1996 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 Almanac Top Quote

"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

1996 National League Debuts

1996 N.L. Rookies | 1996 A.L. Rookies | Baseball Firsts (All Years)

30 Joe Ayrault 1996 Atlanta Braves 09-01-1996 24
24 Jermaine Dye 1996 Atlanta Braves 05-17-1996 22
14 Tony Graffanino 1996 Atlanta Braves 04-19-1996 23
5 Tyler Houston 1996 Atlanta Braves 04-03-1996 25
25 Andruw Jones 1996 Atlanta Braves 08-15-1996 19
5 Pablo Martinez 1996 Atlanta Braves 07-20-1996 27
49 Carl Schutz 1996 Atlanta Braves 09-03-1996 25
37 Brant Brown 1996 Chicago Cubs 06-15-1996 24
1 Doug Glanville 1996 Chicago Cubs 06-09-1996 25
39 Robin Jennings 1996 Chicago Cubs 04-18-1996 24
19 Brooks Kieschnick 1996 Chicago Cubs 04-03-1996 23
59 Rodney Myers 1996 Chicago Cubs 04-03-1996 26
44 Amaury Telemaco 1996 Chicago Cubs 05-16-1996 22
28 Pedro Valdes 1996 Chicago Cubs 05-15-1996 22
39 Tim Belk 1996 Cincinnati Reds 06-25-1996 26
59 Curt Lyons 1996 Cincinnati Reds 09-19-1996 21
54 Chad Mottola 1996 Cincinnati Reds 04-23-1996 24
50 Garvin Alston 1996 Colorado Rockies 06-06-1996 24
41 Robbie Beckett 1996 Colorado Rockies 09-12-1996 24
37 John Burke 1996 Colorado Rockies 08-13-1996 26
44 Alan Cockrell 1996 Colorado Rockies 09-07-1996 33
11 Angel Echevarria 1996 Colorado Rockies 07-15-1996 25
36 Mike Farmer 1996 Colorado Rockies 05-04-1996 27
13 Ryan Hawblitzel 1996 Colorado Rockies 06-09-1996 25
1 Terry Jones 1996 Colorado Rockies 09-09-1996 25
5 Neifi Perez 1996 Colorado Rockies 08-31-1996 23
19 Jamey Wright 1996 Colorado Rockies 07-03-1996 21
56 Joel Adamson 1996 Florida Marlins 04-10-1996 24
29 Josh Booty 1996 Florida Marlins 09-24-1996 21
34 Luis Castillo 1996 Florida Marlins 08-08-1996 20
24 Felix Heredia 1996 Florida Marlins 08-09-1996 21
61 Livan Hernandez 1996 Florida Marlins 09-24-1996 21
50 Bill Hurst 1996 Florida Marlins 09-18-1996 26
36 Andy Larkin 1996 Florida Marlins 09-29-1996 22
40 Billy McMillon 1996 Florida Marlins 07-26-1996 24
37 Ralph Milliard 1996 Florida Marlins 05-12-1996 22
16 Edgar Renteria 1996 Florida Marlins 05-10-1996 20
29 Bobby Abreu 1996 Houston Astros 09-01-1996 22
45 Chris Holt 1996 Houston Astros 09-01-1996 24
21 Ray Montgomery 1996 Houston Astros 07-03-1996 26
51 Alvin Morman 1996 Houston Astros 04-02-1996 27
36 Mark Small 1996 Houston Astros 04-05-1996 28
30 Wilton Guerrero 1996 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-03-1996 21
66 Derek Aucoin 1996 Montreal Expos 05-21-1996 26
46 Tony Barron 1996 Montreal Expos 06-02-1996 29
12 Raul Chavez 1996 Montreal Expos 08-30-1996 23
27 Vladimir Guerrero 1996 Montreal Expos 09-19-1996 21
16 Rob Lukachyk 1996 Montreal Expos 07-05-1996 27
26 Alex Pacheco 1996 Montreal Expos 04-17-1996 22
36 Jose Paniagua 1996 Montreal Expos 04-04-1996 22
40 Mike Fyhrie 1996 New York Mets 09-14-1996 26
7 Charlie Greene 1996 New York Mets 09-15-1996 25
19 Jason Hardtke 1996 New York Mets 09-08-1996 24
0 Rey Ordonez 1996 New York Mets 04-01-1996 25
47 Derek Wallace 1996 New York Mets 08-13-1996 24
32 Paul Wilson 1996 New York Mets 04-04-1996 23
55 Matt Beech 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 08-08-1996 24
21 Ron Blazier 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 05-31-1996 24
54 Carlos Crawford 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 06-07-1996 24
26 David Doster 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 06-16-1996 25
27 Bobby Estalella 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 09-17-1996 22
