European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 09, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Palmer sure bet for Hall of Fame Page 25 by Mari the Baltimore Sun Jim Palmer in t certain How he will spend tuesday the Day he is Likely to join babe Brooksie and the boys. Ill try to get a Tennis game in. I la prob ably do my weights. Then maybe i la get a  said the former Baltimore on orcs Pitcher and grandmaster of nonchalance. Just a Normal  a couple of years from now Jan. 9, 1990, probably won t be recalled As the Day Palmer got a shampoo and blow dry. But in May be remembered As the Day the winning est orioles Pitcher was elected tothe National baseball Hall of Fame. On tuesday the ballots from this year s Hall of Fame election will have been counted and about 8 o clock Ven Erable Newspaperman Jack Lang will have begun the enviable task of phoning the fortunate few who have been elected. Palmer is among 44 candidates on the ballot and perhaps the Man with the Best Chance to be accepting congratulatory telegrams tuesday night. Joe Morgan a second baseman who played 22 seasons in the major leagues also is Given a Good Chance to be elected. Others on the ballot include pitchers Jim Bunning. Ferguson Jenkins. Jim Kaal and Gaylord Perry and position players Tony Oliva. Thurman Munson. Maury wills and Joe Torre. Palmer is one of 21 players on the ballot for he first time. Players Are not eligible until they have been retired for five years. There arc no sure things in Hall of Fame matters. Since the inception of baseball s shrine in 1936, no player has been elected unanimously and Only Tycobb came within for votes of a perfect score. In the Hall s first year. Cobb was named on 222 of 226 Lozois babe Ruth and Honus Wagner fell 11 votes shy but Palmer s chances to get 75 percent of the Voles the minimum Tor induction appear exceedingly Good. On first glance and second too he seems to Saveall the necessary credentials. First and Foremost there Are the num Bers. Palmer s arc Awe inspiring. During a major league career that Las cd from 1965 to May 1984, Palmer won 268 games and63.8 percent of his decisions. In the 1970s, he was a 20-game Winner eight times and was voted the american league by Young award in 1973,1975 and 1976. If you still Are in doubt consider this Palmer is one of Only three american league pitchers to have won 20 games eight times. The others Are lefty Grove eight times and Waller Johnson 12 time who were in the Hall of Fame be fore Palmer had thrown his first fastball. Lang a Hall of Fame voter for about 30 years seems to have no doubt. I would say if Jim Palmer in t elected we ought to hold an investigation he said. Lang went on. Look at the record. Tome the criterion is was the Man a dominant player at his position in the Era he played in this Case my answer has to be that there was no More dominant Pitcher in the american league than Jim Palmer was when he played. When you needed to win a game you gave him the  there Are other reasons to consider Palmer a shoo in. Statistics aside the Hall voters who arc members of the baseball writers association of America with 10 or More years of continuous service arc directed to consider qualities such As integrity sportsmanship Char Acter contribution to the team s on which the player played and not on what he May have done otherwise in  Palmer seems to deserve More merits than demerits in each category. Voters Aren t supposed to weigh whether a candidate offers an engaging interview or looks Good in Bikini under Wear but such subjective factors some times Are taken into account. Outwardly Palmer has remained Calm about the vote and philosophical about his chances for first time election. He has spent the last two weeks in key Bis Cayne Fla. Vacationing with his Fiancee Joni Pearlstone and his daughters Jamie 23, and Kelly. 20. He will be Home in Baltimore by tuesday however just in Case Lang is calling. Palmer 44, said he is not consume with thoughts about events tuesday night. Not at All he said. To me getting in is More like a Bonus. It s like someone handing you something. You can t control the situation it s a total non control Issue. I be already played my  Palmer said thoughts of joining baseball Scline. Including his former orioles Leam Malc 1983 inductee Brooks Robinson Hadnot entered his mind much until recently. And he said it never was a consideration during his 19-year playing career. I be heard Boston red sox Pitcher Roger Clemens say. I m trying to get in the Hall of Fame " Palmer said. But never thought about that. I was trying to sex Oriole Jim Palmer displays 1iof Pilchik form in this i9ho picture. Get ready for the next game or