Braves Collection: David Palmer

1988 Donruss #266 David was part of a group of talented young pitchers that would start their careers in the late 70s and early 80s with the Expos (including Charlie Lea and Bill Gullickson). Along with the veteran Steve Rogers, they formed a formidable pitching staff that would win their division in 1981. Well, David Palmer didn't as during the '81 season he would suffer the first of many setbacks due to arm problems. Eventually, he would have the best year of his career in Atlanta in 1986, but it was all downhill from there. In 1981, my family had just migrated from Memphis, TN to Columbus, GA. At the time, our minor league team in Columbus was an Astros AA team, the Columbus Astros. My first Astros game was against the Memphis Chicks and I was an OBNOXIOUS 11 year old to all the Columbus fans. I had my Memphis and Montreal hats and I loved to scream. Apparently, the guys in the Chicks bullpen were getting a kick out of me. One of the pitchers threw me a ball. I thought he wanted to play catch, but he kept saying "keep it". So I did. It was an official Southern League ball and the pitcher (I assume) has drew a Chicks logo on the ball with a ballpoint pen. The pitcher was David Palmer on a rehab assignment.