Jim Palmer
Encyclopedia
James Alvin "Jim" Palmer (born October 15, 1945), nicknamed "Cakes", is a former Major League Baseball
right-handed pitcher
. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles
(1965–1984). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .
As of 2008, Palmer and his wife Susan have homes in Palm Beach, Florida
, and in California. In 2006, Palmer also acquired a penthouse condominium in Little Italy, Baltimore
, which he uses while in Baltimore for Orioles' broadcasts.
, from whom Palmer took his last name. Showing talent at the amateur level, upon graduating from Arizona's Scottsdale High School
in 1963, Palmer signed a minor-league contract at the age of 18. Before heading to the minor leagues, Palmer was initiated into the Sigma Chi
Fraternity
at Arizona State University
, although he never attended ASU.
games in three decades (1966, 1970–71, 1983). One of his most amazing feats is that during his 20-year major league career of 575 games (including 17 postseason games), he never surrendered a grand slam. He was sometimes sidelined by arm, shoulder and back problems, but still won 20 games in 8 different seasons (1970–1973 & 1975–1978) and in 4 other seasons went 15–10 (1966), 16–4 (1969), 16–10 (1980) and 15–5 (1982). He was one of four 20-game winners in the Orioles starting rotation in 1971, only the second rotation in major league history to include four 20-game winners. With the death of Mike Cuellar
in April 2010, Palmer is the last surviving member of that group. Palmer won spots on 6 all-star teams, 4 gold gloves, 3 Cy Young Awards, and 2 ERA titles. He led the American League in victories three times. Palmer retired in 1984 as a member of the defending World Champions. He is a member of major league baseball's Hall of Fame.
in relief at home, and hitting the first of his three career major-league home run
s, a two-run shot in the fourth off Yankees starter Jim Bouton
. Palmer finished the season with a 5–4 record.
In , Palmer joined the starting rotation. Baltimore rolled to the pennant, behind Frank Robinson
's MVP
and Triple Crown season. Palmer won his final game against the Kansas City Athletics to clinch the American League pennant. In Game 2 of that World Series
at Dodger Stadium
, he became the youngest pitcher (20 years, 11 months) to win a complete-game
, World Series shutout
, defeating Sandy Koufax
and the defending World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers
, 6-0. The underdog Orioles went on to sweep the series over a Los Angeles team that featured some formidable pitching of its own in Hall of Famers Koufax and Don Drysdale
, and 17-game winner Claude Osteen
. The shutout was part of a World Series record-setting consecutive shutout innings by Orioles pitchers. The Dodgers' last run (of which they scored only two) was against Moe Drabowsky
in the third inning of Game 1; the Oriole relief pitcher
shut out the Dodgers the rest of the way. Palmer, Wally Bunker
and Dave McNally
then pitched shutouts in the next three games.
The next two seasons were frustrating for Palmer, as arm troubles shelved him. He threw just 49 innings
in 1967 and was sent to minor-league
rehabilitation. Finally, thanks to surgery, work in the Instructional League and in winter ball, he regained his form.
In , Palmer returned healthy, rejoining an Orioles rotation that included 20-game winners Dave McNally
and Mike Cuellar
, combining one of the finest starting staffs ever. That August 13, Palmer threw a no-hitter
against Oakland
, just four days after coming off the disabled list. He finished the season with a mark of 16–4, 123 strikeout
s, a 2.34 ERA
, and .800 winning percentage.
going 20–8. Only one other team in MLB history, the Chicago White Sox
, has had four 20-game winners.
Palmer won 21 games in , and went 22–9, 158, 2.40 in , walking off with his first Cy Young Award
. His eight 20-win seasons were interrupted in when he was downed for eight weeks with elbow problems. He finished 7–12.
Again, Palmer was at his peak in , winning 23 games, throwing 10 shutouts (allowing just 44 hits in those games), and fashioning a 2.09 ERA—all tops in the American League
. He completed 25 games, even saved one, and limited opposing hitters to a .216 batting average
. He won his second Cy Young Award, and repeated his feat in (22–13, 2.51). During the latter year, he won the first of four consecutive Gold Glove Award
s, breaking Jim Kaat
's 14-year run of the award.
In 1977–78, Palmer won 20 and 21.
