Each week, The Baltimore Sun will chronicle the Orioles’ march to their first world championship in 1966, along with an archived cartoon of the Orioles bird drawn by the late Jim Hartzell, artist for The Sun.

The Orioles start fast, winning three of their first four games and slamming nine home runs. On a bone-chilling Opening Day, they edge the Red Sox, 5-4, in Boston on a bases-loaded balk in the 13th inning of a game that lasts 3 hours, 45 minutes. Both Robinsons, Brooks and Frank, homer — and do it again the next day in an 8-1 rout of the Red Sox. In 44-degree weather, Jim Palmer, 20, pitches a five-hitter and hits a home run.

In pitching his first complete game in the majors — and the first route-going performance by an Orioles starter all spring — Palmer throws 172 pitches.

“That’s not unusual for me,” he says afterward. “Least I ever threw in a complete game [in the minors] was 129.”

In their home opener at Memorial Stadium, before an announced 35,624, the Orioles lose, 3-2, to the New York Yankees and rookie pitcher Fritz Peterson. Slugger Frank Robinson, acquired in the offseason, homers for the third straight game. The Orioles bounce back with a 7-2 victory as Dave McNally and reliever Stu Miller stop the Yankees on three hits. Brooks Robinson, Curt Blefary and Paul Blair — using a heavier bat given to him by Frank Robinson — hit home runs. Frank Robinson adds a run-scoring double, giving him at least one RBI in each of his first four games.

At 3-1, the Orioles — co-favorites with the Minnesota Twins to win the American League — finish the week in third place behind the undefeated Detroit Tigers (5-0) and Cleveland Indians (3-0).

— Mike Klingaman (mike.klingaman@baltsun.com)

