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Palmer talks ’66 World Series in Chatting Cage
- Updated: June 2, 2016
NEW YORK — Jim Palmer recently turned 70 and Sandy Koufax 80, and that means we are coming upon the 50th anniversary of the time two of the greatest pitchers in Major League history met at the ages of 20 and 30, respectively, as opposing starters in opposite stages of their Hall of Fame careers during Game 2 of the 1966 World Series.
Palmer was the winning pitcher that day on the way to an Orioles sweep of the Dodgers. Koufax, meanwhile, was an unlucky loser (one earned run in six innings) in what turned out to be his last Major League game. During a visit to Major League Baseball Advanced Media’s studios on Thursday to appear in the Edward Jones Chatting Cage, Palmer not only talked about his new book “Nine Innings to Success” and the American League East, but he also recalled his first World Series win:
“I watched Moe Drabowsky strike out 11 Dodgers in 6 2/3 innings [of relief in Game 1] and I said, ‘Ooh, they might have a little problem with the high fastball.’ But Sandy pitched great. It turned out, I was 20, he was 30, he was 27-7 with an ERA under 2.00 that year, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself. But the way the game went, Paul Blair and Andy Etchebarren hit fly balls to center field. Willie Davis dropped the first one, dropped the second one, and after he dropped the second one, I think everybody knew he was having a bad day with the glove. He picked it up and threw it in the dugout.”
It was a scoreless game in the fifth inning, when all that happened, leading to three O’s runs. Koufax had thrown 25 of his first 28 pitches for strikes. The Dodgers rarely played day games at home, so Davis probably struggled with the sun. Koufax, mindful of the boos, put an arm around Davis to console him after that inning, while Palmer cruised toward a four-hit shutout.
“We got some unearned runs,” Palmer continued. “The Dodgers would actually make three more errors in that game, and we’d win, 6-0. Koufax didn’t really deserve to lose the game, but I was very happy that Willie had a bad day in the outfield.
“It was kind of surreal, because I went to …
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