Camilo Pascual---1962
Some guys are just lucky. Other guys
just are not.
Take Camilo Pascual, who enjoyed
an 18-year career, of which he
twirled 12 seasons with losing clubs. I
guess that explains his 174-170
record, despite being named to five
All-Star Squads and leading the
American League in strikeouts for
three seasons.
The Cuban-born Pascual hurled for
miserable Washington Senators
during the 1950s; where Washington
was first in politics and last in the
American League.
When the franchise moved to
Minnesota in 1961, Pascual’s luck
began to change, as rising young
stars Harmon Killebrew, Bobby
Allison and Rich Rollins began to
form the nucleus of a club that would
capture the 1965 AL pennant.
Unfortunately bad luck re-emerged,
as the strain of years of sidearm
curveballs began to pay its toll on
Pascual. The vertically-challenged
righty posted just a 9-3 mark in '65
working in the backend of the Twins
rotation. He was also saddled with
the loss in Game 3 of the '65 World
Series against the Dodgers.
With the end of his career clearly
within sight, Pascual was shipped off
to the Senators version No. 2 for a
few more bad seasons of
Washington baseball, before cameo
appearances with the Reds, Dodgers
and Cleveland to close out his
diamond days.
Yet, we are left to wonder if
Cooperstown would called Pascual
had he just been a little luckier.
5/3/08
just are not.
Take Camilo Pascual, who enjoyed
an 18-year career, of which he
twirled 12 seasons with losing clubs. I
guess that explains his 174-170
record, despite being named to five
All-Star Squads and leading the
American League in strikeouts for
three seasons.
The Cuban-born Pascual hurled for
miserable Washington Senators
during the 1950s; where Washington
was first in politics and last in the
American League.
When the franchise moved to
Minnesota in 1961, Pascual’s luck
began to change, as rising young
stars Harmon Killebrew, Bobby
Allison and Rich Rollins began to
form the nucleus of a club that would
capture the 1965 AL pennant.
Unfortunately bad luck re-emerged,
as the strain of years of sidearm
curveballs began to pay its toll on
Pascual. The vertically-challenged
righty posted just a 9-3 mark in '65
working in the backend of the Twins
rotation. He was also saddled with
the loss in Game 3 of the '65 World
Series against the Dodgers.
With the end of his career clearly
within sight, Pascual was shipped off
to the Senators version No. 2 for a
few more bad seasons of
Washington baseball, before cameo
appearances with the Reds, Dodgers
and Cleveland to close out his
diamond days.
Yet, we are left to wonder if
Cooperstown would called Pascual
had he just been a little luckier.
5/3/08