, he earned a win in relief of Mike Flanagan in Game 3. The 17 years between his first World Series win in 1966 and this win is the longest period of time between first and last pitching victories in the World Series for an individual pitcher in major league history. Also, he became the first and only player in Orioles history to appear in all six (1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1979, 1983) of their World Series appearances.
Palmer was the only Orioles player on the 1983 championship team to have previously won a World Series.
Palmer retired after the season, during which he was released by Baltimore.
He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990, his first year of eligibility.
was not the only pitcher of his age that could still pitch in the Major Leagues.
While working out at the University of Miami
during his comeback attempt, Palmer was approached by Hurricanes assistant coach Lazaro Collazo. Collazo, presumably not recognizing Palmer, reportedly told him, "You'll never get into the Hall of Fame with those mechanics." "I'm already in the Hall of Fame," Palmer replied.
(2.75) and Sandy Koufax
(2.75), and miniscually ahead of Andy Messersmith
(2.861) and Tom Seaver
(2.862). He never allowed a grand slam
in his major-league career nor did he ever allow back-to-back homers. In six ALCS and six World Series, he posted an 8–3 record with 90 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.61 and two shutouts in 17 games. His final major-league victory was noteworthy: Pitching in relief in the third game of the 1983 World Series
, he worked methodically through the Phillies' celebrity-studded batting order, giving up no runs and contributing hugely to a close and crucial Oriole win.
In , he ranked No. 64 on The Sporting News
list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team
.
on MASN's television broadcasts of Oriole games. He is known for his incisive criticism of the team's play and unwillingness to give steroid-era hitters the equal approval with regard their statistics. From -, and again from -, Palmer formed a popular announcing team with Al Michaels
and Tim McCarver
at ABC. Palmer, like Michaels, McCarver, MASN colleague Gary Thorne
, and fellow 1990 Hall of Fame inductee Joe Morgan
, was present at San Francisco
's Candlestick Park on October 17, , when the Loma Prieta earthquake hit prior to Game 3 of the World Series
.
. He appeared in the company's national print and television advertisements as well as on billboards at Times Square
in New York City
and other major cities. He donated all proceeds from the sale of his underwear poster to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
.
From 1992 until 1999, he was frequently seen on television throughout the United States in commercials for The Money Store
, a national home equity
and mortgage lender
. He has periodically appeared in ads and commercials for vitamin
s and other health-related products. He was also the spokesperson for Nationwide Motors Corp., which is a regional chain of car dealerships located in the Middle Atlantic region.
He is currently a spokesman for the national "Strike Out High Cholesterol" campaign. Additionally, Palmer serves as a member of the advisory board of the Baseball Assistance Team
, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping former Major League, Minor League, and Negro League players through financial and medical difficulties.
Palmer also represents Cosamin DS, a joint health supplement made by Nutramax Laboratories in Edgewood, Maryland.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1965–1984). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .
As of 2008, Palmer and his wife Susan have homes in Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
, and in California. In 2006, Palmer also acquired a penthouse condominium in Little Italy, Baltimore
Little Italy, Baltimore
Little Italy is a neighborhood located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States.Situated just east of the Inner Harbor, it has one of the city's busiest restaurant districts. It is so named because of the large number of Italian immigrant families that moved into the area during the 20th century. The...
, which he uses while in Baltimore for Orioles' broadcasts.
Early years
Palmer was born in New York, New York; shortly after his birth, Palmer was adopted by Moe Wiesen, a garment industry executive, and his wife Polly from Harrison, N.Y. After his adoptive father died in 1955, the 9-year-old Jim, his mother and his sister moved to California, where he began playing in youth-league baseball. In 1956, his mother married actor Max PalmerMax Palmer
Max Edmund Palmer was an American actor and professional wrestler.-Career:After high school Max left Mississippi to play with the professional basketball team Rochester Royals. After basketball Max went back to Mississippi only to work odd jobs working his way to Hollywood to get into acting...
, from whom Palmer took his last name. Showing talent at the amateur level, upon graduating from Arizona's Scottsdale High School
Scottsdale High School
Scottsdale High School was a high school in Scottsdale, Arizona. It opened in 1922 and closed in May 1983. The mascot was the Beavers, and the colors were orange and black...
in 1963, Palmer signed a minor-league contract at the age of 18. Before heading to the minor leagues, Palmer was initiated into the Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
Fraternity
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, although he never attended ASU.
