Babe Ruth's first game - July 11, 1914

Babe Ruth would have been one of baseball's best pitchers of all-time, but we fans weren't able to find out...because the Babe was too busy becoming baseball's greatest hitter ever. He went on to hit 714 career home runs and what he did transcended the sport. He is just as popular now as he was in his heyday with the New York Yankees in the 1920's. Babe Ruth was in the first group elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. In his debut on July 11, 1914, he was the starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and beat Cleveland, 4-3. On that Cleveland squad that day included Shoeless Joe Jackson and Nap Lajoie.

Jim Bunning's First Game - July 20, 1955

Jim Bunning was a star pitcher for two teams, the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Phillies. He was the first pitcher to win 100 games in each league. He was also a strikeout machine. He would go on to win 224 games in his career and become a prominent US politician. He debuted July 20, 1955 against the Baltimore Orioles. He would go on to lose 6-3 that day. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1996.

Brooks Robinson's First Game, September 17, 1955

On September 17, 1955 Brooks Robinson debuted for the Baltimore Orioles in a game against the Washington Senators. He would go on to become perhaps the best defensive third baseman ever and help the Baltimore Orioles win two World Series during his time at the hot corner. He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1983.

Max Carey's First Game - October 3, 1910

Max Carey hammered out over 2600 hits in his career, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1961. He was overshadowed by bigger stars of the era like Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, etc. but he did slowly but surely build a Hall of Fame career. He debuted on October 3, 1910.

Whitey Ford's First Game - JULY 1, 1950

On July 1, 1950 Whitey Ford came in to mop up a game against the Boston Red Sox who were destroying the Yankees that day. Whitey went on to go 9-1 that year, help the Yankees win the pennant and beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series that year. This box score was taken from the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Whitey Ford was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.

Roger Maris' First Game - April 16, 1957

Roger Maris goes 3 for 5 in his debut game with the Cleveland Indians. Four years later, he would find himself with the New York Yankees, battling teammate Mickey Mantle for the all-time single season homer record held by Babe Ruth. Of course, he went on to hit 61 homers that year in 1961, but for now he was a 22-year old relative unknown.

His career was too inconsistent to be elected to the Hall of Fame, but he is still popular with collectors. This box score is taken from the Chicago Daily Tribune.

Walter Johnson's First Game - August 2, 1907

Walter "The Big Train" Johnson 1907 rookie year wasn't the greatest. He went 5-9 for a Washington Senators team that didn't even sniff the pennant that year. His first game was part of a double-header against the Detroit Tigers where he faced Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers who went on to World Series that year. He had a no-decision this game as the Tigers won 3-2. Walter Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936. This box score was taken from the Philadelphia Record.

Shoeless Joe Jackson's First Game - August 25, 1908

Shoeless Joe Jackson is forever linked to the 1919 Chicago White Sox World Series scandal, but did you know he amassed most of his statistics as a Cleveland Indian and that he debuted in his first Major League game as a Philadelphia Athletic?

On August 25, 1908, Joe Jackson batted cleanup "in a game played in a drizzling rain." He went on to bat .356 for his career and would easily have been voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame if not for his association with the 1919 World Series scandal.

This box score is from The Chicago Daily Tribune, 1908.

Ty Cobb's First Game - August 30, 1905

On August 30, 1905, Ty Cobb made his debut for the Detroit Tigers. He played centerfield that day and got a hit (the first of his 4,189), actually doubling in his first official at bat against future Hall of Fame pitcher "Happy Jack" Chesbro of the New York Highlanders. He would go on and bat .240 this season, the lowest of his HOF career. Cobb wasn't liked too much by his baseball peers, perhaps costing him one season's batting title (that's for another story). The statistics change ever so slightly, but Ty Cobb ended up with 4,189 career hits, a record that stood until Pete Rose surpassed it.

Ty Cobb was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936. This box score is from The Philadelphia Record, 1905.