1887 National League Baseball Debuts / Rookies by Baseball Almanac

1887 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 1887
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
n/a	Kid Madden	1887 Boston Beaneaters	05-06-1887	20
n/a	Tom O'Rourke	1887 Boston Beaneaters	05-11-1887	21
n/a	Bobby Wheelock	1887 Boston Beaneaters	05-19-1887	22
n/a	Mark Baldwin	1887 Chicago White Stockings	05-02-1887	23
n/a	Tom Daly	1887 Chicago White Stockings	04-30-1887	21
n/a	Bob Pettit	1887 Chicago White Stockings	09-03-1887	26
n/a	Charlie Sprague	1887 Chicago White Stockings	09-17-1887	22
n/a	Marty Sullivan	1887 Chicago White Stockings	04-30-1887	24
n/a	Patsy Tebeau	1887 Chicago White Stockings	09-20-1887	22
n/a	George Van Haltren	1887 Chicago White Stockings	06-27-1887	21
n/a	Ed Beatin	1887 Detroit Wolverines	08-02-1887	20
n/a	Bill Burke	1887 Detroit Wolverines	07-20-1887	0
n/a	Henry Gruber	1887 Detroit Wolverines	07-28-1887	23
n/a	Fred Fass	1887 Indianapolis Hoosiers	07-11-1887	27
n/a	Henry Jackson	1887 Indianapolis Hoosiers	09-13-1887	26
n/a	Doc Leitner	1887 Indianapolis Hoosiers	08-10-1887	21
n/a	Hank Morrison	1887 Indianapolis Hoosiers	05-28-1887	21
n/a	Mark Polhemus	1887 Indianapolis Hoosiers	07-13-1887	26
n/a	John Sowders	1887 Indianapolis Hoosiers	06-28-1887	20
n/a	Willard Brown	1887 New York Giants	05-10-1887	21
n/a	Roger Carey	1887 New York Giants	07-09-1887	22
n/a	Bill George	1887 New York Giants	05-11-1887	22
n/a	Mike Mattimore	1887 New York Giants	05-03-1887	28
n/a	Pat Murphy	1887 New York Giants	09-02-1887	30
n/a	John Rainey	1887 New York Giants	08-25-1887	23
n/a	John Roach	1887 New York Giants	05-14-1887	19
n/a	Bill Swarback	1887 New York Giants	07-09-1887	19
n/a	Mike Tiernan	1887 New York Giants	04-30-1887	20
n/a	Harry Lyons	1887 Philadelphia Phillies	08-29-1887	21
n/a	Ed Beecher	1887 Pittsburgh Alleghenys	06-28-1887	26
n/a	Jocko Fields	1887 Pittsburgh Alleghenys	05-31-1887	22
n/a	Bill Wright	1887 Washington Senators	09-16-1887	0
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
1887 National League Debuts

1887 A.A. Debuts

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1887 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?

Did you know that Future hall of famer Addie Joss made his Major League pitching debut on April 26, 1902 and tossed a one hitter?

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