1996 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

"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 American League Debuts

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

30 Brent Bowers 1996 Baltimore Orioles 08-16-1996 25
27 Rocky Coppinger 1996 Baltimore Orioles 06-11-1996 22
40 Gene Kingsale 1996 Baltimore Orioles 09-03-1996 20
46 Jimmy Myers 1996 Baltimore Orioles 04-06-1996 26
63 Nerio Rodriguez 1996 Baltimore Orioles 08-18-1996 25
57 Brian Sackinsky 1996 Baltimore Orioles 04-20-1996 24
52 Garrett Stephenson 1996 Baltimore Orioles 07-25-1996 24
43 Esteban Yan 1996 Baltimore Orioles 05-20-1996 20
56 Alex Delgado 1996 Boston Red Sox 04-04-1996 25
5 Nomar Garciaparra 1996 Boston Red Sox 08-31-1996 23
57 Ken Grundt 1996 Boston Red Sox 08-08-1996 26
53 Kerry Lacy 1996 Boston Red Sox 08-16-1996 24
38 Jose Malave 1996 Boston Red Sox 05-23-1996 24
45 Walt McKeel 1996 Boston Red Sox 09-14-1996 24
7 Trot Nixon 1996 Boston Red Sox 09-21-1996 22
31 Tony Rodriguez 1996 Boston Red Sox 07-06-1996 25
29 Bill Selby 1996 Boston Red Sox 04-19-1996 25
5 George Arias 1996 California Angels 04-02-1996 24
19 Jason Dickson 1996 California Angels 08-21-1996 23
55 Robert Ellis 1996 California Angels 09-12-1996 25
27 Darin Erstad 1996 California Angels 06-14-1996 22
8 Todd Greene 1996 California Angels 07-30-1996 25
60 Ryan Hancock 1996 California Angels 06-08-1996 24
48 Pep Harris 1996 California Angels 08-14-1996 23
65 Mike Holtz 1996 California Angels 07-11-1996 23
28 Chris Pritchett 1996 California Angels 09-06-1996 26
37 Jeff Schmidt 1996 California Angels 05-17-1996 25
17 Ben Van Ryn 1996 California Angels 05-09-1996 24
59 Shad Williams 1996 California Angels 05-18-1996 25
54 Al Levine 1996 Chicago White Sox 06-22-1996 28
55 Robert Machado 1996 Chicago White Sox 07-24-1996 23
71 Jose Munoz 1996 Chicago White Sox 04-07-1996 28
31 Greg Norton 1996 Chicago White Sox 08-18-1996 24
43 Mike Robertson 1996 Chicago White Sox 09-06-1996 25
2 Einar Diaz 1996 Cleveland Indians 09-09-1996 23
35 Danny Graves 1996 Cleveland Indians 07-13-1996 22
9 Damian Jackson 1996 Cleveland Indians 09-12-1996 23
39 Kimera Bartee 1996 Detroit Tigers 04-03-1996 23
33 Raul Casanova 1996 Detroit Tigers 05-24-1996 23
57 Greg Keagle 1996 Detroit Tigers 04-01-1996 24
37 Trever Miller 1996 Detroit Tigers 09-04-1996 23
38 Brian Moehler 1996 Detroit Tigers 09-22-1996 24
22 Justin Thompson 1996 Detroit Tigers 05-27-1996 23
47 Brian Bevil 1996 Kansas City Royals 06-17-1996 24
46 Jaime Bluma 1996 Kansas City Royals 08-09-1996 24
26 Sal Fasano 1996 Kansas City Royals 04-03-1996 24
58 Rod Myers 1996 Kansas City Royals 06-21-1996 23
50 Jose Rosado 1996 Kansas City Royals 06-12-1996 21
7 Brian Banks 1996 Milwaukee Brewers 09-09-1996 25
48 Marshall Boze 1996 Milwaukee Brewers 04-28-1996 24
33 Jeff D'Amico 1996 Milwaukee Brewers 06-28-1996 20
18 Todd Dunn 1996 Milwaukee Brewers 09-08-1996 26
7 Danny Perez 1996 Milwaukee Brewers 06-30-1996 25
49 Mike Potts 1996 Milwaukee Brewers 04-06-1996 25
51 Brent Brede 1996 Minnesota Twins 09-08-1996 24
27 Mike Durant 1996 Minnesota Twins 04-03-1996 26
51 Mike Milchin 1996 Minnesota Twins 05-14-1996 28
59 Travis Miller 1996 Minnesota Twins 08-25-1996 23
31 Dan Naulty 1996 Minnesota Twins 04-02-1996 26
16 Dan Serafini 1996 Minnesota Twins 06-25-1996 22
13 Todd Walker 1996 Minnesota Twins 08-30-1996 23
26 Andy Fox 1996 New York Yankees 04-07-1996 25
38, 99 Matt Howard 1996 New York Yankees 05-17-1996 28
39 Matt Luke 1996 New York Yankees 04-03-1996 25
57 Ramiro Mendoza 1996 New York Yankees 05-25-1996 23
56 Dale Polley 1996 New York Yankees 06-23-1996 30
40 Willie Adams 1996 Oakland Athletics 06-11-1996 23
28 Tony Batista 1996 Oakland Athletics 06-03-1996 22
54 Bobby Chouinard 1996 Oakland Athletics 05-26-1996 24
49 Webster Garrison 1996 Oakland Athletics 08-02-1996 30
24 Brian Lesher 1996 Oakland Athletics 08-25-1996 25
33 Damon Mashore 1996 Oakland Athletics 06-05-1996 26
21 Izzy Molina 1996 Oakland Athletics 08-15-1996 25
37 Steve Montgomery 1996 Oakland Athletics 04-03-1996 25
45 Kerwin Moore 1996 Oakland Athletics 08-30-1996 25
13 Scott Spiezio 1996 Oakland Athletics 09-14-1996 23
52 Jay Witasick 1996 Oakland Athletics 07-07-1996 23
26 Raul Ibanez 1996 Seattle Mariners 08-01-1996 24
40 Manny Martinez 1996 Seattle Mariners 06-14-1996 25
40 Greg McCarthy 1996 Seattle Mariners 08-28-1996 27
30 Andy Sheets 1996 Seattle Mariners 04-22-1996 24
96 Mac Suzuki 1996 Seattle Mariners 07-07-1996 21
52 Matt Wagner 1996 Seattle Mariners 06-05-1996 24
6 Kevin Brown 1996 Texas Rangers 09-12-1996 23
46 Danny Patterson 1996 Texas Rangers 07-26-1996 25
14 Tilson Brito 1996 Toronto Blue Jays 04-01-1996 23
3 Miguel Cairo 1996 Toronto Blue Jays 04-17-1996 21
6 Felipe Crespo 1996 Toronto Blue Jays 04-28-1996 23
36 Marty Janzen 1996 Toronto Blue Jays 05-12-1996 22
46 Julio Mosquera 1996 Toronto Blue Jays 08-17-1996 24
45 Jose Silva 1996 Toronto Blue Jays 09-10-1996 22
1996 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 1996 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 Irwin (two for three in his first game) all finished their career with lifetime batting averages which were greater than their career fielding percentages.

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?