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."
"Always be cautious about rookie performances in September. They don't indicate what will happen in April." - Texas Rangers General Manager Tom Grieve
American League Debuts

1977

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

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."

On the final day of the 1930 season, Dizzy Dean was called up and pitched a three-hitter. In Spring Training the following year, Dean had a fight with catcher Gabby Street and the franchise left him in the Minor Leagues all season long.
     

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