Who was the first baseball player to slide head first?

Answer 1

Pete Rose?

Answer 2

Hall of Fame Catcher Roger Bresnahan Played between 1897 - 1915 Bresnahan most notable contributions to the game were in protective equipment. In 1905 after getting "beaned" in the head with a Baseball began experimenting with head gear similar to the leather football helmet of the period that were made by A.J. Reach. Sliced vertically: one half for covering the left side of a right handed batter's head, the other for the lefty hitter. The Idea of wearing a Batting helmet did not catch on. Two years later in 1907 he devised catcher's shin guards. The first, evidently modeled after a cricketer's leg pads but were large, and bulky. NL president Pulliam dismisses the Opening Day protests of Pittsburgh manager Fred Clarke over Roger Bresnahan's shin guards. As yet, Bresnahan was the only catcher using them. Ignoring the ridicule, it was not thought to be gentlemanly to use them. By 1909 the design was refined, and became accepted, and more wildly used. It was not until the 1940's when the dodgers wore plastic inserts inside of their caps, and helmets became more widely used in the late 1950's. It was not mandatory to wear head gear until 1971, and in 1983 ear flaps were made mandatory.

Answer 3

Joe Shea for the Oakland Wharehousemen.