Top league star may not have been a Major League Baseball star, but he holds a unique place in history as part of two expansion teams. He became one of the first two players chosen by the Washington Senators, a franchise that would later move to Texas and become the Rangers. However, he never played a regular-season game for Washington; in April 1961, he was picked up off waivers by the Los Angeles Angels, another expansion team. He passed away on Oct. 27 at age 93, wrapped up his four-season MLB career with the Angels that year. His big league journey began with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1958, ending with a career record of 19-21 and a 4.42 ERA.
Born in Cleveland, He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur in 1951. After spending two years in military service, he made his major league debut in April 1958. In his first game, he pitched three innings in relief, allowing a hit and a walk, striking out two, and securing a win. In his fourth career start, Semproch delivered a shutout against San Francisco. Three months into his rookie season, he held an 11-5 record with a 3.08 ERA, leading the National League in wins, though he ultimately finished the year at 13-11 with a 3.92 ERA for the Phillies, who ended the season 69-85. The following season, 1959, saw Semproch struggle with a 3-10 record and a 5.40 ERA over 30 games (18 starts).
In December 1959, Semproch was traded to the Detroit Tigers along with Chico Fernandez in exchange for Ted Lepcio, Ken Walters, and Alex Cosmidis. He made 17 relief appearances for the Tigers in 1960, posting a 4.00 ERA, but spent most of the season in Triple-A with the Spokane Indians, achieving an 11-2 record and a 3.96 ERA for a team regarded as one of the best in Spokane’s history.
On November 28, 1960, Semproch was drafted by the Washington Senators in the Rule V Draft, alongside John Gabler, as the first players acquired by the newly established Senators for their 1961 season. However, the Angels released Semproch midway through 1961, selling his contract to Toronto in the International League, where a back injury limited his playing time. In spring training the following year, he joined the Cleveland Indians but didn’t make the major league roster. After his baseball career, Semproch worked for many years managing a bar in his brother’s Italian restaurant in Ohio.
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