2001 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."
"There is a certain amount of fascination to the big league debut of any athlete. Sometimes they are incredible successes. Sometimes they are frenetic failures." - Sportswriter Arthur Daley
National League Debuts

2001

30 Wilson Betemit 2001 Atlanta Braves 09-18-2001 20
38 Carlos Zambrano 2001 Chicago Cubs 08-20-2001 20
61 Josh Beckett 2001 Florida Marlins 09-04-2001 21
44 Adam Dunn 2001 Cincinnati Reds 07-20-2001 21
55 Carlos Hernandez 2001 Houston Astros 08-18-2001 21
32 Nick Neugebauer 2001 Milwaukee Brewers 08-19-2001 21
5 Albert Pujols 2001 St. Louis Cardinals 04-02-2001 21
51, 52 Bud Smith 2001 St. Louis Cardinals 06-10-2001 21
43 Tim Spooneybarger 2001 Atlanta Braves 09-05-2001 21
4 Juan Uribe 2001 Colorado Rockies 04-08-2001 21
32 Kurt Ainsworth 2001 San Francisco Giants 09-05-2001 22
40 Cory Aldridge 2001 Atlanta Braves 09-05-2001 22
10 Alex Cintron 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks 07-24-2001 22
11 Humberto Cota 2001 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-09-2001 22
8 Cesar Crespo 2001 San Diego Padres 05-29-2001 22
51 Juan Cruz 2001 Chicago Cubs 08-21-2001 22
19 Jack Cust 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks 09-26-2001 22
25 Alex Escobar 2001 New York Mets 05-08-2001 22
24 Marcus Giles 2001 Atlanta Braves 04-17-2001 22
39 Dicky Gonzalez 2001 New York Mets 05-01-2001 22
59 Junior Herndon 2001 San Diego Padres 08-02-2001 22
17 Donaldo Mendez 2001 San Diego Padres 04-05-2001 22
62 Jose Nunez 2001 Los Angeles Dodgers 04-03-2001 22
45, 66 Wilfredo Rodriguez 2001 Houston Astros 09-21-2001 22
39 Wascar Serrano 2001 San Diego Padres 05-12-2001 22
15 Ben Sheets 2001 Milwaukee Brewers 04-05-2001 22
58 Dave Williams 2001 Pittsburgh Pirates 06-06-2001 22
29 Jose Acevedo 2001 Cincinnati Reds 06-19-2001 23
53 Joe Beimel 2001 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-08-2001 23
47 Nick Bierbrodt 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks 06-07-2001 23
2 Brent Butler 2001 Colorado Rockies 07-04-2001 23
56 Shawn Chacon 2001 Colorado Rockies 04-29-2001 23
57 Jason Jennings 2001 Colorado Rockies 08-23-2001 23
54 Blaine Neal 2001 Florida Marlins 09-03-2001 23
44 Roy Oswalt 2001 Houston Astros 05-06-2001 23
60 Chris Piersoll 2001 Cincinnati Reds 08-31-2001 23
41 Bret Prinz 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks 04-22-2001 23
34 Nick Punto 2001 Philadelphia Phillies 09-09-2001 23
51 Tim Redding 2001 Houston Astros 06-24-2001 23
50 Brian Reith 2001 Cincinnati Reds 05-16-2001 23
41 Chris Reitsma 2001 Cincinnati Reds 04-04-2001 23
56 Jason Smith 2001 Chicago Cubs 06-17-2001 23
49, 64 Scott Sobkowiak 2001 Atlanta Braves 10-07-2001 23
50 Steve Torrealba 2001 Atlanta Braves 10-06-2001 23
9 Yorvit Torrealba 2001 San Francisco Giants 09-05-2001 23
12 Jack Wilson 2001 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-03-2001 23
49 Benito Baez 2001 Florida Marlins 08-25-2001 24
37 Scott Chiasson 2001 Chicago Cubs 09-19-2001 24
59 Lance Davis 2001 Cincinnati Reds 06-16-2001 24
19 Johnny Estrada 2001 Philadelphia Phillies 05-15-2001 24
3 Adam Everett 2001 Houston Astros 08-30-2001 24