Playing career
Palmer has been considered one of the best pitchers in Orioles – and major-league – history. He was a mainstay in the rotation during Baltimore's six pennant-winning teams in the 1960s (1966 & 1969), 1970s (1970, 1971 & 1979) and 1980s (1983). Also, he is the only pitcher in big-league history to win World SeriesWorld Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
games in three decades (1966, 1970–71, 1983). One of his most amazing feats is that during his 20-year major league career of 575 games (including 17 postseason games), he never surrendered a grand slam. He was sometimes sidelined by arm, shoulder and back problems, but still won 20 games in 8 different seasons (1970–1973 & 1975–1978) and in 4 other seasons went 15–10 (1966), 16–4 (1969), 16–10 (1980) and 15–5 (1982). He was one of four 20-game winners in the Orioles starting rotation in 1971, only the second rotation in major league history to include four 20-game winners. With the death of Mike Cuellar
Mike Cuellar
Miguel Ángel Cuellar Santana [KWAY-ar] was a Cuban left-handed starting pitcher who spent fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles and California Angels...
in April 2010, Palmer is the last surviving member of that group. Palmer won spots on 6 all-star teams, 4 gold gloves, 3 Cy Young Awards, and 2 ERA titles. He led the American League in victories three times. Palmer retired in 1984 as a member of the defending World Champions. He is a member of major league baseball's Hall of Fame.
1960s
A high-kicking pitcher known for an exceptionally smooth delivery, Palmer picked up his first major-league win on May 16, , beating the YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in relief at home, and hitting the first of his three career major-league home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, a two-run shot in the fourth off Yankees starter Jim Bouton
Jim Bouton
James Alan "Jim" Bouton is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He is also the author of the controversial baseball book Ball Four, which was a combination diary of his season and memoir of his years with the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, and Houston Astros.-Amateur and college...
. Palmer finished the season with a 5–4 record.
In , Palmer joined the starting rotation. Baltimore rolled to the pennant, behind Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
's MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
and Triple Crown season. Palmer won his final game against the Kansas City Athletics to clinch the American League pennant. In Game 2 of that World Series
1966 World Series
The 1966 World Series matched the Baltimore Orioles against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Orioles sweeping the Series in four games to capture their first championship in franchise history...
at Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
, he became the youngest pitcher (20 years, 11 months) to win a complete-game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
, World Series shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
, defeating Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
and the defending World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, 6-0. The underdog Orioles went on to sweep the series over a Los Angeles team that featured some formidable pitching of its own in Hall of Famers Koufax and Don Drysdale
Don Drysdale
Donald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
, and 17-game winner Claude Osteen
Claude Osteen
Claude Wilson Osteen , nicknamed "Gomer" because of his resemblance to Gomer Pyle, is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched for six different teams: the Cincinnati Redlegs/Reds , Washington Senators , Los Angeles Dodgers , Houston Astros , St...
. The shutout was part of a World Series record-setting consecutive shutout innings by Orioles pitchers. The Dodgers' last run (of which they scored only two) was against Moe Drabowsky
Moe Drabowsky
Myron Walter Drabowsky was a Polish-American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs , Milwaukee Braves , Cincinnati Reds , Kansas City Athletics , Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Royals , St...
in the third inning of Game 1; the Oriole relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
shut out the Dodgers the rest of the way. Palmer, Wally Bunker
Wally Bunker
Wallace Edward Bunker is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. A right-hander, Bunker pitched for the Baltimore Orioles from to and Kansas City Royals from to .-Biography:...
and Dave McNally
Dave McNally
David Arthur "Dave" McNally was a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher from until . He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles and played with them every season except for his final season with the Montreal Expos.McNally has the unique distinction as the only pitcher in Major League...
then pitched shutouts in the next three games.
The next two seasons were frustrating for Palmer, as arm troubles shelved him. He threw just 49 innings
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
in 1967 and was sent to minor-league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
rehabilitation. Finally, thanks to surgery, work in the Instructional League and in winter ball, he regained his form.
In , Palmer returned healthy, rejoining an Orioles rotation that included 20-game winners Dave McNally
Dave McNally
David Arthur "Dave" McNally was a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher from until . He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles and played with them every season except for his final season with the Montreal Expos.McNally has the unique distinction as the only pitcher in Major League...
and Mike Cuellar
Mike Cuellar
Miguel Ángel Cuellar Santana [KWAY-ar] was a Cuban left-handed starting pitcher who spent fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles and California Angels...
