Cleveland Connection: Texas A&M’s Kenny Hill

Trades of Future Past: Ken Hill

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At the trade deadline in 1995 the Cleveland Indians were well on their way to their first playoff appearance since 1954 but General Manager John Hart wasn’t 100% satisfied with his roster.

On July 27th he dealt a trio of prospects (Pepe McNeal, David Bell, and Rick Heiserman) to the St. Louis Cardinals for starting pitcher Ken Hill.

Hill had been struggling with the Cardinals (6-7, 5.06 ERA) but the trade to a new organization seemed to breath new life into the slender right hander. With the Indians he appeared in 12 games (11 starts) and posted a 4-1 record with a 3.98 ERA.

Overall he went 2-1 for the Indians in the 1995 post-season as Peter Gammons points out in his tweet this afternoon.

His most memorable game in the post season came in the very first game against the Boston Red Sox in the American League Division Series. He was credited with the win as Tony Pena launched a dramatic walk off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning making Hill the first Indians pitcher since Bob Lemon (October 11, 1948) to earn a post-season win.

While the elder Hill was moving from St. Louis to Cleveland his wife Lorrie and his  son Kenny Wade Jr. who wasn’t even a year old at the time were at home in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Hill’s tenure with the Indians ended following the 1995 season as he signed a free agent contract with the Texas Rangers where he pitched in 1996 and part of the 1997 season.

It was in Texas that young Kenny Wade grew up and became a football star at Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas. His football stardom led him to accept a scholarship to play quarterback at Texas A&M over other schools like Ole Miss, Baylor, Kansas State, and Houston.

Besides being the son of a former ex-Indians hurler Hill also has a second Cleveland connection as he is the man tabbed to replace current Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel.

Yesterday, Hill led the Aggies past the South Carolina Gamecocks by a final score of 52-28. He was 44-of-60 for 511 yards with three touchdowns on his way to breaking Manziel’s single-game passing record.

For many of us 1995 is fresh in our minds as a great season and Ken Hill was a huge part of that. To see his son starring in college football makes us realize how fast time flies. Has it really been 19-years since that magical 1995 Indians season?

Kenny Hill Breaks Johnny Manziel’s Passing Record

Launches Walk-Off Homer To Defeat Red Sox In 1995 ALDS