1985 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."
"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
American League Debuts

1985

47 Eric Bell 1985 Baltimore Orioles 09-24-1985 21
48 Tim Birtsas 1985 Oakland Athletics 05-03-1985 24
22 Steve Buechele 1985 Texas Rangers 07-19-1985 23
17 Dennis Burtt 1985 Minnesota Twins 09-04-1985 27
33 John Cangelosi 1985 Chicago White Sox 06-30-1985 22
33 Jose Canseco 1985 Oakland Athletics 09-02-1985 21
43 Chuck Cary 1985 Detroit Tigers 08-22-1985 25
55 John Cerutti 1985 Toronto Blue Jays 09-01-1985 25
27 Pat Clements 1985 California Angels 04-09-1985 23
33 Glen Cook 1985 Texas Rangers 06-23-1985 25
56 Ed Correa 1985 Chicago White Sox 09-18-1985 19
52 Joel Davis 1985 Chicago White Sox 08-11-1985 20
25 Steve Davis 1985 Toronto Blue Jays 08-25-1985 25
26 Frank Eufemia 1985 Minnesota Twins 05-21-1985 25
16 Mike Felder 1985 Milwaukee Brewers 09-11-1985 23
41 Tony Ferreira 1985 Kansas City Royals 09-17-1985 22
23 Cecil Fielder 1985 Toronto Blue Jays 07-20-1985 21
54 Brian Fisher 1985 New York Yankees 05-07-1985 23
9 Mike Gallego 1985 Oakland Athletics 04-11-1985 24
2 Craig Gerber 1985 California Angels 04-11-1985 26
44 Mark Gilbert 1985 Chicago White Sox 07-21-1985 28
39 Mike Greenwell 1985 Boston Red Sox 09-05-1985 22
13 Ozzie Guillen 1985 Chicago White Sox 04-09-1985 21
23 Jose Guzman 1985 Texas Rangers 09-10-1985 22
54 John Habyan 1985 Baltimore Orioles 09-29-1985 21
54 Jeff Hearron 1985 Toronto Blue Jays 08-25-1985 23
61 Bob Hegman 1985 Kansas City Royals 08-08-1985 27
49 Teddy Higuera 1985 Milwaukee Brewers 04-23-1985 26
16 Jack Howell 1985 California Angels 05-20-1985 23
40 Jeff Kaiser 1985 Oakland Athletics 04-11-1985 24
36 Pat Keedy 1985 California Angels 09-10-1985 27
36 Bob Kipper 1985 California Angels 04-12-1985 20
35 Tom Klawitter 1985 Minnesota Twins 04-14-1985 26
4 Manuel Lee 1985 Toronto Blue Jays 04-10-1985 19
4 Steve Lombardozzi 1985 Minnesota Twins 07-12-1985 25
36 Bill Long 1985 Chicago White Sox 07-21-1985 25
18 Urbano Lugo 1985 California Angels 04-28-1985 22
12 Steve Lyons 1985 Boston Red Sox 04-15-1985 24
17 Tony Mack 1985 California Angels 07-27-1985 24
19 Scotti Madison 1985 Detroit Tigers 07-06-1985 25
43 Tom McCarthy 1985 Boston Red Sox 07-05-1985 24
15 Kirk McCaskill 1985 California Angels 05-01-1985 24
0 Oddibe McDowell 1985 Texas Rangers 05-19-1985 22
18 Bob Melvin 1985 Detroit Tigers 05-25-1985 23
7 Charlie O'Brien 1985 Oakland Athletics 06-02-1985 25
53 Steve Ontiveros 1985 Oakland Athletics 06-14-1985 24
26 Al Pardo 1985 Baltimore Orioles 07-03-1985 22
21 Dan Pasqua 1985 New York Yankees 05-30-1985 23
12 Chris Pittaro 1985 Detroit Tigers 04-08-1985 23
56 Gus Polidor 1985 California Angels 09-07-1985 23
36 Carlos Ponce 1985 Milwaukee Brewers 08-14-1985 26
36 Mark Portugal 1985 Minnesota Twins 08-14-1985 22
1 Ernest Riles 1985 Milwaukee Brewers 05-14-1985 24
9 Billy Jo Robidoux 1985 Milwaukee Brewers 09-11-1985 21
16 Kevin Romine 1985 Boston Red Sox 09-05-1985 24
28 Bob Sebra 1985 Texas Rangers 06-26-1985 23
27 Jeff Sellers 1985 Boston Red Sox 09-15-1985 21
33 Brian Snyder 1985 Seattle Mariners 05-25-1985 27
18 Bill Swift 1985 Seattle Mariners 06-07-1985 23
31 Bruce Tanner 1985 Chicago White Sox 06-12-1985 23
41 Rich Thompson 1985 Cleveland Indians 04-28-1985 26
28 Lou Thornton 1985 Toronto Blue Jays 04-08-1985 21
45 Mike Trujillo 1985 Boston Red Sox 04-14-1985 25
20 Jim Weaver 1985 Detroit Tigers 04-10-1985 25
46 Bill Wegman 1985 Milwaukee Brewers 09-14-1985 22
30 Devon White 1985 California Angels 09-02-1985 22
51 Bill Wilkinson 1985 Seattle Mariners 06-13-1985 20
58 Jim Wilson 1985 Cleveland Indians 09-13-1985 24
42 Rob Woodward 1985 Boston Red Sox 09-05-1985 22
37 Rich Yett 1985 Minnesota Twins 04-13-1985 22
1985 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1985 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.

Did you know that on September 27, 1963 the Houston Colt .45s fielded an all-rookie lineup that included future stars Joe Morgan, Jerry Grote, and Rusty Staub?
     

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