1981 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."
"You never forget your first hit in the Major Leagues. It was in my third at bat. That was kind of a relief. You could start off 0-for-34." - Ralph Kiner
National League Debuts

1981

50 Jose Alvarez 1981 Atlanta Braves 10-01-1981 25
32 Steve Bedrosian 1981 Atlanta Braves 08-14-1981 23
22 Brett Butler 1981 Atlanta Braves 08-20-1981 24
31 Albert Hall 1981 Atlanta Braves 09-12-1981 23
47 Brook Jacoby 1981 Atlanta Braves 09-13-1981 21
25 Rufino Linares 1981 Atlanta Braves 04-10-1981 30
12 Larry Owen 1981 Atlanta Braves 08-14-1981 26
22 Bob Porter 1981 Atlanta Braves 05-13-1981 21
15 Paul Runge 1981 Atlanta Braves 09-25-1981 23
14 Matt Sinatro 1981 Atlanta Braves 09-22-1981 21
11 Ken Smith 1981 Atlanta Braves 09-22-1981 23
7 Jody Davis 1981 Chicago Cubs 04-21-1981 24
20 Scott Fletcher 1981 Chicago Cubs 04-25-1981 22
32 Mel Hall 1981 Chicago Cubs 09-03-1981 20
47 Gene Krug 1981 Chicago Cubs 04-29-1981 26
19 Pat Tabler 1981 Chicago Cubs 08-21-1981 23
53 Scott Brown 1981 Cincinnati Reds 08-11-1981 24
1 Bert Pena 1981 Houston Astros 09-14-1981 22
9 Joe Pittman 1981 Houston Astros 04-25-1981 27
27 Billy Smith 1981 Houston Astros 06-09-1981 26
38 Tim Tolman 1981 Houston Astros 09-09-1981 25
22 Mark Bradley 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-03-1981 24
47 Candy Maldonado 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-07-1981 21
5 Mike Marshall 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-07-1981 21
49 Tom Niedenfuer 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 08-15-1981 22
26 Alejandro Pena 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 08-13-1981 22
25 Ted Power 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-09-1981 26
50 Ron Roenicke 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-02-1981 25
52 Steve Sax 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers 08-18-1981 21
51 Rick Engle 1981 Montreal Expos 09-02-1981 24
16 Terry Francona 1981 Montreal Expos 08-19-1981 22
19 Mike Gates 1981 Montreal Expos 05-06-1981 24
32 Tom Gorman 1981 Montreal Expos 09-02-1981 23
55 Dave Hostetler 1981 Montreal Expos 09-15-1981 25
42 Tony Johnson 1981 Montreal Expos 09-27-1981 25
62 Wallace Johnson 1981 Montreal Expos 09-08-1981 24
56 Pat Rooney 1981 Montreal Expos 09-09-1981 23
66 Bryn Smith 1981 Montreal Expos 09-08-1981 26
6 Chris Smith 1981 Montreal Expos 05-14-1981 23
50 Tom Wieghaus 1981 Montreal Expos 10-04-1981 24
19 Ron Gardenhire 1981 New York Mets 09-01-1981 23
15, 17 Brian Giles 1981 New York Mets 09-12-1981 21
20 Greg Harris 1981 New York Mets 05-20-1981 25
15 Mike Howard 1981 New York Mets 09-12-1981 23
43 Terry Leach 1981 New York Mets 08-12-1981 27
38 Tim Leary 1981 New York Mets 04-12-1981 22
25 Charlie Puleo 1981 New York Mets 09-16-1981 26
44 Ray Searage 1981 New York Mets 06-11-1981 26
24 Len Matuszek 1981 Philadelphia Phillies 09-03-1981 26
35 Jerry Reed 1981 Philadelphia Phillies 09-11-1981 25
37 Ryne Sandberg 1981 Philadelphia Phillies 09-02-1981 21
34 Bob Long 1981 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-02-1981 26
3 Johnny Ray 1981 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-02-1981 24
3 Juan Bonilla 1981 San Diego Padres 04-09-1981 26
30 Danny Boone 1981 San Diego Padres 04-11-1981 27
62 Steve Fireovid 1981 San Diego Padres 09-06-1981 24
10 Doug Gwosdz 1981 San Diego Padres 08-17-1981 21
44 Eric Show 1981 San Diego Padres 09-02-1981 25
26 Chris Welsh 1981 San Diego Padres 04-12-1981 25
2 Alan Wiggins 1981 San Diego Padres 09-04-1981 23
15 Bob Brenly 1981 San Francisco Giants 08-14-1981 27
30 Chili Davis 1981 San Francisco Giants 04-10-1981 21
3 Jeff Ransom 1981 San Francisco Giants 09-05-1981 20
17 Bob Tufts 1981 San Francisco Giants 08-10-1981 25
11 Glenn Brummer 1981 St. Louis Cardinals 05-25-1981 26
49 Luis DeLeon 1981 St. Louis Cardinals 09-06-1981 23
44 Joe Edelen 1981 St. Louis Cardinals 04-18-1981 25
51 Neil Fiala 1981 St. Louis Cardinals 09-03-1981 25
27 David Green 1981 St. Louis Cardinals 09-04-1981 20
29 Gene Roof 1981 St. Louis Cardinals 09-03-1981 23
23 Orlando Sanchez 1981 St. Louis Cardinals 05-06-1981 24
1981 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1981 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

Ted Cox made his Major League debut in 1977 with the Boston Red Sox and over two games on September 18 and 19, Cox went six for six before he made an out.

When Christy Mathewson made his Major League debut the newspaper wrote, "The untried semi-professional possessed great speed and plenty of confidence in himself, but could not control his curves."
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