1987 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

1987

32 Jeff Blauser 1987 Atlanta Braves 07-05-1987 21
48 Marty Clary 1987 Atlanta Braves 09-05-1987 25
43 Kevin Coffman 1987 Atlanta Braves 09-05-1987 22
5 Ron Gant 1987 Atlanta Braves 09-06-1987 22
47 Tom Glavine 1987 Atlanta Braves 08-17-1987 21
25 Pete Smith 1987 Atlanta Braves 09-08-1987 21
29 Steve Ziem 1987 Atlanta Braves 04-30-1987 25
34 Damon Berryhill 1987 Chicago Cubs 09-05-1987 23
17 Mike Brumley 1987 Chicago Cubs 06-16-1987 24
50 Les Lancaster 1987 Chicago Cubs 04-07-1987 24
16 Paul Noce 1987 Chicago Cubs 06-01-1987 27
26 Leo Garcia 1987 Cincinnati Reds 04-06-1987 24
23 Lloyd McClendon 1987 Cincinnati Reds 04-06-1987 28
8 Terry McGriff 1987 Cincinnati Reds 07-11-1987 23
40 Jeff Montgomery 1987 Cincinnati Reds 08-01-1987 25
35 Pat Pacillo 1987 Cincinnati Reds 05-23-1987 23
58 Jeff Treadway 1987 Cincinnati Reds 09-04-1987 24
9 Troy Afenir 1987 Houston Astros 09-14-1987 23
11 Ken Caminiti 1987 Houston Astros 07-16-1987 24
23 Chuck Jackson 1987 Houston Astros 05-26-1987 24
56 Rob Mallicoat 1987 Houston Astros 09-11-1987 22
53 Dave Meads 1987 Houston Astros 04-13-1987 23
2 Gerald Young 1987 Houston Astros 07-08-1987 22
49 Tim Belcher 1987 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-06-1987 25
52 Tim Crews 1987 Los Angeles Dodgers 07-27-1987 26
40 Mike Devereaux 1987 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-02-1987 24
45 Chris Gwynn 1987 Los Angeles Dodgers 08-14-1987 22
57 Shawn Hillegas 1987 Los Angeles Dodgers 08-09-1987 22
56 Mike Ramsey 1987 Los Angeles Dodgers 04-06-1987 26
50 Jack Savage 1987 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-14-1987 23
7 Tracy Woodson 1987 Los Angeles Dodgers 04-07-1987 24
33 Jack Daugherty 1987 Montreal Expos 09-01-1987 27
39 Jeff Fischer 1987 Montreal Expos 06-19-1987 23
35 Ubaldo Heredia 1987 Montreal Expos 05-12-1987 31
21 Alonzo Powell 1987 Montreal Expos 04-06-1987 22
41 Tom Romano 1987 Montreal Expos 09-01-1987 28
47 Nelson Santovenia 1987 Montreal Expos 09-16-1987 26
32 Mark Carreon 1987 New York Mets 09-08-1987 24
32 Tom Edens 1987 New York Mets 06-02-1987 25
40 Jeff Innis 1987 New York Mets 05-16-1987 24
9 Gregg Jefferies 1987 New York Mets 09-06-1987 20
25 Keith Miller 1987 New York Mets 06-16-1987 24
27 Randy Milligan 1987 New York Mets 09-12-1987 25
25 Al Pedrique 1987 New York Mets 04-14-1987 26
37, 7 Ken Dowell 1987 Philadelphia Phillies 06-24-1987 26
52 Todd Frohwirth 1987 Philadelphia Phillies 08-10-1987 24
7 Ken Jackson 1987 Philadelphia Phillies 09-12-1987 24
45 Greg Jelks 1987 Philadelphia Phillies 08-20-1987 26
50 Tom Newell 1987 Philadelphia Phillies 09-09-1987 24
38 Wally Ritchie 1987 Philadelphia Phillies 05-01-1987 21
55 Tim Drummond 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-12-1987 22
41 Mike Dunne 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 06-05-1987 24
42 Logan Easley 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-09-1987 25
29 Felix Fermin 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-08-1987 23
58 Brett Gideon 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-05-1987 23
47 Tommy Gregg 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-14-1987 24
56 Dave Johnson 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-29-1987 27
13 Jose Lind 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-28-1987 23
38 Vicente Palacios 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-04-1987 24
46 Tom Prince 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-22-1987 23
52 Dorn Taylor 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-30-1987 28
28 Shawn Abner 1987 San Diego Padres 09-08-1987 21
47 Randy Byers 1987 San Diego Padres 09-07-1987 22
4 Joey Cora 1987 San Diego Padres 04-06-1987 21
23 Shane Mack 1987 San Diego Padres 05-25-1987 23
37 Eric Nolte 1987 San Diego Padres 08-01-1987 23
21 Jim Steels 1987 San Diego Padres 04-06-1987 25
51, 40 John Burkett 1987 San Francisco Giants 09-15-1987 22
17 Kirt Manwaring 1987 San Francisco Giants 09-15-1987 22
26 Jessie Reid 1987 San Francisco Giants 09-09-1987 25
10, 17 Mackey Sasser 1987 San Francisco Giants 07-17-1987 24
60, 10 Matt Williams 1987 San Francisco Giants 04-11-1987 21
5 Rod Booker 1987 St. Louis Cardinals 04-29-1987 28
21 Lance Johnson 1987 St. Louis Cardinals 07-10-1987 24
41 Joe Magrane 1987 St. Louis Cardinals 04-25-1987 22
19 Tom Pagnozzi 1987 St. Louis Cardinals 04-12-1987 24
36 Steve Peters 1987 St. Louis Cardinals 08-11-1987 24
1987 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1987 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

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.

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."
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