1956 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 Almanac Top Quote

"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

1956 American League Debuts

1956 A.L. Rookies | 1956 N.L. Rookies | Baseball Firsts (All Years)

27 Charlie Beamon 1956 Baltimore Orioles 09-26-1956 21
38 Fred Besana 1956 Baltimore Orioles 04-18-1956 25
44 Tito Francona 1956 Baltimore Orioles 04-17-1956 22
40 Mel Held 1956 Baltimore Orioles 04-27-1956 27
32 Ron Moeller 1956 Baltimore Orioles 09-08-1956 17
24 Gordie Sundin 1956 Baltimore Orioles 09-19-1956 18
15 George Werley 1956 Baltimore Orioles 09-29-1956 18
24 Don Buddin 1956 Boston Red Sox 04-17-1956 21
20 Marty Keough 1956 Boston Red Sox 04-21-1956 22
39 Dave Sisler 1956 Boston Red Sox 04-21-1956 24
11 Luis Aparicio 1956 Chicago White Sox 04-17-1956 21
31 Jerry Dahlke 1956 Chicago White Sox 05-06-1956 26
18 Jim Derrington 1956 Chicago White Sox 09-30-1956 16
27 Bill Fischer 1956 Chicago White Sox 04-21-1956 25
15 Earl Averill 1956 Cleveland Indians 04-19-1956 24
33 Joe Caffie 1956 Cleveland Indians 09-13-1956 25
26 Jim Brady 1956 Detroit Tigers 05-12-1956 20
12 Buddy Hicks 1956 Detroit Tigers 04-17-1956 29
19 Gene Host 1956 Detroit Tigers 09-16-1956 23
12 Charlie Lau 1956 Detroit Tigers 09-12-1956 23
25 Hal Woodeshick 1956 Detroit Tigers 09-14-1956 24
1 Mike Baxes 1956 Kansas City Athletics 04-17-1956 25
14 Bill Bradford 1956 Kansas City Athletics 04-24-1956 34
9, 53 George Brunet 1956 Kansas City Athletics 09-14-1956 21
23 Wally Burnette 1956 Kansas City Athletics 07-15-1956 27
39 Carl Duser 1956 Kansas City Athletics 09-15-1956 24
17 Troy Herriage 1956 Kansas City Athletics 04-25-1956 24
31 Dave Melton 1956 Kansas City Athletics 04-17-1956 27
6 Al Pilarcik 1956 Kansas City Athletics 07-13-1956 26
8 Rance Pless 1956 Kansas City Athletics 04-21-1956 30
52 Jim Coates 1956 New York Yankees 09-21-1956 24
11 Jerry Lumpe 1956 New York Yankees 04-17-1956 22
36 Norm Siebern 1956 New York Yankees 06-15-1956 22
45 Lou Skizas 1956 New York Yankees 04-19-1956 23
21 Ralph Terry 1956 New York Yankees 08-06-1956 20
39 Hal Griggs 1956 Washington Senators 04-18-1956 27
38 Connie Grob 1956 Washington Senators 04-22-1956 23
29 Evelio Hernandez 1956 Washington Senators 09-12-1956 24
30 Whitey Herzog 1956 Washington Senators 04-17-1956 24
22 Lyle Luttrell 1956 Washington Senators 05-15-1956 26
25 Herb Plews 1956 Washington Senators 04-18-1956 27
1956 American League Debuts
baseball almanac flat baseball

baseball almanac fast facts

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1956 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.

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.