43 Bronson Heflin 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 08-01-1996 24
39 Rich Hunter 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 04-06-1996 21
56 Calvin Maduro 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 09-08-1996 22
29 Wendell Magee 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 08-16-1996 24
57 Larry Mitchell 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 08-11-1996 24
7 Glenn Murray 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 05-10-1996 25
43 Rafael Quirico 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 06-25-1996 26
17 Desi Relaford 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 08-01-1996 22
6 Scott Rolen 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 08-01-1996 21
43 Jon Zuber 1996 Philadelphia Phillies 04-19-1996 26
46 Jermaine Allensworth 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-23-1996 24
25 Trey Beamon 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-04-1996 22
67 Francisco Cordova 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-02-1996 23
71 Elmer Dessens 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates 06-24-1996 25
18 Jason Kendall 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-01-1996 21
75 Rich Loiselle 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-07-1996 24
63 Keith Osik 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-05-1996 27
38 Chris Peters 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-19-1996 24
49 Matt Ruebel 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-21-1996 26
62 Marc Wilkins 1996 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-11-1996 25
59 Sean Mulligan 1996 San Diego Padres 09-01-1996 26
35 Jason Thompson 1996 San Diego Padres 06-09-1996 24
53 Dario Veras 1996 San Diego Padres 07-31-1996 23
33 Steve Bourgeois 1996 San Francisco Giants 04-03-1996 23
36 Jay Canizaro 1996 San Francisco Giants 04-28-1996 22
29 Dan Carlson 1996 San Francisco Giants 09-15-1996 26
62 Jacob Cruz 1996 San Francisco Giants 07-18-1996 23
60 Wilson Delgado 1996 San Francisco Giants 09-24-1996 24
22 Osvaldo Fernandez 1996 San Francisco Giants 04-05-1996 27
30 Marcus Jensen 1996 San Francisco Giants 04-14-1996 23
52 Dax Jones 1996 San Francisco Giants 07-11-1996 25
66 Doug Mirabelli 1996 San Francisco Giants 08-27-1996 25
32 Bill Mueller 1996 San Francisco Giants 04-18-1996 25
65 Steve Soderstrom 1996 San Francisco Giants 09-17-1996 24
42 Keith Williams 1996 San Francisco Giants 06-07-1996 24
8 Desi Wilson 1996 San Francisco Giants 08-07-1996 27
57 Mike Busby 1996 St. Louis Cardinals 04-07-1996 23
49 Mike DiFelice 1996 St. Louis Cardinals 09-01-1996 27
68 Aaron Holbert 1996 St. Louis Cardinals 04-14-1996 23
54 Eric Ludwick 1996 St. Louis Cardinals 09-01-1996 24
35 Miguel Mejia 1996 St. Louis Cardinals 04-04-1996 21
24 Dmitri Young 1996 St. Louis Cardinals 08-29-1996 22
1996 National League Debuts
baseball almanac flat baseball

baseball almanac fast facts

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1996 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

On the final day of the 1930 season, Dizzy Dean was called up and pitched a three-hitter. In Spring Training the following year, Dean had a fight with catcher Gabby Street and the franchise left him in the Minor Leagues all season long.

Ray Jansen (four for five in his first game), Aubrey Epps (three for four in his first game) and Ed Irwin (two for three in his first game) all finished their career with lifetime batting averages which were greater than their career fielding percentages.