My First Time – Mark Teixeira – April 1, 2003

My First Time – Mark Teixeira – April 1, 2003

The Setting – Edison International Stadium.  Anaheim, CA.

From Teixeira – ‘I was the first one at the ballpark - by a mile.  The anticipation was incredible.  This is what I worked for ever since I was a little kid.’ 

The Boxscore – Angels 10, Rangers 0.  Teixeira goes 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.

My First Time – Don Sutton – April 14, 1966

My First Time – Don Sutton – April 14, 1966

The Setting – Dodger Stadium.  Los Angeles, CA.

From Sutton – ‘The best way that I can describe it is that I was completely prepared and at peace.  Like a final exam you’ve got all year to study for.  The day finally comes and you know you’re ready’.

The Boxscore – Astros 4, Dodgers 2.  Sutton throws 7 innings while allowing 7 hits and 3 runs.  He struck out 7 batters and walked just 1.

 

My First Time – Rick Sutcliffe – September 29, 1976

My First Time – Rick Sutcliffe – September 29, 1976

The Setting – Dodger Stadium.  Los Angeles, CA.

From Sutcliffe – ‘With four games left in the season, Walt Alston decided he was going to retire and hand over the reigns to Tommy Lasorda.  But he said at the press conference that he wanted ‘The Kid’ to start.  I guess I was ‘The Kid’ because I got the start that night”.

The Boxscore – Dodgers 1, Astros 0.  Sutcliffe goes 5 innings in the start, taking a no decision.  He allowed just 2 hits while walking 1 and striking out 3.

My First Time – John Smoltz – July 23, 1988

My First Time – John Smoltz – July 23, 1988

The Setting – Shea Stadium.  New York, NY.

From Smoltz – ‘I was warming up in the bullpen and the place was just packed.  On top of that, it was ‘Tom Seaver Night’ so there was probably 50,000 people there to honor one of the all-time greats.  It was hard, but I just tried to block it all out of my mind’.

The boxscore - Braves 6, Mets 1.  Smoltz gets the win while going 8 innings and allowing just 4 hits and 1 run.

My First Time – Curt Schilling – September 7, 1988

My First Time – Curt Schilling – September 7, 1988

The Setting – Memorial Stadium.  Baltimore, MD.

From Schilling – ‘The night before the game I stayed at a hotel down the street from Memorial.  The Sox were staying there too – next thing I know, Boggs, Greenwell, and Stanley are buying me beers trying to get me drunk.  I suspected that they were doing that just so they could destroy me the next day’.

The Boxscore -  Orioles 4, Red Sox 3.  Shilling goes 7 innings allowing 6 hits and 3 runs – no decision.

My First Time – Ron Santo – June 26, 1960

My First Time – Ron Santo – June 26, 1960

The Setting – Forbes Field.  Pittsburgh, PA.

From Santo – ‘I came up in the second inning and my knees were shaking, really shaking.  That first pitch was a curveball, but I get right back in there and rip a single on the next pitch’.

The Boxscore – Cubs 7, Pirates 6.  Santo goes 2-for-4 with 3 RBI.

My First Time – Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez – June 20, 1991

My First Time – Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez – June 20, 1991

The Setting – Comiskey Park.  Chicago, IL.

From ‘Pudge’ – ‘I was supposed to get married in between games of a double-header the night before.  And then I was told that I got called up.  So the next morning, before heading out to Chicago to join the Rangers, we went to the courthouse and got married’. 

The Boxscore – Rodriguez goes 1-for-4 with 2 RBI and a strikeout.

My First Time – Alex Rodriguez – June 9, 1994

My First Time – Alex Rodriguez – June 9, 1994

The Setting – Fenway Park.  Boston, MA.

From Rodriguez – ‘I had so much nervous energy that I probably burned off five pounds pacing around the dugout in between innings.  It was a huge crowd, a Fenway crowd – it was electric’.

The Boxscore – Red Sox 4, Mariners 3.  Rodriguez goes 0-for-3.

My First Time – Frank Robinson – April 17, 1956

My First Time – Frank Robinson – April 17, 1956

The Setting – Cincinnati, OH

From Robinson – ‘I can honestly say that I felt comfortable that first day.  Opening Day in Cincinnati, as big as it gets, but I knew that I belonged’.

The Boxscore – Cardinals 4, Reds 2.  Robinson goes 2-for-3 with two singles.

 

My First Time – Cal Ripken Jr. – August 10, 1981

My First Time – Cal Ripken Jr. – August 10, 1981

The Setting – Memorial Stadium.  Baltimore, MD.

From Rikpen – ‘I made my debut as a pinch runner.  John Lowenstein hit a bullet into the corner and I scored the game-winning run in the 12th inning.  So many times I had played in a winning baseball game - only this time it was in the major leagues’.

The Boxscore - Orioles 3, Royals 2.  Ripken does not make a plate appearance but scores the game-winning run in the 12th inning.