1949 American League Baseball Debuts / Rookies by Baseball Almanac

1949 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 1949
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
3	Walt Dropo	1949 Boston Red Sox	04-19-1949	26
26	Frank Quinn	1949 Boston Red Sox	05-29-1949	21
28	Jack Robinson	1949 Boston Red Sox	05-04-1949	28
58	Jim Baumer	1949 Chicago White Sox	09-14-1949	18
12	Billy Bowers	1949 Chicago White Sox	04-24-1949	27
49	Jack Bruner	1949 Chicago White Sox	09-16-1949	25
56	Bob Cain	1949 Chicago White Sox	09-18-1949	24
56	Bill Evans	1949 Chicago White Sox	04-21-1949	30
25	Gordon Goldsberry	1949 Chicago White Sox	04-20-1949	21
26, 59	Fred Hancock	1949 Chicago White Sox	04-26-1949	29
58	Bill Higdon	1949 Chicago White Sox	09-10-1949	25
24	Rocky Krsnich	1949 Chicago White Sox	09-13-1949	22
12	Dick Lane	1949 Chicago White Sox	06-20-1949	21
28	Eddie Malone	1949 Chicago White Sox	07-17-1949	29
16	Max Surkont	1949 Chicago White Sox	04-19-1949	26
38	Don Wheeler	1949 Chicago White Sox	04-23-1949	26
6	Gus Zernial	1949 Chicago White Sox	04-19-1949	25
1	Bobby Avila	1949 Cleveland Indians	04-30-1949	25
9	Luke Easter	1949 Cleveland Indians	08-11-1949	34
15	Fred Marsh	1949 Cleveland Indians	04-19-1949	25
18	Minnie Minoso	1949 Cleveland Indians	04-19-1949	23
17	Milt Nielsen	1949 Cleveland Indians	09-27-1949	24
30	Bob Mavis	1949 Detroit Tigers	09-17-1949	31
32	Earl Rapp	1949 Detroit Tigers	04-28-1949	27
23	Saul Rogovin	1949 Detroit Tigers	04-28-1949	25
24	Marlin Stuart	1949 Detroit Tigers	04-26-1949	30
42	Jerry Coleman	1949 New York Yankees	04-20-1949	24
39, 52	Wally Hood, Jr.	1949 New York Yankees	09-23-1949	23
23	Dick Kryhoski	1949 New York Yankees	04-19-1949	24
18, 23	Fenton Mole	1949 New York Yankees	09-01-1949	24
35	Duane Pillette	1949 New York Yankees	07-19-1949	26
11, 39	Hank Biasatti	1949 Philadelphia Athletics	04-23-1949	27
16, 31	Tod Davis	1949 Philadelphia Athletics	04-27-1949	24
30	Bobby Shantz	1949 Philadelphia Athletics	05-01-1949	23
35	Ed Albrecht	1949 St. Louis Browns	10-02-1949	20
22, 36	Jim Bilbrey	1949 St. Louis Browns	05-17-1949	25
3	George Elder	1949 St. Louis Browns	07-22-1949	28
-	Owen Friend	1949 St. Louis Browns	10-02-1949	22
18	Irv Medlinger	1949 St. Louis Browns	04-20-1949	21
3	Al Naples	1949 St. Louis Browns	06-25-1949	22
3	Frankie Pack	1949 St. Louis Browns	06-05-1949	21
40	Ribs Raney	1949 St. Louis Browns	09-18-1949	26
15	Roy Sievers	1949 St. Louis Browns	04-21-1949	22
16	Julio Gonzalez	1949 Washington Senators	08-09-1949	28
37	Lloyd Hittle	1949 Washington Senators	06-12-1949	25
17	Hal Keller	1949 Washington Senators	09-13-1949	22
19	Jim Pearce	1949 Washington Senators	09-08-1949	24
28	Herman Reich	1949 Washington Senators	05-03-1949	31
23	John Simmons	1949 Washington Senators	04-22-1949	24
11	Dizzy Sutherland	1949 Washington Senators	09-20-1949	27
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
1949 American League Debuts

1949 N.L. Debuts

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 1949 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

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."

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.

Copyright © 2000-2009. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Design by Geisler Young. Hosted by Hosting 4 Less.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Football Almanac | Pigskin Fever | Today in Baseball History.