jays 04-13-1977 26
25 George Zeber 1977 New York Yankees 05-07-1977 26
7 Lew Beasley 1977 Texas Rangers 05-21-1977 28
27 Jim Norris 1977 Cleveland Indians 04-07-1977 28
39 Gary Lance 1977 Kansas City Royals 09-28-1977 29
43 Enrique Romo 1977 Seattle Mariners 04-07-1977 29
1977 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1977 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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