1945 American League Baseball Debuts / Rookies by Baseball Almanac

1945 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 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

American League Debuts 1945
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
35	Loyd Christopher	1945 Boston Red Sox	04-20-1945	25
19	Otey Clark	1945 Boston Red Sox	04-17-1945	29
33	Dave Ferriss	1945 Boston Red Sox	04-29-1945	23
19, 37	Randy Heflin	1945 Boston Red Sox	06-09-1945	26
1	Ty LaForest	1945 Boston Red Sox	08-04-1945	28
1, 16	Ben Steiner	1945 Boston Red Sox	04-17-1945	23
3	Johnny Tobin	1945 Boston Red Sox	04-20-1945	24
26	Fred Walters	1945 Boston Red Sox	04-17-1945	32
16	Jim Wilson	1945 Boston Red Sox	04-18-1945	23
17	Frank Papish	1945 Chicago White Sox	05-08-1945	27
2	Danny Reynolds	1945 Chicago White Sox	05-26-1945	25
2	Al Cihocki	1945 Cleveland Indians	04-17-1945	20
3	Bob Rothel	1945 Cleveland Indians	04-22-1945	21
12	Red Steiner	1945 Cleveland Indians	05-11-1945	30
34	Elmer Weingartner	1945 Cleveland Indians	04-19-1945	26
7	Ed Wheeler	1945 Cleveland Indians	04-19-1945	29
8	Papa Williams	1945 Cleveland Indians	04-19-1945	31
21	Art Houtteman	1945 Detroit Tigers	04-29-1945	17
29	Russ Kerns	1945 Detroit Tigers	08-18-1945	24
22	Bob Maier	1945 Detroit Tigers	04-17-1945	29
29	Carl McNabb	1945 Detroit Tigers	04-20-1945	28
2	Ed Mierkowicz	1945 Detroit Tigers	08-31-1945	21
5, 20	Billy Pierce	1945 Detroit Tigers	06-01-1945	18
23	Milt Welch	1945 Detroit Tigers	06-05-1945	20
24	Walter Wilson	1945 Detroit Tigers	04-17-1945	31
12	Joe Buzas	1945 New York Yankees	04-17-1945	25
25	Al Gettel	1945 New York Yankees	04-20-1945	27
19	Ken Holcombe	1945 New York Yankees	04-27-1945	26
-	Joe Astroth	1945 Philadelphia Athletics	08-13-1945	22
-	Bill Connelly	1945 Philadelphia Athletics	08-22-1945	20
23	Woody Crowson	1945 Philadelphia Athletics	04-17-1945	26
31	Larry Drake	1945 Philadelphia Athletics	07-20-1945	24
18	Steve Gerkin	1945 Philadelphia Athletics	05-13-1945	32
12	Ernie Kish	1945 Philadelphia Athletics	07-29-1945	27
30	Lou Knerr	1945 Philadelphia Athletics	04-17-1945	23
10	Mayo Smith	1945 Philadelphia Athletics	06-24-1945	30
23	Cliff Fannin	1945 St. Louis Browns	09-02-1945	21
1, 14	Pete Gray	1945 St. Louis Browns	04-17-1945	30
17, 35	Earl Jones	1945 St. Louis Browns	07-06-1945	26
23	Dee Sanders	1945 St. Louis Browns	08-12-1945	24
6	Walt Chipple	1945 Washington Senators	04-17-1945	26
14	Joe Cleary	1945 Washington Senators	08-04-1945	26
4	Dick Kimble	1945 Washington Senators	08-20-1945	30
6	Howie McFarland	1945 Washington Senators	07-16-1945	35
15	Marino Pieretti	1945 Washington Senators	04-19-1945	24
32	Armando Roche	1945 Washington Senators	05-10-1945	18
34	Bert Shepard	1945 Washington Senators	08-04-1945	25
21	Dick Stone	1945 Washington Senators	08-26-1945	33
35	Vince Ventura	1945 Washington Senators	05-08-1945	28
27	Jose Zardon	1945 Washington Senators	04-18-1945	21
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
1945 American League Debuts

1945 N.L. Debuts

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1945 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 Irvin (two for three in his first game) all finished their career with lifetime batting averages which were greater than their career fielding percentages.

Rich Amaral spent nine seasons in the Minor Leagues and upon his callup he commented, "I've been to every baseball park in America, except those in the American and National League."

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