Since learning that Jim Palmer, the great Hall of Fame pitcher of the Baltimore Orioles, will be an upcoming guest on the podcast, A Mick A Mook and A Mic, many fond baseball memories came to mind.

While I played three sports in my younger days, baseball was my favorite…and probably the one in which I played best. Since I lived only a short walk to a park with three baseball fields, I remember playing ball morning, noon, and night in the summer. Like many kids in those days, I was told to head home when the streetlights came on… and believe me, I was often scolded for being late.

As a Red Sox fan, I remember my first visit to Fenway Park. I was in awe. Seeing the green grass and the famous ‘Green Monster’ (the left field wall) was a moment I will forever remember.

And here’s another life memory in which baseball was responsible…our family’s first color television!

The year was 1967 and the Red Sox had just won the American League Pennant on October 1, the last day of the season. They would be playing in their first World Series since 1946, versus the St. Louis Cardinals.

The World Series would start on Wednesday, October 4…and on Tuesday, October 3, I came home from school to a brand-new color TV, which my Dad bought for us.  My brother and I were thrilled!  As if the World Series wasn’t enough, we were going to watch it in COLOR! Quite a thrill back in those days.

And while our beloved Sox lost in a dramatic 7-game series, it was an unforgettable week for our family. Thanks Dad!

Thinking back to that ’67 World Series, it showcased two of my all-time favorite pitchers that I loved to watch…Sox ace Jim Lonborg and the great Bob Gibson of the Cardinals. As a matter of fact, I wore Lonborg’s number (16) during my high school baseball days. And while Lonborg was a favorite, he couldn’t hold a candle to Bob Gibson, one of the greatest pitchers EVER in MLB. I loved watching him pitch…he was big, fast, and NASTY! 

My other favorite pitchers from the past were Sandy Koufax, Juan Marichal, Luis Tiant and, yes, Jim Palmer. Each was great, with Koufax probably the best I’ve ever seen. When these pitchers took the mound, they expected to pitch 9-inning – not five. 5-innings back then for a starting pitcher was considered a failure. Pitching a complete game was their goal. Ahh…’complete games’…a stat that no longer exists.

So, as a huge baseball fan (of the past), I really look forward to watching Palmer on the upcoming podcast. For those unaware,  Jim was the winningest pitcher in the 1970s, with 186 wins. He also had eight 20-win seasons for the Orioles and 3 Cy Young Awards. I’m eager to learn what Jim thinks of today’s game.

And one last baseball memory…meeting the legendary Ted Williams. He came to our Little League All -Star game in 1962. I rode with him to the game in a police car, and he signed my baseball glove. I would meet him again later in life on a business trip. No surprise, he didn’t remember me, but I will never forget meeting him.

Unfortunately, while I’m a bit unenthused with MLB these days, I’m grateful for the many wonderful memories that baseball has provided me.

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