1978 National 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
National League Debuts

1978

20 Bruce Benedict 1978 Atlanta Braves 08-18-1978 23
5 Bob Horner 1978 Atlanta Braves 06-16-1978 20
17 Glenn Hubbard 1978 Atlanta Braves 07-14-1978 20
12 Jerry Maddox 1978 Atlanta Braves 06-03-1978 24
27 Larry McWilliams 1978 Atlanta Braves 07-17-1978 24
16 Chico Ruiz 1978 Atlanta Braves 07-29-1978 26
12 Hank Small 1978 Atlanta Braves 09-27-1978 25
46 Dave Geisel 1978 Chicago Cubs 06-13-1978 23
45 Karl Pagel 1978 Chicago Cubs 09-21-1978 23
25 Scot Thompson 1978 Chicago Cubs 09-03-1978 22
58 Arturo DeFreitas 1978 Cincinnati Reds 09-07-1978 25
17 Mike Grace 1978 Cincinnati Reds 04-18-1978 21
51 Mike LaCoss 1978 Cincinnati Reds 07-18-1978 22
16 Ron Oester 1978 Cincinnati Reds 09-10-1978 22
56 Harry Spilman 1978 Cincinnati Reds 09-11-1978 24
6 Reggie Baldwin 1978 Houston Astros 05-25-1978 23
13 Bruce Bochy 1978 Houston Astros 07-19-1978 23
15 Keith Drumright 1978 Houston Astros 09-01-1978 23
19 Jim Obradovich 1978 Houston Astros 09-12-1978 28
34 Rick Williams 1978 Houston Astros 06-12-1978 25
57 Pedro Guerrero 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-22-1978 22
40 Brad Gulden 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-22-1978 22
3 Rudy Law 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-12-1978 21
48 Dave Stewart 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-22-1978 21
35 Bob Welch 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers 06-20-1978 21
52 Myron White 1978 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-04-1978 21
39 Jerry Fry 1978 Montreal Expos 09-04-1978 22
20 Bob James 1978 Montreal Expos 09-07-1978 20
46 Dave Palmer 1978 Montreal Expos 09-09-1978 20
18 Gerry Pirtle 1978 Montreal Expos 07-02-1978 30
44 Bobby Ramos 1978 Montreal Expos 09-26-1978 22
9 Bob Reece 1978 Montreal Expos 04-22-1978 27
21 Scott Sanderson 1978 Montreal Expos 08-06-1978 22
15, 19 Butch Benton 1978 New York Mets 09-14-1978 21
43, 48 Juan Berenguer 1978 New York Mets 08-17-1978 23
28 Dwight Bernard 1978 New York Mets 06-29-1978 26
26 Mike Bruhert 1978 New York Mets 04-09-1978 26
47 Mardie Cornejo 1978 New York Mets 04-08-1978 26
29 Alex Trevino 1978 New York Mets 09-11-1978 21
46 Dan Boitano 1978 Philadelphia Phillies 10-01-1978 25
48, 16 Todd Cruz 1978 Philadelphia Phillies 09-04-1978 22
34 Keith Moreland 1978 Philadelphia Phillies 10-01-1978 24
33 Kevin Saucier 1978 Philadelphia Phillies 10-01-1978 22
27 Lonnie Smith 1978 Philadelphia Phillies 09-02-1978 22
15 Doe Boyland 1978 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-04-1978 23
37 Alberto Lois 1978 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-08-1978 22
16 Steve Nicosia 1978 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-08-1978 22
43 Don Robinson 1978 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-10-1978 20
21 Chuck Baker 1978 San Diego Padres 04-07-1978 25
14 Jim Beswick 1978 San Diego Padres 08-09-1978 20
27 Tony Castillo 1978 San Diego Padres 09-22-1978 21
33 Juan Eichelberger 1978 San Diego Padres 09-07-1978 24
8 Barry Evans 1978 San Diego Padres 09-04-1978 21
42 Mark Lee 1978 San Diego Padres 04-23-1978 24
59 Steve Mura 1978 San Diego Padres 09-05-1978 23
15 Broderick Perkins 1978 San Diego Padres 07-07-1978 23
26 Don Reynolds 1978 San Diego Padres 04-07-1978 24
1 Ozzie Smith 1978 San Diego Padres 04-07-1978 23
2 Rick Sweet 1978 San Diego Padres 04-08-1978 25
25 Jim Wilhelm 1978 San Diego Padres 09-04-1978 25
35, 47 Dennis Littlejohn 1978 San Francisco Giants 07-09-1978 23
25 Philip Nastu 1978 San Francisco Giants 09-15-1978 23
37 Ed Plank 1978 San Francisco Giants 09-06-1978 26
43, 49 George Frazier 1978 St. Louis Cardinals 05-25-1978 23
16 Terry Kennedy 1978 St. Louis Cardinals 09-04-1978 22
21 Jim Lentine 1978 St. Louis Cardinals 09-03-1978 24
34 Dan O'Brien 1978 St. Louis Cardinals 09-04-1978 24
33 Mike Ramsey 1978 St. Louis Cardinals 09-04-1978 24
1978 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1978 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

Five-for-five debuts? Believe it or not it has happened twice: On June 30, 1894 Fred Clarke of the Louisville Colonels and on May 16, 1933, Cecil Travis of the Washington Senators made their Major League debuts and both went five-for-five at the plate.

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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