WHAT does anyone remember about the early 1960's Baltimore Orioles?

[DODGER DEB]

The early 1960's Baltimore Orioles had an up and coming team.

Managed by Paul Richards, they had the "Kiddie Korps" Pitching Staff, Milt Pappas, Chuck Estrada, Steve Barber, Jack Fisher and Jerry Walker. Followed by Jim Palmer, Wes Stock, Billy O'Dell, as well as Hoyt Wilhelm.

They also had Brooks Robinson, Ron Hansen, Boog Powell, Paul Blair, Mark Belanger, Andy Etchebarren, and Jackie Brandt.

Does anyone remember seeing these teams play. If so, why don't you share what you remember with us?

c.

OUR MOMENT IN TIME - OCTOBER 4, 1955 - 3:43PM

[yellowdog]

DEB, I do remember those players and one game in particular that invoved Milt Pappas.

I was a huge Yankee fan in the early 60's (I was just a kid and didn't know any better). And I remember those Oriole teams of that era quite well. The only baseball we got to see back then was the Game of the Week on Saturday afternoons. The Yankees seemed to play about 3 out of every 4 games (which is how I became a fan) and I remember them playing those Oriole teams quite a few times.

But the game that stands out in my mind, and the only one I really have a vivid recollection of, was September 20, 1961. The Yankees were at Baltimore that night for their 154th game of the season. The significance was that Comissioner Ford Frick had mandated that Roger Maris would have to either catch or tie Babe Ruth's home run record in that many games in order to make it an offical record. And Maris was sitting on 58.

But what really made it special for a 10 year old boy in South Carolina was that the game was shown live on a WEEK NIGHT. Something that was unheard of!! (I've often wondered if that was the first ever NATONAL telecast of a night game but have never been able to confirm it.) In my youthful optomism, I was sure he was going to hit three and break the record. But I remember the one he did hit off Milt Pappas like it was yesterday. And I remember the Yankees clinched the AL pennant that night. And I also remember going to school the next day without having done my homework.

[DODGER DEB]

THAT's a great recollection, yellowdog! Thanks for sharing it.

Those Oriole teams were very exciting to see. I saw many of the games they played in NY, Baltimore, DC and Boston. I did NOT like Memorial Stadium with those high walls. It was great for football, but NOT for baseball.

I am glad to see that YOU "got religion" and left those Yankees behind.

Milt was quite a pitcher, as were the other "kiddie corps" pitchers. Paul Richards ruined almost all of them with his demand that pitching coach Harry Breechen teach them how to throw "side-armed". But, for three or four years they really gave those Yankees a run.

c.

OUR MOMENT IN TIME - OCTOBER 4, 1955 - 3:43PM

[oldtimer]

I remember going to one particular game at Memorial Stadium, but it might have been the late 50's. Anyway, a bunch of us kids were in the right field bleachers and during warm ups and BP we were yelling at Gino Cimolli to toss us a ball. All he chose to toss us was a single digit salute.

Wasn't Jerry Adair at 2nd during the early 60"s?

[1raw1]

1966 is as far back as I go. What a great team...my favorite all time.

[Iron Jaw]

The Orioles came into their own in the early-mid 1960's. A losing franchise most of their time in St. Louis (and one season in Milwaukee), as well as their first five years in Baltimore, the O's went with some young arms in 1960, along young position players with a sprinkling of veterans. The pitching staff included Chuck Estrada, Milt Pappas, Jack Fisher, and a youngster named Steve Barber. The oldster in the starting rotation was Hal "Skinny" Brown. The O's used a five man rotation which was rare in those days. Jerry Walker was a spot starter as was Hoyt Wilhelm, the latter also the ace reliever along with Wes Stock, Billy Hoeft and Gordon Jones. Veteran Gus Triandos was the catcher. Diamond Jim Gentile was at first, Marv Breeding at second, Rookie of the Year Ron Hansen at short, and Brooks Robinson at third. Long time veteran Gene Woodling anchored the outfield along with Jackie Brandt and a series of players who filled the third position (Gene Stephens, Al Pilarcik, Jim Busby, Willie tasby, Dave Nicholson). Some of the part-timers were veterans, such as Walt Dropo, Clint Courtney, and Bob Boyd. Little Albie Pearson also was on the team. Manager Paul Richards guided the team to an 85-69 record, second place, eight games behind the Yankees.

The spark that began that season, continued through the 60's, 70's and into the early 80's. During the period of 1960-85, Baltimore had the best overall record in baseball.

[Iron Jaw]

Wasn't Jerry Adair at 2nd during the early 60"s?

Jerry Adair was with the O's from 1958 through the first part of 1966. He was the Orioles starting second sacker from 1961 through 1965, although he played some short when the O's still had Marv Breeding. Jerry was traded to the White Sox in early 1966 to make room for rookie second baseman Davey Johnson and obtain the services of veteran relief pitcher Eddie Fisher.

The O's starting rotation in 1966 (Barber, McNally, Palmer, Bunker) was good, but injury prone. Thus, the relief corps was pressed into heavy duty. Fisher, teamed up with the very able Stu Miller, rookie Eddie Watt and veteran Moe Drabowsky, helped bolster the Oriole bullpen.

