Adley Rutschman’s grand slam not only powered the Baltimore Orioles to a 10-3 victory over the Houston Astros but also delivered a long-awaited first for broadcaster Jim Palmer.
The 80-year-old Hall of Famer had never eaten a chicken wing until Thursday afternoon.
The playful bet originated more than a year earlier during a MASN telecast with play-by-play announcer Kevin Brown. Palmer casually revealed his culinary omission, leaving Brown stunned. The pair agreed that Palmer would sample one live on air the next time the Orioles hit a grand slam in a game he called.
That moment arrived in the opener of a doubleheader at Camden Yards. Rutschman’s fifth-inning drive popped out of Astros center fielder Brice Matthews’ glove after a wall collision and cleared the fence. Jeremiah Jackson added a seventh-inning grand slam, marking Baltimore’s first two-slam game since 2015.
In the eighth inning, MASN host Rob Long delivered a tray of wings to the booth. Palmer took his first bite and quipped about the play, “Brice Matthews should have caught that ball.”
“It’s a lot of skin, that’s all I can tell you,” he continued with a chuckle. “They’re greasy, by the way. Can’t eat them with a microphone. Actually, these are pretty good. Look what I’ve missed all these years.”
The lighthearted exchange, complete with Brown’s playful Dr. Seuss nod, brought smiles across Baltimore, proving even legends can discover new joys at the ballpark.
