{"numbering":"asc","slides":[{"index":1,"title":"","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/spark_boston_debuts.jpg","caption":"

Anticipation was high when Gustavo Bou took the pitch for his first game after signing a contract with the New England Revolution, and the Revs' investment in the Argentinian forward paid off, as he capped the first half with a brilliant strike on Wednesday night.

With that spectacular goal, Bou etches his name alongside some Boston sports legends (and some other notable athletes) who also made an immediate impact in their debut performances.

Hall of Famers like Pedro Martinez, Randy Moss, Kevin Garnett and Ray Bourque all had memorable first games with their respective local teams.

Here are some of the greatest debut performances in Boston sports history.

"},{"index":3,"title":"DAVE COWENS","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/dave_cowens_1974.jpg","caption":"

October 13, 1970 vs Knicks

Though the Celtics suffered a 114-107 loss to New York in Dave Cowens' NBA debut, his first career NBA game makes this list because he racked up 16 points and 17 rebounds — one of just nine NBA players to ever reach those marks in his debut, alongside fellow Hall of Famers like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Walton, and David Robinson. Cowens actually improved in his next game, with 27 points and 21 rebounds, as he began his career with 13 consecutive double-doubles en route to a rookie season in which he averaged 17 points and 15 rebounds per game.

Photo courtesy AP

"},{"index":5,"title":"RAY BOURQUE","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/ray_bourque_bruins_1979_1.jpg","caption":"

October 11, 1979 vs. Winnipeg Jets

Ray Bourque played in the NHL until he was 40, but he was just a fresh-faced 18-year-old when he made his NHL debut in 1979 after being selected eighth overall in that year's draft. Bourque didn't take long to make an impression, scoring a power-play goal and adding an assist in his first of 1,518 career games with the Bruins over 21 seasons. Bourque finished with 17 goals and 48 assists in his rookie season, winning the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.

Photo courtesy Getty Images

"},{"index":7,"title":"PEDRO MARTINEZ","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/pedro_martinez_red_sox_1997.jpg","caption":"

April 1, 1998 vs Oakland A's

When the Red Sox traded for Pedro Martinez in November 1997, they were acquiring a pitcher who had just come off a Cy Young season for the Montreal Expos. Would he live up to the hype in Boston? No doubt about it. Pedro dominated the A's in his first Sox start, striking out 11 and allowing just three hits over seven shutout innings. His home debut 10 days later was even better, as he fired a two-hit shutout, striking out 12 in a dominant complete game performance. Pedro went 19-7 in '98, finishing second in the Cy Young voting and setting the stage for one of the most impressive pitching seasons in team history a year later, when he went 23-4 with a 2.07 ERA and 313 strikeouts.

Photo courtesy AP

"},{"index":9,"title":"HIDEO NOMO","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/hideo_nomo_no-hitter_2001.jpg","caption":"

April 4, 2001 vs. Baltimore Orioles

When you're talking about the best debuts in Boston sports history, it's hard to get any better than Hideo Nomo. All he did in his first start in a Red Sox uniform was toss the franchise's first no-hitter since Dave Morehead way back in 1965. Nomo baffled the Orioles, allowing just three walks and striking out 11 for his second career no-no, as he became the fourth player in major league history to throw a no-hitter in both the American and National Leagues. Nomo only spent that one year in Boston, but his first outing was unforgettable.

Photo courtesy AP

"},{"index":11,"title":"MANNY RAMIREZ","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/manny_ramirez_red_sox_2001.jpg","caption":"

April 6, 2011 vs. Tampa Bay Devil Rays

OK, we're cheating a bit here. After signing an eight-year, $160M deal as a free agent, Manny Ramirez's first game in a Red Sox uniform wasn't that notable (he went 1-for-3 with two strikeouts in Baltimore on April 2, 2001). His first home game, however? That was a much different story. When Ramirez stepped into the box in the first inning of Boston's home opener, he got a massive ovation from the Fenway Faithful, and he promptly showed why he got that massive contract, depositing a Ryan Rupe offering over the Green Monster on the very first pitch he saw for a three-run home run that tied the game at 3. Manny also capped the scoring with an RBI single in the eighth inning of a 10-4 Red Sox win.

Photo courtesy AP

"},{"index":13,"title":"RANDY MOSS","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/randy_moss_2007.jpg","caption":"

September 9, 2007 vs. New York Jets

Randy Moss was an unhappy camper after catching just three touchdown passes for the Raiders in 2006, but after getting traded to the Patriots for a fourth-round pick (!!), Moss was eager to prove he was still a threat. A preseason hamstring injury prevented him from playing any preseason games in 2007, so the first time Patriots fans saw him on the field in game action was New England's Week 1 contest against the Jets. All he did was total nine receptions (on nine targets) for 183 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown where he beat three Jet defenders to the end zone as the Patriots rolled to a 38-14 win. Moss finished the season with 23 receiving TDs, an NFL record that still stands to this day.

