An Impressive Debut

Bill White, whom I interviewed in 2011 when he published his memoir Uppity: My Untold Story About the Games People Play, made a splash on this date in 1956. He became just the 26th player to hit a home run in his first major league at bat. Making his debut for the New York Giants, the just-recalled 1st baseman homered off the Cardinals' Ben Flowers, and later doubled and singled. All told, a three-hit game at (the first) Busch Stadium, where White would later enjoy many productive days (and nights) in a  St. Louis uniform. The only downer: White and the Giants lost to the Cards 6 - 3.
Bill White, whom cynics might consider eligible for The Hall of Very Good, amassed a Baseball career through several different areas that make him Cooperstown-caliber. An outstanding (if not immortal) first baseman, he starred for the Cardinals of the early- and mid-1960s. Later, he was a pioneer -- the first African-American play-by-play broadcaster spent 18 years calling Yankee games (1971-'88). His call of Bucky Dent's playoff home run at Fenway Park ("Deep to left!") has been immortalized on highlight shows. That was followed by a five-year stint as National League President, where again he was a trailblazer as the first African-American to hold a position that high in baseball.