, combining one of the finest starting staffs ever. That August 13, Palmer threw a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
against Oakland
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, just four days after coming off the disabled list. He finished the season with a mark of 16–4, 123 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s, a 2.34 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, and .800 winning percentage.
1970s
The next two years saw two more championships as the Orioles took their place among the great teams of all-time. In , Cuellar went 24–8, McNally 24–9, Palmer 20–10; in the trio went 20–9, 21–5 and 20–9, respectively, with Pat DobsonPat Dobson
Patrick Edward Dobson, Jr. was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Detroit Tigers , San Diego Padres , Baltimore Orioles , Atlanta Braves , New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians...
going 20–8. Only one other team in MLB history, the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, has had four 20-game winners.
Palmer won 21 games in , and went 22–9, 158, 2.40 in , walking off with his first Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
. His eight 20-win seasons were interrupted in when he was downed for eight weeks with elbow problems. He finished 7–12.
Again, Palmer was at his peak in , winning 23 games, throwing 10 shutouts (allowing just 44 hits in those games), and fashioning a 2.09 ERA—all tops in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. He completed 25 games, even saved one, and limited opposing hitters to a .216 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
. He won his second Cy Young Award, and repeated his feat in (22–13, 2.51). During the latter year, he won the first of four consecutive Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
s, breaking Jim Kaat
Jim Kaat
James Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
's 14-year run of the award.
In 1977–78, Palmer won 20 and 21.
1980s
Over the next six seasons he was hampered by arm fatigue and myriad minor injuries. Even so, he brought a stabilizing veteran presence to the pitching staff. In the 1983 World Series1983 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1983 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandJohn Denver, whose Thank God I'm a Country Boy was played at the seventh-inning stretch of each Orioles home game, sang the National Anthem prior to this game....
, he earned a win in relief of Mike Flanagan in Game 3. The 17 years between his first World Series win in 1966 and this win is the longest period of time between first and last pitching victories in the World Series for an individual pitcher in major league history. Also, he became the first and only player in Orioles history to appear in all six (1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1979, 1983) of their World Series appearances.
Palmer was the only Orioles player on the 1983 championship team to have previously won a World Series.
Palmer retired after the season, during which he was released by Baltimore.
He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990, his first year of eligibility.
1990s
In , Palmer attempted a comeback with the Orioles. After giving up five hits and two runs in two innings of a spring training game, he retired permanently. Many pundits thought he was trying to prove that Nolan RyanNolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
was not the only pitcher of his age that could still pitch in the Major Leagues.
While working out at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
during his comeback attempt, Palmer was approached by Hurricanes assistant coach Lazaro Collazo. Collazo, presumably not recognizing Palmer, reportedly told him, "You'll never get into the Hall of Fame with those mechanics." "I'm already in the Hall of Fame," Palmer replied.
Career statistics
In a 19-year career, Palmer compiled a 268–152 record with 2,212 strikeouts, a 2.86 ERA, 521 games started, 211 complete games, and 53 shutouts in 3,948 innings. Palmer's career earned run average (2.856) is the third lowest among starting pitchers whose careers began after the advent of the Live Ball Era in 1920, behind only Whitey FordWhitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
(2.75) and Sandy Koufax
Sandy Koufax
Sanford "Sandy" Koufax is a former left-handed baseball pitcher who played his entire 12-year Major League Baseball career for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers...
(2.75), and miniscually ahead of Andy Messersmith
Andy Messersmith
John Alexander "Andy" Messersmith is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was the 12th overall pick of the 1966 amateur draft by the California Angels...
(2.861) and Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
(2.862). He never allowed a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
in his major-league career nor did he ever allow back-to-back homers. In six ALCS and six World Series, he posted an 8–3 record with 90 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.61 and two shutouts in 17 games. His final major-league victory was noteworthy: Pitching in relief in the third game of the 1983 World Series
1983 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1983 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandJohn Denver, whose Thank God I'm a Country Boy was played at the seventh-inning stretch of each Orioles home game, sang the National Anthem prior to this game....
