News Release, Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles will welcome back MIKE MUSSINA for a ceremonial first pitch on Sunday, June 30, in celebration of his upcoming induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame later this summer.

Mussina, 50, played 18 Major League seasons from 1991-2008, including his first 10 seasons with the Orioles. He currently holds the best all-time winning percentage by a qualifying Orioles pitcher with a minimum of 140 decisions (.645), and ranks among the club’s all-time leaders in strikeouts (second, 1,535); wins (third, 147); ERA (fifth, 3.53); starts (fifth, 288); innings pitched (sixth, 2009.2); shutouts (eighth, 15); and complete games (10th, 45).

A five-time American League All-Star (all with Baltimore), Mussina won seven Gold Gloves, including four with the Orioles, and finished inside the top six of Cy Young Award voting nine times, seven with Baltimore. As a member of the Orioles, Mussina led the American League with a .783 winning percentage (18-5) in 1992; wins (19); shutouts (four); and walks per 9.0 innings (2.03) in 1995; games started (36) in 1996; and innings pitched (237.2) in 2000. He tossed three one-hitters with the Orioles and struck out 15 batters in a game twice. In six career postseason starts with the Orioles, Mussina went 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA (12 ER/42.2 IP). He was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2012.

Mussina will be formally inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame during the ceremonies in Cooperstown, N.Y. on Sunday, July 21, at 1:30 p.m., along with two other former Orioles, OF HAROLD BAINES and RHP LEE SMITH, in addition to RHP ROY HALLADAY, DH EDGAR MARTINEZ, and RHP MARIANO RIVERA.

David M. Higgins II is an award-winning journalist passionate about uncovering the truth and telling compelling stories. Born in Baltimore and raised in Southern Maryland, he has lived in several East...