season that was consuming enough. Hall of Fame numbers Are garnered Over such a Long period of Lime. It s like pitching inthe first inning and thinking about what you Are going Loilo in the  Palmer May not be thinking about what seems to be inevitable hut the Ori Ole Are. And have been Lor some linn1. Anticipating Palmer s firs Bai of induction former Baltimore general Man Ager Hank Peters signed up the team to play in the annual exhibition Fame held in conjunction with the induction Cere monies in Cooperstown. . This year. Ceremonies Are aug. 5. Willi the game Between the orioles and Montreal expos to be played the following Day. In addition. Bob ayin Var. Ii orcs vice president for business affairs said the team is planning to Mark th.4 Palmer Milestone with in event at memorial stadium though there has been no Deci Sion on How or when to Honor him. Among the reasons the orioles have nol completed their plans superstition. Nobody wants to Jinx anything by talking about in before it  Al Avard said. It s kind of silly but that s driving the indecision at this  Schne Llenberger High on jets next coach list by Greg Logan newday Michigan state coach George Perlis seems to have emerged As the morning line favorite to get the new York jets coaching Job but insiders around the league keep whispering the name of Louisville coach Howard Schne Llenberger who also has been mentioned All sea son in speculation that he would replace Alabama coach Bill Curry. Schne Llenberger is an interesting Guy said on enc general manager who has known new jets Gener Al manager Dick Steinberg for years and has som insight into the situation. He has produced he s a disciplinarian and a teacher and you know he Panhandle the pressure of new York. He loves the spot Light. He s supposed to be a Good evaluator of  Schne Llenberger also comes highly recommended by chargers pm Bobby Beathard and by giants pm George Young who Are close associates of  candidate who May be in Steinberg s top three is Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips but some believe he needs More seasoning after just one year on his own since leaving the eagles and buddy Ryan. By the Way the Rumor that the jets contacted Ryan earlier this year is True but they weren t probing his Rifle notes interest in the Job. A source on the eagles coaching staff said the jets asked Ryan about Phillips. Now Here s a Long shot special. Dolphins coach Don Shula is a free agent at the moment. Shula did t get an Extension during the season. Of course a move would be difficult for shun who has family considerations and deep roots in Miami. This is speculation but if Shula decided he were available you can bet Steinberg would jump at the Chance to hire him. Whomever Steinberg hires people around the league Are interested to see How the changes in the jets front office unfold. The jets always were a one dimensional  the pfc pm said. They built through the draft Only. They never traded to get play ers As a Rule. They did t do much with the Usel and plan b. The Basic feeling around the league was that it was a waste of time to Call the jets. They were totally uncooperative. They did t want to make trades or talk to you about your players. You could Call the coaches on the Side but that caused problems. They were going to live or die with their draft choices and if they were Short in one area their philosophy was to Vait until the next draft to do some thing about it. If Vou re going to do that you be got to finish last a Bunch of years in a Row. Hit All your High draft picks and Hope they turn into All pros. Then when you reach a certain level you try to survive at that level. That s hard to  despite the reports that say former oilers coach Jerry Glanville is the leading candidate for the Atlanta Falcons coaching Job redskins offensive coordinator Joe Burcl has at least As Good a Chance to win the position. Bugel has been asked to return for a second interview and a redskins source said the Falcons have indicated Bugel is their Man. Beathard received this vote of Confidence from chargers owner Alex Spanos when he was hired Bea hard can have the next 10 years if he wants to slay Here. It s up to  but Spanos Only signed Beathard to a three year contract. Asked if he had a timetable for when the chargers 5-11 this season might contend for the super bowl Beathard said i got into that with the redskins and threw out a number by Accident. For some strange reason in worked out to the year when the redskins won super bowl xvii following the 1982 season. If i said the same number Here Spanos might get rid of me  the number was five years and the implication is that Spanos does t have that sort of patience