Camilo Pascual
| Birthdate | 1/20/1934 |
| Death Date | |
| Debut Year | 1954 |
| Year of Induction | |
| Teams | Dodgers, Indians, Reds, Senators, Twins |
| Position | Pitcher |
On April 18, 1960 Camilo Pascual of the Washington Senators struck out 15 Red Sox to set a still-standing MLB record for Opening Day strikeouts.
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Camilo Pascual led the AL in WAR twice & in shutouts, Ks, and complete games three times each
Camilo Pascual led the AL in WAR twice & in shutouts, Ks, and complete games three times each
Camilo Pascual possessed one of the greatest curveballs in baseball history. With his beautiful bender, Pascual enjoyed an 18-year big league career that included seven All Star selections.
From 1958-1964, Pascual was one of the American League’s best pitchers. During that run he was in the AL’s top four in pitchers WAR five times and led the league in the category twice. The right-hander also topped the Junior Circuit in shutouts, strikeouts, and complete games three times each.
His stellar numbers came despite his team’s losing records. In his first 11 years in the majors Pascual’s squads posted winning records only twice. The other nine seasons, they never got out of the second division and finished last or next-to-last six times.
Pascual made history on Opening Day in 1960. Pitching against the Red Sox, he fanned 15 batters to set the still-standing record for season openers. Though he later recalled commanding his fastball that day, it was the curve that made the difference.
In a 1993 interview with The Oklahoman, Yankees great Tony Kubek gushed about Pascual’s hammer.
“He’d come straight over the top with it and it would just dive off the table. The spin was so tight, you couldn’t identify the pitch until it was too late. The ball broke big and it broke sharp. It didn’t flutter, it didn’t hang, it just kept biting. When Pascual was right, nobody had a chance. That curve was unhittable. ”
A 20-game winner in 1962, Pascual has a career WAR of 40.9. That puts him ahead of Hall of Famers Bob Lemon, Catfish Hunter, and Jesse Haines.
Shown here is a government postcard signed by Pascual. Notice the Washington D.C. postmark of September 12, 1968. The day before he dropped this in the mail Pascual suffered his 11th loss of the season. Pitching against the Orioles at D.C. Stadium, Pascual was lifted after allowing 4 third-inning runs. The decisive blow coming on a bases-loaded single by Brooks Robinson that cleared the bases.
In 1968 Pascual led the 96-loss Senators in wins (13) and ERA (2.69).
In 2012 Pascual became the 24th member of the Minnesota Twins team Hall of Fame
In 2012 Pascual became the 24th member of the Minnesota Twins team Hall of Fame
Camilo Pascual’s lifetime statistics include 174 wins, 132 complete games, 36 shutouts, and 10 saves. Those marks are enough to get him into at last two Halls of Fame.
In 2010 when the Latino Baseball Hall of Fame was established in the Dominican Republic, Pascual was an inaugural inductee. Pascual still ranks among the top ten in multiple categories on the Senators/Twins franchise leaderboard.
Though he played 6 of his 18 seasons with other clubs, Pascual still ranks in the top ten in games, innings, strikeouts, wins, complete games, shutouts, and pitchers WAR among Senators/Twins pitchers. His work for the franchise, the Twins made him the 28th inductee to their team Hall of Fame.
The honor was first bestowed on a class of six. In the collection is a letter from one of those men, Harmon Killebrew. He thanks the baseball writers for his election to the Hall of fame through BBWAA secretary/treasurer Jack Lang. The letter is dated January 16, 1984, just one week after he received word of his Cooperstown induction.
Killebrew writes in part, “What a thrill to hear these words from you last week…It is the greatest thrill of my life and we look forward to being with you and the rest of my friends along with Don Drysdale and Luis Aparicio on August 12.”
The slugger signs his name at the bottom of the letter.
