Orioles Card "O" the Day

An intersection of two of my passions: baseball cards and the Baltimore Orioles. Updated daily?

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Jim Palmer, 2003 Topps Record Breakers #RB-JP

Today I had a medium-sized USPS box waiting for me when I got home from work, with the return address of longtime reader Randy. I've had the good fortune to clink glasses (okay, cans) with him at Camden Yards, and I'm sure he won't take it personally when I mention my wife's response to this package full of Orioles cards: "His timing couldn't be any worse." Yes, we're in the process of packing all of our possessions before the big move. No, I didn't let that stop me from ripping the box open and unwrapping all of the carefully-arranged team set bags within. As always, I am grateful for Randy's generosity, and this time in particular he gifted me some real doozies that will make for interesting blog material in the coming weeks and months.

Randy even managed to provide exactly what I was looking for tonight: a new Jim Palmer card to post on the grand occasion of the Hall of Famer's 70th birthday. Not only were Jim's American League-leading ten shutouts in 1975 a team record, but his career total of 53 shutouts are also still 16th-most in MLB history. Just to drive the point home, the O's haven't had ten complete-game shutouts in the past decade...total. Jim Palmer was a once-in-a-generation talent, and it's a different kind of game now. Happy birthday, Cakes, and many more.

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