1982 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."
"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)
National League Debuts

1982

39 Floyd Chiffer 1982 San Diego Padres 04-07-1982 25
29 Alan Fowlkes 1982 San Francisco Giants 04-07-1982 23
43 Herman Segelke 1982 Chicago Cubs 04-07-1982 23
21 Gary Rajsich 1982 New York Mets 04-09-1982 27
11 Jim Smith 1982 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-12-1982 27
38 Joe Cowley 1982 Atlanta Braves 04-13-1982 23
23 Jose Barrios 1982 San Francisco Giants 04-23-1982 24
15 Julio Franco 1982 Philadelphia Phillies 04-23-1982 23
45 Bill Laskey 1982 San Francisco Giants 04-23-1982 24
6 Randy Johnson 1982 Atlanta Braves 04-27-1982 25
47 CeciIio Guante 1982 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-01-1982 22
35 Tom O'Malley 1982 San Francisco Giants 05-08-1982 21
30 Porfi Altamirano 1982 Philadelphia Phillies 05-09-1982 29
51 Willie McGee 1982 St. Louis Cardinals 05-10-1982 23
30 Ken Dayley 1982 Atlanta Braves 05-13-1982 23
26 Duane Walker 1982 Cincinnati Reds 05-25-1982 25
48 John Stuper 1982 St. Louis Cardinals 06-01-1982 25
34 Rusty Tillman 1982 New York Mets 06-06-1982 21
50 Tom Filer 1982 Chicago Cubs 06-08-1982 25
44 Jeff Keener 1982 St. Louis Cardinals 06-08-1982 23
43 Dave Dravecky 1982 San Diego Padres 06-15-1982 26
24, 60 Dave Van Gorder 1982 Cincinnati Reds 06-15-1982 25
36 Steve Shirley 1982 Los Angeles Dodgers 06-21-1982 25
45 Ben Hayes 1982 Cincinnati Reds 06-25-1982 24
32 Jeff Lahti 1982 St. Louis Cardinals 06-27-1982 25
48 Carlos Diaz 1982 Atlanta Braves 06-30-1982 24
27 Roy Johnson 1982 Montreal Expos 07-03-1982 23
45 Brent Gaff 1982 New York Mets 07-07-1982 23
17, 56 Tom Lawless 1982 Cincinnati Reds 07-15-1982 25
40 Andy Hawkins 1982 San Diego Padres 07-17-1982 22
19 Tony Gwynn 1982 San Diego Padres 07-19-1982 22
9 Don Crow 1982 Los Angeles Dodgers 07-25-1982 23
37 Ricky Wright 1982 Los Angeles Dodgers 07-28-1982 23
3 Bryan Little 1982 Montreal Expos 07-29-1982 22
21 Jody Lansford 1982 San Diego Padres 07-31-1982 21
50 Brad Lesley 1982 Cincinnati Reds 07-31-1982 23
20 Rick Ownbey 1982 New York Mets 08-17-1982 24
20 Rick Lancellotti 1982 San Diego Padres 08-27-1982 26
17 Greg Brock 1982 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-01-1982 25
35, 12 Kelly Paris 1982 St. Louis Cardinals 09-01-1982 24
23 Dave Sax 1982 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-01-1982 23
40 Mark Dempsey 1982 San Francisco Giants 09-04-1982 24
3 John Rabb 1982 San Francisco Giants 09-04-1982 22
22 Lee Tunnell 1982 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-04-1982 21
36 Brad Wellman 1982 San Francisco Giants 09-04-1982 23
18 Paul Zuvella 1982 Atlanta Braves 09-04-1982 23
51 Doug Frobel 1982 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-05-1982 23
37 Rafael Belliard 1982 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-06-1982 20
19 Bill Doran 1982 Houston Astros 09-06-1982 24
27 Alejandro Sanchez 1982 Philadelphia Phillies 09-06-1982 23
39 Doug Sisk 1982 New York Mets 09-06-1982 24
61 Gary Redus 1982 Cincinnati Reds 09-07-1982 25
34 Bill Scherrer 1982 Cincinnati Reds 09-07-1982 24
50 Eddie Vargas 1982 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-08-1982 23
37 Larry Ray 1982 Houston Astros 09-10-1982 24
47 Mark Ross 1982 Houston Astros 09-12-1982 25
49 Walt Terrell 1982 New York Mets 09-18-1982 24
41 Jay Baller 1982 Philadelphia Phillies 09-19-1982 21
11 George Hinshaw 1982 San Diego Padres 09-19-1982 22
36 Junior Ortiz 1982 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-20-1982 22
5 Ron Tingley 1982 San Diego Padres 09-25-1982 23
8 Ronn Reynolds 1982 New York Mets 09-29-1982 24
43 Scott Garrelts 1982 San Francisco Giants 10-02-1982 20
32 Mike Stenhouse 1982 Montreal Expos 10-03-1982 24
1982 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1982 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."

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.
     

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