Throughout his 19-year career, Jim Palmer took the ball six times for the Baltimore Orioles on Opening Day, tied with fellow Hall of Famer Mike Mussina for the most in franchise history.
One game that particularly stands out is a 1-0 victory against the Detroit Tigers April 10, 1975. Palmer threw a complete game, outdueling right-hander Joe Coleman, and the Orioles wound up finishing the season 90-69, 4.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the American League East.
Two years later, Palmer pitched 10 innings in a 2-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. Rookie center fielder Larry Harlow misjudged a fly ball that led to the winning run. It was the only Opening Day start that Palmer lost. Amazingly, that game lasted just two hours and 34 minutes.
