1983 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

1983

49 Rick Behenna 1983 Atlanta Braves 04-12-1983 23
49 Jeff Dedmon 1983 Atlanta Braves 09-02-1983 23
7 Brad Komminsk 1983 Atlanta Braves 08-14-1983 22
29 Craig McMurtry 1983 Atlanta Braves 04-10-1983 23
28 Gerald Perry 1983 Atlanta Braves 08-11-1983 22
33 Joe Carter 1983 Chicago Cubs 07-30-1983 23
26 Fritzie Connally 1983 Chicago Cubs 09-09-1983 25
15 Mike Diaz 1983 Chicago Cubs 09-15-1983 23
38 Tom Grant 1983 Chicago Cubs 06-17-1983 26
37 Bill Johnson 1983 Chicago Cubs 09-06-1983 22
16 Steve Lake 1983 Chicago Cubs 04-09-1983 26
32 Craig Lefferts 1983 Chicago Cubs 04-07-1983 25
12 Carmelo Martinez 1983 Chicago Cubs 08-22-1983 23
19 Dave Owen 1983 Chicago Cubs 09-06-1983 25
17 Dan Rohn 1983 Chicago Cubs 09-02-1983 27
43 Don Schulze 1983 Chicago Cubs 09-13-1983 20
15 Skeeter Barnes 1983 Cincinnati Reds 09-06-1983 26
9 Dann Bilardello 1983 Cincinnati Reds 04-11-1983 23
42 Keefe Cato 1983 Cincinnati Reds 06-13-1983 25
4 Steve Christmas 1983 Cincinnati Reds 09-01-1983 25
12, 15 Nick Esasky 1983 Cincinnati Reds 06-19-1983 23
10, 59 Tom Foley 1983 Cincinnati Reds 04-09-1983 23
53 Jeff Jones 1983 Cincinnati Reds 04-04-1983 25
46, 56 Jeff Russell 1983 Cincinnati Reds 08-13-1983 21
20 George Bjorkman 1983 Houston Astros 07-10-1983 26
46 Bill Dawley 1983 Houston Astros 04-15-1983 25
31 Jeff Heathcock 1983 Houston Astros 09-03-1983 23
53 Mike Madden 1983 Houston Astros 04-05-1983 25
4 John Mizerock 1983 Houston Astros 04-12-1983 22
52 Julio Solano 1983 Houston Astros 04-05-1983 23
10, 62 Dave Anderson 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 05-08-1983 22
33 Sid Bream 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-01-1983 23
52 Cecil Espy 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-02-1983 20
50 Sid Fernandez 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-20-1983 20
31 Jack Fimple 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 07-30-1983 24
55 Orel Hershiser 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-01-1983 24
15 Gilberto Reyes 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 06-11-1983 19
23 R.J. Reynolds 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-01-1983 24
25 German Rivera 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-02-1983 23
56 Rich Rodas 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-06-1983 23
47 Larry White 1983 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-20-1983 24
39 Greg Bargar 1983 Montreal Expos 07-17-1983 24
25 Mike Fuentes 1983 Montreal Expos 09-02-1983 25
50 Rick Grapenthin 1983 Montreal Expos 05-03-1983 25
6 Angel Salazar 1983 Montreal Expos 08-10-1983 21
31 Razor Shines 1983 Montreal Expos 09-09-1983 27
11 Mike Bishop 1983 New York Mets 04-16-1983 24
44 Ron Darling 1983 New York Mets 09-06-1983 23
20 Mike Fitzgerald 1983 New York Mets 09-13-1983 23
2 Jose Oquendo 1983 New York Mets 05-02-1983 19
18 Darryl Strawberry 1983 New York Mets 05-06-1983 21
39 Don Carman 1983 Philadelphia Phillies 10-01-1983 24
10 Darren Daulton 1983 Philadelphia Phillies 09-25-1983 21
35 Tony Ghelfi 1983 Philadelphia Phillies 09-01-1983 22
46 Kevin Gross 1983 Philadelphia Phillies 06-25-1983 22
49 Charles Hudson 1983 Philadelphia Phillies 05-31-1983 24
15 Steve Jeltz 1983 Philadelphia Phillies 07-17-1983 24
16 Juan Samuel 1983 Philadelphia Phillies 08-24-1983 22
26 Jeff Stone 1983 Philadelphia Phillies 09-09-1983 22
25 Jose DeLeon 1983 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-23-1983 22
16 Joe Orsulak 1983 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-01-1983 21
58 Alfonso Pulido 1983 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-05-1983 26
59, 44, 41 Jim Winn 1983 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-10-1983 23
15 Ron Wotus 1983 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-03-1983 22
36 Marvell Wynne 1983 Pittsburgh Pirates 06-15-1983 23
51 Greg Booker 1983 San Diego Padres 09-11-1983 23
49 Mike Couchee 1983 San Diego Padres 04-05-1983 25
50 Gerry Davis 1983 San Diego Padres 09-20-1983 24
44 Marty Decker 1983 San Diego Padres 09-20-1983 26
18 Kevin McReynolds 1983 San Diego Padres 06-02-1983 23
27 Dennis Rasmussen 1983 San Diego Padres 09-16-1983 24
58 Mark Thurmond 1983 San Diego Padres 05-14-1983 26
32 Mark Calvert 1983 San Francisco Giants 04-17-1983 26
25 Dan Gladden 1983 San Francisco Giants 09-05-1983 26
25 Pat Larkin 1983 San Francisco Giants 07-16-1983 23
14 Jim Adduci 1983 St. Louis Cardinals 09-12-1983 24
43 Ralph Citarella 1983 St. Louis Cardinals 09-13-1983 25
34 Danny Cox 1983 St. Louis Cardinals 08-06-1983 23
7 Jeff Doyle 1983 St. Louis Cardinals 09-13-1983 26
35 Kevin Hagen 1983 St. Louis Cardinals 06-04-1983 23
30 Bill Lyons 1983 St. Louis Cardinals 07-20-1983 25
14 Rafael Santana 1983 St. Louis Cardinals 04-05-1983 25
18 Andy Van Slyke 1983 St. Louis Cardinals 06-17-1983 22
38 Dave Von Ohlen 1983 St. Louis Cardinals 05-13-1983 24
1983 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1983 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

Ted Cox made his Major League debut in 1977 with the Boston Red Sox and over two games on September 18 and 19, Cox went six for six before he made an out.

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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