[dreifort]

anyone get to see Jim Gentile play for the Orioles?

That's one guy who could smack the ball...too bad his career was so short.

[hagersbush]

I,ve been an Oriole fan since their inception into the A.L.East.
# 1 In 66 the orioles surprized everybody & went to the
World Series & beat the Dodgers in 4 straight games.
Jim Palmer.& a right fielder the O,s got from Cincinnati Reds.
named Frank Robinson along with C.F. Paul Blair were the
hero,s along with a hall of famer Hank bauer & ex Yankee
turned manager.

There are many many other stories but after almost 51 yrs.
A lot will run together for me so I will look up a few & get
back to you guys.

For those of you that really care about the orioles there is
three books you should read.The Only way I know by Cal Ripken.
Aint the beer Cold by Chuck thompson & the funniest of the three
Together we were Eleven Foot Nine about the times of Earl Weaver
& James Alvin Palmer. They are must reads for oriole fans.

[Iron Jaw]

anyone get to see Jim Gentile play for the Orioles?

That's one guy who could smack the ball...too bad his career was so short.

Diamond Jim Gentile was my first Oriole hero. When I started watching baseball in 1961 (I was a mere five years old that summer), Gentile was having a banner year for the Orioles. He played with the O's until 1964 when he was traded to the Kansas City A's for Norm Siebern. Norm was a good player, but he was past his star status when he arrived in Baltimore. But, by that time, I was 8, and my new Oriole hero, Brooks Robinson, was the star of the team. (As a Cardinal/Oriole fan, my favorites were both third sackers - Ken Boyer and Brooks Robinson, who both won the MVP Award the same year).

I followed Gentile after he left the O's. By 1967, Diamond Jim was playing in the minors as a member of the AAA San Diego Padres. I was living in Denver at the time, and when the Padres played the Denver Bears my Dad would always take us to the stadium. I watched Gentile hit one over the grandstand in the old Bear's Stadium (it became Mile High a couple of years after that) - that was quite a shot. But it was followed by a scoreboard shot (the scoreboard was perched high above centerfield) by another former big leaguer named Billy Cowan. But Denver won the game anyway on a ninth inning shot by Andy Kosco. The shot by Gentile was the longest I ever saw in the old stadium though.

[ray]

Hello, great thread, just ran across it (a bit late).

Here is what sticks in my mind about the 1960 Orioles.

I recall they were having a brilliant season, playing way above expectations, challenging the Yankees. Os and Yanks were tied for first place, sometime close to the end of the season, and had a four game series coming up. It was to be the showdown series of the season (if not the century), very hyped-up (well, about as hyped-up as you could get for 1960).

The Os got swept. So from tied-for-first-place to four-games-out in a weekend, they never recovered.

Too bad. I wasn't an Os fan (was a Senators fan) but I hated the Yankees.

What do you remember about the 1959 Os?

[JohnGelnarFan]

Welcome to BBF and the Orioles site Ray! In 1959,Hoyt Wilhelm was a starting pitcher for the O's. He pitched 226 Innings,won 15 games,pitched 3 shutouts and led the league in ERA at 2.19. He only started 11 games in 1960 and started his Hall of Fame Relief career. In 1959,he was already 35 years old!

[starkeeper]

I remember watching Brooks Robinson at third base. He was phenomenal!!

[Chelle]

THAT's a great recollection, yellowdog! Thanks for sharing it.

Those Oriole teams were very exciting to see. I saw many of the games they played in NY, Baltimore, DC and Boston. I did NOT like Memorial Stadium with those high walls. It was great for football, but NOT for baseball.

I am glad to see that YOU "got religion" and left those Yankees behind.

Milt was quite a pitcher, as were the other "kiddie corps" pitchers. Paul Richards ruined almost all of them with his demand that pitching coach Harry Breechen teach them how to throw "side-armed". But, for three or four years they really gave those Yankees a run.

c.

OUR MOMENT IN TIME - OCTOBER 4, 1955 - 3:43PM

I wasn't born until the early 70s so I don't remember anything about those teams. However, I must say....Memorial Stadium was like my home away from home. If I close my eyes I can still picture the "Here" flag....I can smell the stadium...every little bit of that cold stone. What others found unfriendly, or what people didn't like about it....it made it OURS. It's was 100% Baltimore.

OPACY is a beautiful stadium, and the wine and cheese crowd who come, and the visitors who come late and leave early have a great time. But the blue color TRUE O's fans who can't seem to afford the $35 average price tickets (for good seats) remember the days of 33rd street when you could sit up close for $10-$15. When REAL fans filled the stadium. When a Yankee fan would be lucky to get a seat.

I like OPACY but I loved 33rd street. It's the O's true home and the one true home of the Baltimore Colts.

[del112155]

I remember Jim Gentile playing for the Padres in San Diego in '67 and '68. He was one of my favorite players. The Padres won the PCL crown in '67 with him at Westgate Park.