#270 Jim Palmer

Great pitcher with male model like looks…a movie like life that could be described as American Dickens story…..born in NYC in 1945…adopted into a wealthy NYC family, then raised in California/Arizona after his father died….Jim’s mother married a movie actor by the name of Palmer hence Jim's last name…was high school athletic phemon in several sports….drew the notice of Baltimore front office…signed and assigned to Northern League for 1964…scaled up many rungs as Jim made the 1965 Orioles roster as a 19 year old…emphasis was learning not performance…paid off with 15-10 record as Orioles took the 1966 WS crown…Jim’s portion was a shut out win…Things were looking good for 1967 when Palmer felt a pinch in his shoulder…suffered indignities or being benched and demoted to AAA to be shelled (fun fact has AAA level career ERA over 12 runs per game) …repeated in 1968…So low that he was put on waivers and left available in expansion draft…no takers…carried on nevertheless…responded with 16-4 record….an amazing comeback…Starting in 1970 proceeds to win 20 games or more for 8 of 9 subsequent  seasons… the winningest pitcher of the decade despite a hard luck 7-12 record in 1974….in that stretch 3 Cy Young Awards…at age 30 started a 3 season run of most innings pitched…starting 1979 took a more secondary starter role but was still able to shine with 16-10 and 15-5 records in 1980 and 1982 respectively…limited work and 5-4 record in 1983 was offset by his last World Series win made in relief…that feat gave him one WS for 3 decades another record....went winless at the start of 1984…at age 45 attended Baltimore’s spring training…hamstring injury shut down his long shot comeback…In broadcasting and commercial endorsement namely Jockey Underwear…can sport 3 WS championship rings….HOF first ballot.