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."
"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

1982

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

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."
     

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