1904 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 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
National League Debuts

1904

n/a Rip Cannell 1904 Boston Beaneaters 04-14-1904 24
n/a Tom Fisher 1904 Boston Beaneaters 04-17-1904 23
n/a Bill Lauterborn 1904 Boston Beaneaters 09-20-1904 25
n/a Gene McAuliffe 1904 Boston Beaneaters 08-17-1904 32
n/a Ed McNichol 1904 Boston Beaneaters 07-09-1904 25
n/a Tom Needham 1904 Boston Beaneaters 05-12-1904 25
n/a Kid O'Hara 1904 Boston Beaneaters 09-15-1904 28
n/a Joe Stewart 1904 Boston Beaneaters 09-13-1904 25
n/a Andy Sullivan 1904 Boston Beaneaters 09-13-1904 20
n/a Jack White 1904 Boston Beaneaters 06-26-1904 26
n/a Emil Batch 1904 Brooklyn Superbas 09-13-1904 24
n/a Bull Durham 1904 Brooklyn Superbas 09-15-1904 27
n/a Joe Koukalik 1904 Brooklyn Superbas 09-01-1904 24
n/a Charlie Loudenslager 1904 Brooklyn Superbas 04-15-1904 22
n/a Harry Lumley 1904 Brooklyn Superbas 04-14-1904 23
n/a Mike McCormick 1904 Brooklyn Superbas 04-14-1904 0
n/a Doc Reisling 1904 Brooklyn Superbas 09-10-1904 30
n/a Deacon Van Buren 1904 Brooklyn Superbas 04-21-1904 33
n/a Bill Carney 1904 Chicago Cubs 08-22-1904 30
n/a Frank Corridon 1904 Chicago Cubs 04-15-1904 23
n/a Ernie Groth 1904 Chicago Cubs 09-06-1904 19
n/a Harry McChesney 1904 Chicago Cubs 09-17-1904 24
n/a Wildfire Schulte 1904 Chicago Cubs 09-21-1904 22
n/a Tom Stanton 1904 Chicago Cubs 04-19-1904 29
n/a Claud Elliott 1904 Cincinnati Reds 04-16-1904 27
n/a Miller Huggins 1904 Cincinnati Reds 04-15-1904 26
n/a Peaches O'Neill 1904 Cincinnati Reds 04-16-1904 24
n/a Fred Odwell 1904 Cincinnati Reds 04-16-1904 31
n/a Admiral Schlei 1904 Cincinnati Reds 04-24-1904 26
n/a Gabby Street 1904 Cincinnati Reds 09-13-1904 21
n/a Sam Woodruff 1904 Cincinnati Reds 04-14-1904 27
n/a Art Devlin 1904 New York Giants 04-14-1904 24
n/a Moose McCormick 1904 New York Giants 04-14-1904 23
n/a Hooks Wiltse 1904 New York Giants 04-21-1904 24
n/a Tom Barry 1904 Philadelphia Phillies 04-15-1904 25
n/a John Brackenridge 1904 Philadelphia Phillies 04-15-1904 23
n/a Ralph Caldwell 1904 Philadelphia Phillies 09-10-1904 20
n/a Bob Hall 1904 Philadelphia Phillies 04-18-1904 25
n/a Johnny Lush 1904 Philadelphia Phillies 04-22-1904 18
n/a Sherry Magee 1904 Philadelphia Phillies 06-29-1904 19
n/a Doc Marshall 1904 Philadelphia Phillies 04-15-1904 28
n/a Jesse Purnell 1904 Philadelphia Phillies 10-01-1904 23
n/a Butch Rementer 1904 Philadelphia Phillies 10-08-1904 26
n/a Jimmy Archer 1904 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-06-1904 21
n/a Howie Camnitz 1904 Pittsburgh Pirates 04-22-1904 22
n/a Harry Cassady 1904 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-08-1904 24
n/a Mike Lynch 1904 Pittsburgh Pirates 06-21-1904 23
n/a Jack Rafter 1904 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-24-1904 29
n/a Chick Robitaille 1904 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-02-1904 25
n/a Bull Smith 1904 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-30-1904 24
n/a Tom Stankard 1904 Pittsburgh Pirates 07-02-1904 22
n/a Bill Byers 1904 St. Louis Cardinals 04-15-1904 26
n/a She Donahue 1904 St. Louis Cardinals 04-29-1904 26
n/a Jim McGinley 1904 St. Louis Cardinals 09-22-1904 25
n/a Simmy Murch 1904 St. Louis Cardinals 09-20-1904 23
n/a Spike Shannon 1904 St. Louis Cardinals 04-15-1904 26
n/a Charlie Swindells 1904 St. Louis Cardinals 09-07-1904 25
1904 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1904 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?

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