January 20
Senators Birthdays
Jesse Terrill Hill B Jan. 20, 1907 D Aug. 31, 1993
Outfielder Jesse Hill first made his way to the majors as a 28 year old rookie in 1935 with the New Yrok Yankees. Playing in 107 games, he’d hit .293, scoring 69 runs, collecting 115 hits and stealing 14 bases.
Traded to the Washington Senators, along with Jimmie DeShong for Bump Hadley and Roy Johnson, Hill would hit .305 in 85 games for Washington in 1936.
Starting the 1937 season in Washington, Hill’s BA would drop to .217 in 33 games before he was purchased by the Philadelphia Athletics. Hill would recover nicely, hitting .293 for the A’s in 70 games. However, after the 1937 season, Hill would be sent to Oakland of the Pacific Coast League and he’d never return to the major leagues.
Camilio Alberto Pascual B Jan. 20, 1934 Still Living
Probably one of the best remembered players to make his way north from the island of Cuba was pitcher Camilio Pascual.
First signed by the Senators before the 1952 season, Pascual would appear in 48 games in his rookie season, posting a 4-7 record with a 4.22 ERA and being credited with 3 saves.
Pascual would have some rather lackluster years with some lackluster Senators teams until 1959 when he’d have his first winning season, going 17-10 with a Senators team that finished in last place.
With the original Senators during their last season in Washington, Pascual was 12-8 in 26 games.
Heading northwest as the franchise packed up and headed to Minnesota, Pascual pitched for 6 seasons in Minnesota, most notably going 20-11 in 1962 and 21-9 in 1963. Pascual would see his only post-season action with the Twins, being charged with 1 loss as Minnesota fell to the LA Dodgers in 7 games.
After the 1966 season, Pascual would be traded to the expansion Senators, along with Bernie Allen for Ron Kline. Pascual would go 12-10 with a 3.28 ERA in 1967 and 13-12 with a 2.69 ERA in 1968.
Starting the 1969 season in Washington, Pascual was 2-5 in 14 games, his ERA having ballooned to 6.83 when he was sold to the Cincinnati Reds in early July where he finished the 1969 season.
His career winding down, Pascual would be signed by the LA Dodgers in mid-April of 1970 but was released again in late August.
Pascual would sign with the Cleveland Indians for the 1971 campaign, was sent to the San Diego Padres as part of a conditional deal in late May but was returned to Cleveland just 4 days later. One week later, Pascual would receive his final release.
Earl Leonard Smith B Jan. 20, 1891 D Mar. 14, 1943
Earl Smith, an outfielder, made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs in September of 1916, playing in 14 games.
He’d start the 1917 season with the St. Louis Browns where he’d play from 1917 through late May of 1921. His most active season, also his best year at the plate, came in 1920 when he’d hit .306 in 103 games.
Traded to the Washington Senators for Frank Ellerbe, Smith would play in 59 games for the Senators in 1921, hitting .217.
He’d return in 1922, hitting .259 in 65 games but would leave the Senators, and the major leagues, in early August.