Photo courtesy AP

"},{"index":15,"title":"KEVIN GARNETT","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/kevin_garnett_celtics_2007.jpg","caption":"

November 2, 2007 vs. Washington Wizards

Celtics fans know how the 2007-08 season ended — with a rout of the Lakers to put an exclamation point on the franchise's 17th championship and Kevin Garnett screaming, "Anything is possible!" But as for how it started, expectations were sky high after the team acquired both Garnett and Ray Allen over the offseason in an effort to turn things around after a miserable 24-58 campaign. And on opening night against the Wizards at the Garden, it became clear that KG and company were ready. Garnett racked up 22 points, 20 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, and 3 steals — the first Celtic to reach those marks in a game since Larry Bird 20 years earlier. The C's cruised to a 103-83 win, and they were off and running to the tune of a 29-3 record through 32 games.

Photo courtesy AP

"},{"index":17,"title":"DANIEL NAVA","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/daniel_nava_grand_slam_2010.jpg","caption":"

June 12, 2010 vs. Philadelphia Phillies

When Daniel Nava was called up to make his Red Sox debut in mid-2010, team broadcaster Joe Castiglione gave him some pregame advice: "You only get one first pitch, so you might as well be up there swinging." As luck would have it, the bases were loaded for Nava when he came to the plate against the Phillies' Joe Blanton in the second inning — and he took Castiglione's advice. Nava smashed a grand slam into the Red Sox bullpen, becoming the fourth player in MLB history to hit a grand slam in his first career at-bat, and just the second player to do so on the first pitch he ever saw in the majors.

Photo courtesy AP

"},{"index":19,"title":"DANNY AMENDOLA","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/danny_amendola_vs_bills_2013.jpg","caption":"

September 8, 2013 vs. Buffalo Bills

After suffering through triceps and clavicle injuries during the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Rams, Amendola hoped his health issues were behind him when he signed a five-year contract with the Patriots in March of 2013. But Amendola's clean bill of health wouldn't last very long, as he suffered a groin injury during the first half of New England's Week 1 contest against the Bills at Gillette Stadium. Amendola returned after halftime, however, and he finished his debut game for the Patriots with team highs in both receptions (10) and yards (104), including a clutch third-down grab in the team's game-winning drive as the Pats rallied to beat the Bills 23-21 on a field goal in the closing seconds.

Photo courtesy AP

"},{"index":21,"title":"JAKE DEBRUSK","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/webp.net-resizeimage_8.jpg","caption":"

October 5, 2017 vs. Nashville Predators

Jake DeBrusk wasn't the only Bruin playing his first career NHL game when the B's opened their 2017-18 season against the defending Western Conference champion Nashville Predators. Anders Bjork was also making his debut and Charlie McAvoy was making his regular-season debut after kickstarting his career in the 2017 postseason. All three players found the scoresheet against the Preds, as Bjork notched an assist, while McAvoy and DeBrusk each had a goal and an assist. So why is DeBrusk the one on our list? Because his father, former NHLer Louie DeBrusk was in the stands that night after taking a redeye flight from Edmonton, and Papa DeBrusk soon had red eyes for a very different reason as he wiped away some happy tears.

File photo

"},{"index":23,"title":"GUSTAVO BOU","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/usatsi_13059109.jpg","caption":"

July 17, 2019 vs Vancouver Whitecaps

Thanks to some lightning in the area, there was some doubt whether the Revs would even take the pitch Wednesday for their match against the Whitecaps. But once the game got underway, Bou electrified Revs fans with a highlight reel strike in his very first half since leaving Club Tijuana and signing a deal that could exceed $16M. In the closing seconds of the first half, almost a minute into added time, Bou volleyed a corner kick from Carles Gil into the back of the net for what would be the game-winning goal in a 4-0 Revolution victory. Bruce Arena didn't take long to make light of Bou's phenomenal goal, making this quip during a halftime interview on NBC Sports Boston: "I taught him that yesterday in training."

USA TODAY Sports photo

"},{"index":25,"title":"Bonus: LOU MERLONI","image":"https://www.nbcsports.com/sites/rsnunited/files/archive/assets_media_gallery/boston/2019/07/18/lou_merloni_1998.jpg","caption":"

May 15, 1998 vs. Kansas City Royals

Once again, we're cheating just a bit here, since Lou Merloni debuted for the Red Sox on the road in mid-1998, but we can't let the opportunity pass without giving a shoutout to our NBC Sports Boston Red Sox analyst. Making his home debut on May 15, 1998 against the Royals, Merloni connected for a three-run home run off Jose Rosado in his very first Fenway Park at-bat, good for the game-winning margin in a 5-2 Red Sox win. Merloni talked about the HR with Phil Perry in this video, recalling how he got the silent treatment from his teammates when he got back to the dugout.

Photo courtesy AP

"}]}

What are the greatest debuts in Boston sports history?