Culberson made his major league debut on May 16, 1943, against the Chicago White Sox. Baseball records for many years credited a career minor league pitcher, Al Olsen, as appearing in the first game of that day's doubleheader as a pinch hitter who walked and had a stolen base. Research later found that Olsen did not make any major league appearances, rendering him a phantom ballplayer. Culberson is now credited with the noted appearance in the first game of the doubleheader, although Culberson denied playing in the game. Culberson was the starting center fielder in the second game of the doubleheader, thus his debut "date" is not in question.