1991 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."

"You never forget your first hit in the Major Leagues. It was in my third at bat. That was kind of a relief. You could start off 0-for-34." - Ralph Kiner
National League Debuts

1991

45 Vinny Castilla 1991 Atlanta Braves 09-01-1991 24
14 Brian Hunter 1991 Atlanta Braves 05-31-1991 23
17 Keith Mitchell 1991 Atlanta Braves 07-23-1991 21
42 Armando Reynoso 1991 Atlanta Braves 08-11-1991 25
34 Rico Rossy 1991 Atlanta Braves 09-11-1991 27
43 Mark Wohlers 1991 Atlanta Braves 08-17-1991 21
49 Frank Castillo 1991 Chicago Cubs 06-27-1991 22
28 Ced Landrum 1991 Chicago Cubs 05-28-1991 27
37 Erik Pappas 1991 Chicago Cubs 04-19-1991 24
33 Yorkis Perez 1991 Chicago Cubs 09-30-1991 24
39 Laddie Renfroe 1991 Chicago Cubs 07-03-1991 29
15 Rey Sanchez 1991 Chicago Cubs 09-08-1991 23
30 Bob Scanlan 1991 Chicago Cubs 05-07-1991 24
25 Gary Scott 1991 Chicago Cubs 04-09-1991 22
51 Heathcliff Slocumb 1991 Chicago Cubs 04-11-1991 24
2 Rick Wilkins 1991 Chicago Cubs 06-06-1991 24
57 Freddie Benavides 1991 Cincinnati Reds 05-14-1991 25
54 Steve Foster 1991 Cincinnati Reds 08-22-1991 25
39 Milt Hill 1991 Cincinnati Reds 08-01-1991 25
42 Reggie Jefferson 1991 Cincinnati Reds 05-18-1991 22
20 Chris Jones 1991 Cincinnati Reds 04-21-1991 25
53 Reggie Sanders 1991 Cincinnati Reds 08-22-1991 23
52 Mo Sanford 1991 Cincinnati Reds 08-09-1991 24
5 Jeff Bagwell 1991 Houston Astros 04-08-1991 22
46 Ryan Bowen 1991 Houston Astros 07-22-1991 23
36 Gary Cooper 1991 Houston Astros 09-15-1991 27
10 Tony Eusebio 1991 Houston Astros 08-08-1991 24
39 Chris Gardner 1991 Houston Astros 09-10-1991 22
44 Jeff Juden 1991 Houston Astros 09-15-1991 20
57 Darryl Kile 1991 Houston Astros 04-08-1991 22
28 Kenny Lofton 1991 Houston Astros 09-14-1991 24
23 Andy Mota 1991 Houston Astros 08-31-1991 25
9 Scott Servais 1991 Houston Astros 07-12-1991 24
20 Jose Tolentino 1991 Houston Astros 07-28-1991 30
53 Brian Williams 1991 Houston Astros 09-16-1991 22
56 Mike Christopher 1991 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-10-1991 27
47 Tom Goodwin 1991 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-01-1991 23
23 Eric Karros 1991 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-01-1991 23
25 Bret Barberie 1991 Montreal Expos 06-16-1991 23
39 Jeff Fassero 1991 Montreal Expos 05-04-1991 28
42 Chris Haney 1991 Montreal Expos 06-21-1991 22
48 Doug Piatt 1991 Montreal Expos 06-11-1991 25
6 Nikco Riesgo 1991 Montreal Expos 04-20-1991 24
23 John Vander Wal 1991 Montreal Expos 09-06-1991 25
40 Dave Wainhouse 1991 Montreal Expos 08-03-1991 23
46 Terry Bross 1991 New York Mets 09-04-1991 25
23 Chris Donnels 1991 New York Mets 05-07-1991 25
19 Jeff Gardner 1991 New York Mets 09-10-1991 27
0 Terry McDaniel 1991 New York Mets 08-31-1991 24
48 Pete Schourek 1991 New York Mets 04-09-1991 21
43 Doug Simons 1991 New York Mets 04-09-1991 24
33 Anthony Young 1991 New York Mets 08-05-1991 25
40 Andy Ashby 1991 Philadelphia Phillies 06-10-1991 23
7 Kim Batiste 1991 Philadelphia Phillies 09-08-1991 23
51 Cliff Brantley 1991 Philadelphia Phillies 09-03-1991 23
44 Amalio Carreno 1991 Philadelphia Phillies 07-07-1991 27
16 Braulio Castillo 1991 Philadelphia Phillies 08-18-1991 23
35 Doug Lindsey 1991 Philadelphia Phillies 10-06-1991 24
52 Tim Mauser 1991 Philadelphia Phillies 07-07-1991 24
28 Jeff Banister 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-23-1991 26
47 Scott Bullett 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-03-1991 22
46 Hector Fajardo 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-10-1991 20
64 Paul Miller 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-30-1991 26
52 John Wehner 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-17-1991 24
56 Ricky Bones 1991 San Diego Padres 08-11-1991 22
50 Jeremy Hernandez 1991 San Diego Padres 09-02-1991 25
39 Jim Lewis 1991 San Diego Padres 08-09-1991 27
15 Jose Mota 1991 San Diego Padres 05-25-1991 26
54 Tim Scott 1991 San Diego Padres 06-25-1991 24
30 Kevin Ward 1991 San Diego Padres 05-10-1991 29
47 Rod Beck 1991 San Francisco Giants 05-06-1991 22
21 Royce Clayton 1991 San Francisco Giants 09-20-1991 21
36 Gil Heredia 1991 San Francisco Giants 09-01-1991 25
41 Bryan Hickerson 1991 San Francisco Giants 07-25-1991 27
14 Mike Remlinger 1991 San Francisco Giants 06-15-1991 25
39 Ted Wood 1991 San Francisco Giants 09-04-1991 24
55 Mark Clark 1991 St. Louis Cardinals 09-06-1991 23
52 Rheal Cormier 1991 St. Louis Cardinals 08-15-1991 24
50 Mark Grater 1991 St. Louis Cardinals 06-12-1991 27
5 Stan Royer 1991 St. Louis Cardinals 09-11-1991 24
1991 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1991 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.

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.