65 Chad Hutchinson 2001 St. Louis Cardinals 04-04-2001 24
41 Jason Karnuth 2001 St. Louis Cardinals 04-20-2001 24
56 Gary Knotts 2001 Florida Marlins 07-28-2001 24
4 Brandon Larson 2001 Cincinnati Reds 05-04-2001 24
50 Brian Lawrence 2001 San Diego Padres 04-15-2001 24
59 Rob Mackowiak 2001 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-19-2001 24
59 Henry Mateo 2001 Montreal Expos 07-28-2001 24
22 Jason Michaels 2001 Philadelphia Phillies 04-06-2001 24
27 Damian Moss 2001 Atlanta Braves 04-26-2001 24
40 Jimmy Osting 2001 San Diego Padres 05-02-2001 24
61 Lyle Overbay 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks 09-19-2001 24
26 Jason Phillips 2001 New York Mets 09-19-2001 24
7 Alex Sanchez 2001 Milwaukee Brewers 06-15-2001 24
15 Eric Valent 2001 Philadelphia Phillies 06-08-2001 24
48 Brad Wilkerson 2001 Montreal Expos 07-12-2001 24
36 Craig Wilson 2001 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-22-2001 24
56 Brandon Duckworth 2001 Philadelphia Phillies 08-07-2001 25
44 Mario Encarnacion 2001 Colorado Rockies 08-26-2001 25
15, 43 Ryan Jensen 2001 San Francisco Giants 05-19-2001 25
58 Mike Koplove 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks 09-06-2001 25
56 Troy Mattes 2001 Montreal Expos 06-19-2001 25
37 Corky Miller 2001 Cincinnati Reds 09-04-2001 25
56 Kevin Olsen 2001 Florida Marlins 09-07-2001 25
1 Cody Ransom 2001 San Francisco Giants 09-05-2001 25
51 Scott Stewart 2001 Montreal Expos 04-05-2001 25
50 Andy Barkett 2001 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-28-2001 26
54 Tim Christman 2001 Colorado Rockies 04-21-2001 26
27 Mark Corey 2001 New York Mets 10-02-2001 26
55 Courtney Duncan 2001 Chicago Cubs 04-02-2001 26
57 Jeremy Fikac 2001 San Diego Padres 08-16-2001 26
57 Eric Knott 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks 09-01-2001 26
51 Scott MacRae 2001 Cincinnati Reds 07-24-2001 26
54 Jason Middlebrook 2001 San Diego Padres 09-17-2001 26
40 Joe Nelson 2001 Atlanta Braves 06-13-2001 26
28 Bill Ortega 2001 St. Louis Cardinals 09-07-2001 26
37 Junior Spivey 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks 06-02-2001 26
35 Ricky Stone 2001 Houston Astros 09-21-2001 26
39 Justin Atchley 2001 Cincinnati Reds 04-07-2001 27
25 Luis Figueroa 2001 Pittsburgh Pirates 06-27-2001 27
54 Troy Brohawn 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks 04-14-2001 28
29 Stubby Clapp 2001 St. Louis Cardinals 06-18-2001 28
14 Mike Coolbaugh 2001 Milwaukee Brewers 07-16-2001 29
54 Jared Fernandez 2001 Cincinnati Reds 09-19-2001 29
53 Gus Gandarillas 2001 Milwaukee Brewers 07-17-2001 29
54 Eddie Oropesa 2001 Philadelphia Phillies 04-02-2001 29
5 Tsuyoshi Shinjo 2001 New York Mets 04-03-2001 29
45 Ken Huckaby 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks 10-06-2001 30
18 Jalal Leach 2001 San Francisco Giants 09-05-2001 32
2001 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 2001 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

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?

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.
     

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