1977 jim palmer

o-pee-chee made jim palmer's facsimile autograph more difficult to see when they moved it on his 1977 o-pee-chee card:

here's the topps front:

now the o-pee-chee back:

and the topps back:

palmer was the two-time defending cy young award winner in 1977 (he had also won the award in 1973), and he made a strong case to hold on to the title for a third straight season.  he was 20-11 with a 2.91 era in 39 starts.  he led the league in wins, starts, complete games, and innings pitched, but finished second in the cy young voting to sparky lyle.  palmer did start the all-star game for the third time in his career (he would start again for the american league in 1978), although he gave up home runs to joe morgan, greg luzinski, and steve garvey in the game.

speaking of all-stars, palmer never faced ron hunt - the subject of the cartoon on the back.  hunt was a career national leaguer whose two all-star team stints occurred before palmer was ever named to the al squad, and hunt never appeared in the postseason although he joined the dodgers in 1967 - the year after palmer and the orioles swept them in the world series.

voici à vous, 1977 jim palmer!