Billy O'Dell

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Billy O'Dell
O'Dell in 1963.
Pitcher
Born: (1933-02-10)February 10, 1933
Whitmire, South Carolina, U.S.
Died: September 12, 2018(2018-09-12) (aged 85)
Newberry, South Carolina, U.S.
Batted: Switch
Threw: Left
MLB debut
June 20, 1954, for the Baltimore Orioles
Last MLB appearance
September 12, 1967, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics
Win–loss record105–100
Earned run average3.29
Strikeouts1,133
Teams
Career highlights and awards

William Oliver O'Dell (February 10, 1933 – September 12, 2018), known as Billy O'Dell and also as Digger O'Dell,

bonus baby, never spending a day in the minors. He did not play in 1955 due to service in the military.[2]

O'Dell was an

walk ratio in all of MLB with 2.69. On May 19, 1959, O'Dell hit an inside-the-park home run for the Orioles in a 2–1 victory over the Chicago White Sox. On November 30, 1959, the Orioles traded him, along with Billy Loes, to the San Francisco Giants for Jackie Brandt, Gordon Jones and Roger McCardell.[2]

In 1962, O'Dell won a career high 19 games for the NL champion Giants. O'Dell was the losing pitcher in Game 1 of the

earned runs in 713 innings. He did strike out eight, including Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle
, who struck out twice.

On July 23, 1964, O'Dell allowed 12 runs (11 earned) in seven innings in a 13–4 loss to the Cubs. Alvin Dark, the Giants manager, was criticized for leaving O'Dell in so long, but Dark later explained that he thought O'Dell needed to get more work in. O'Dell had not been pitching deep in games that year, and his elbow was getting sore from disuse. While O'Dell's ERA was lower after that game, he only made one further start, working mainly out of the bullpen for the rest of the year.[3][4]

O'Dell finished his career with the

Milwaukee Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was with the Braves when they moved to Atlanta. After 1963, he pitched mostly in relief. O'Dell's final game was on September 12, 1967, in relief for the Pirates.[2]

O'Dell attended Clemson University. He died at a hospital in Newberry, South Carolina on September 12, 2018, from complications of Parkinson's disease, aged 85.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Billy O'Dell – Society for American Baseball Research".
  2. ^ a b c "Billy O'Dell Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ^ "Billy O'Dell 1964 Pitching Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  4. .
  5. ^ "Former pitcher Billy O'Dell, Orioles' first bonus baby and MVP of 1958 All-Star Game, is dead at 85". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 13, 2018.

External links