Notable Debut – Page 4 – Society for American Baseball Research

Red Barber (SABR-Rucker Archive)

August 26, 1939: Reds beat Dodgers in first televised game in ‘Comedy of Errors’

April 23, 1940: Pee Wee Reese goes 1-for-3 in Dodgers debut

September 17, 1941: Stan Musial makes his major-league debut

August 7, 1942: First Negro League baseball game is broadcast on radio

September 28, 1943: George Kell debuts in Connie Mack’s all-rookie lineup

June 10, 1944: At age 15, Reds’ Joe Nuxhall becomes youngest player to appear in MLB game

April 17, 1945: Pete Gray, one-armed outfielder, makes major-league debut for St. Louis Browns

April 29, 1945: Boo Ferriss wins major-league debut and launches historic run

April 18, 1946: Jackie Robinson leads Montreal Royals’ romp in regular-season debut

September 22, 1946: Yogi Berra and Bobby Brown shine in major-league debut with Yankees

April 15, 1947: Jackie Robinson’s major league debut

Larry Doby

July 5, 1947: Larry Doby integrates American League with pinch-hitting appearance for Cleveland

Willard Brown and Hank Thompson (NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME LIBRARY)

July 17, 1947: St. Louis Browns turn to Negro Leagues in effort to climb toward respectability

Dan Bankhead (Trading Card Database)

August 26, 1947: Pitcher Dan Bankhead becomes an integration pioneer, homers in Dodgers debut

September 28, 1947: Curt Simmons has a blazing debut for Phillies at age 18

August 3, 1948: Satchel Paige’s first major-league start

Monte Irvin and Hank Thompson (TRADING CARD DB)

July 8, 1949: Hank Thompson, Monte Irvin debut for Giants in loss to Dodgers

Courtesy of Trading Card Database

April 22, 1950: Late-game heroics as Paul Lehner homers in 15th for A’s

May 1, 1951: Minnie Miñoso homers in first plate appearance for White Sox; Mickey Mantle boosts Yankees with first career homer

May 2, 1951: Rogovin, Ginsberg, and Limmer make Jewish baseball history together

May 25, 1951: Willie Mays makes his major-league debut with Giants

August 19, 1951: Eddie Gaedel pinch-hits for St. Louis Browns as smallest batter in baseball

Eddie Mathews with the Boston Braves (SABR-Rucker Archive)

April 15, 1952: Eddie Mathews debuts in final Boston Braves home opener

Hoyt Wilhelm (Trading Card Database)

April 23, 1952: Giants’ Hoyt Wilhelm hits home run in first career at-bat, then earns first career victory