, he worked methodically through the Phillies' celebrity-studded batting order, giving up no runs and contributing hugely to a close and crucial Oriole win.
In , he ranked No. 64 on The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team
Major League Baseball All-Century Team
In 1999, the Major League Baseball All-Century Team was chosen by popular vote of fans. To select the team, a panel of experts first compiled a list of the 100 greatest Major League Baseball players from the past century...
.
Broadcasting
Palmer is currently a color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on MASN's television broadcasts of Oriole games. He is known for his incisive criticism of the team's play and unwillingness to give steroid-era hitters the equal approval with regard their statistics. From -, and again from -, Palmer formed a popular announcing team with Al Michaels
Al Michaels
Alan Richard "Al" Michaels is an American television sportscaster. Now employed by NBC Sports after nearly three decades with ABC Sports, Michaels is one of the most prominent members of his profession...
and Tim McCarver
Tim McCarver
James Timothy "Tim" McCarver is an American former Major League Baseball catcher, and a current sportscaster in residence for Fox Sports.-Playing career:...
at ABC. Palmer, like Michaels, McCarver, MASN colleague Gary Thorne
Gary Thorne
Gary Thorne is a play-by-play announcer for ESPN and ABC, working Major League Baseball, College football and Frozen Four hockey contests. He is also the television play-by-play voice of the Baltimore Orioles...
, and fellow 1990 Hall of Fame inductee Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
, was present at San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
's Candlestick Park on October 17, , when the Loma Prieta earthquake hit prior to Game 3 of the World Series
1989 World Series
†: Game 3 was originally slated for October 17 at 5:35 pm; however, it was postponed when an earthquake occurred at 5:04 pm.-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California...
.
Advertisements
During the late 1970s, Palmer gained notoriety as a spokesman and underwear model for Jockey brand men's briefsBriefs
Briefs are a type of short, tight underwear and swimwear, as opposed to styles where the material extends down the legs.In the case of men's underwear, briefs, unlike boxer shorts, hold the wearer's genitals in a relatively fixed position, which make briefs a popular underwear choice for men who...
. He appeared in the company's national print and television advertisements as well as on billboards at Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and other major cities. He donated all proceeds from the sale of his underwear poster to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a non-profit organization in the United States established to provide the means to cure and control cystic fibrosis . The Foundation provides information about cystic fibrosis and finances CF research that aims to improve the quality of life for people with the...
.
From 1992 until 1999, he was frequently seen on television throughout the United States in commercials for The Money Store
Money Store
The Money Store was a consumer finance company that was based in Union, New Jersey, but with most of its corporate employees in Sacramento, California. It specialized in sub-prime home equity loans, and also was a large Small Business Administration lender. First Union Corp. of Charlotte, N.C.,...
, a national home equity
Home equity
Home equity is the market value of a homeowner's unencumbered interest in their real property—that is, the difference between the home's fair market value and the outstanding balance of all liens on the property. The property's equity increases as the debtor makes payments against the...
and mortgage lender
Mortgage loan
A mortgage loan is a loan secured by real property through the use of a mortgage note which evidences the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of that realty through the granting of a mortgage which secures the loan...
. He has periodically appeared in ads and commercials for vitamin
Vitamin
A vitamin is an organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. In other words, an organic chemical compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. Thus, the term is conditional both on...
s and other health-related products. He was also the spokesperson for Nationwide Motors Corp., which is a regional chain of car dealerships located in the Middle Atlantic region.
He is currently a spokesman for the national "Strike Out High Cholesterol" campaign. Additionally, Palmer serves as a member of the advisory board of the Baseball Assistance Team
Baseball Assistance Team
The Baseball Assistance Team is a 501 non-profit affiliated with Major League Baseball. The organization's stated goal is to "help members of the baseball family who have come on hard times and are in need of assistance," and is guided by the principles of teamwork, caring, and sharing...
, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping former Major League, Minor League, and Negro League players through financial and medical difficulties.
Palmer also represents Cosamin DS, a joint health supplement made by Nutramax Laboratories in Edgewood, Maryland.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeTop 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeIn baseball, a strikeout occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and failure on the part of the batter....
- Major League Baseball titles leadersMajor League Baseball titles leadersAt the end of each Major League Baseball season, the league leaders of various statistical categories are announced. Leading the league in a particular category is referred to as a title....
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters