Blue Moon Odom Stats & Facts

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Blue Moon Odom

Positions: Pitcher and Pinch Runner
Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right
6-0, 178lb (183cm, 80kg)
Born: May 29, 1945 in Macon, GA us
High School: Ballard Hudson HS (Macon, GA)
Debut: September 5, 1964
Last Game: August 17, 1976
Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1966 season
Full Name: Johnny Lee Odom
Nicknames: Blue Moon
View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

 

Notable Events and Chronology for Blue Moon Odom Career

Blue Moon Odom makes his major league debut, and Mickey Mantle greets him with a 3-run opposite-field homer in the 1st inning. New York hangs on to win, again by a 9 - 7 score.

Blue Moon Odom makes his major league debut, and Mickey Mantle greets him with a 3-run opposite-field homer in the 1st inning. New York hangs on to win, again by a 9 – 7 score.

After rookie Wally Bunker (16-4) gives the Orioles a 5 - 2 win, Kansas City's bonus baby Blue Moon Odom stops the O's, 8 - 0, on two hits. The split shaves the Orioles' lead to a half-game over the White Sox.

After rookie Wally Bunker (16-4) gives the Orioles a 5 – 2 win, Kansas City’s bonus baby Blue Moon Odom stops the O’s, 8 – 0, on two hits. The split shaves the Orioles’ lead to a half-game over the White Sox.

Kansas City and Washington battle with Washington winning, 1 - 0, behind Phil Ortega. Blue Moon Odom blanks the Senators for 8 1/3 innings to run the A's scoreless string to 45 1/3 innings. The American League record of 47 was set by Cleveland in 1948.

Kansas City and Washington battle with Washington winning, 1 – 0, behind Phil Ortega. Blue Moon Odom blanks the Senators for 8 1/3 innings to run the A’s scoreless string to 45 1/3 innings. The American League record of 47 was set by Cleveland in 1948.

1968 - A bid for a no-hitter by the Oakland Athletics' Blue Moon Odom is spoiled by Davey Johnson, who singles with two outs in the 9th inning. Odom tops Baltimore, 6 - 1.

1968 – A bid for a no-hitter by the Oakland Athletics’ Blue Moon Odom is spoiled by Davey Johnson, who singles with two outs in the 9th inning. Odom tops Baltimore, 6 – 1.

1968 - At Oakland, the Yanks edge the A's, 4 - 3. Blue Moon Odom gives up a triple to Tom Tresh, a walk, then serves up a three-run homer to Mickey Mantle for the difference.

1968 – At Oakland, the Yanks edge the A’s, 4 – 3. Blue Moon Odom gives up a triple to Tom Tresh, a walk, then serves up a three-run homer to Mickey Mantle for the difference.

Reggie Jackson of the Oakland Athletics collects 10 RBI  against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park

Reggie Jackson of the Oakland Athletics collects 10 RBI  against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park

At Washington's RFK Stadium, the National League scores early and often to coast to an easy 9-3 victory over the AL in the 40th All-Star Game. Cardinals southpaw Steve Carlton, the starting and winning pitcher, hits a double in the third inning off Blue Moon Odom to become the last hurler to get an extra-base hit in a Mid-Summer Classic contest.

At Washington’s RFK Stadium, the National League scores early and often to coast to an easy 9-3 victory over the AL in the 40th All-Star Game. Cardinals southpaw Steve Carlton, the starting and winning pitcher, hits a double in the third inning off Blue Moon Odom to become the last hurler to get an extra-base hit in a Mid-Summer Classic contest.

The NL wins the 40th All Star Game 9-3

The NL wins the 40th All Star Game 9-3

1970 - Blue Moon Odom yields 2 hits and smashes a home run as the Athletics beat the Royals‚ 7 - 1. Reggie Jackson and Gene Tenace also homer for the A's.

1970 – Blue Moon Odom yields 2 hits and smashes a home run as the Athletics beat the Royals‚ 7 – 1. Reggie Jackson and Gene Tenace also homer for the A’s.

Reggie Jackson hurts hamstring game 5 alcs

A’s clinching the pennant with a 2-1 victory in Game 5 of the ALCS

After six tries, the defending world champion A's finally win their first series of the season on a walk off single

After six tries, the defending world champion A’s finally win their first series of the season on a walk off single

Blue Moon Odom throws a combine 1 hitter vs A's - it will be his last victory

Blue Moon Odom throws a combine 1 hitter vs A’s – it will be his last victory

Oakland P Gene Nelson steals a base while pinch running for Don Baylor in a 9 - 8, 16-inning win over Toronto, becoming the first American League pitcher to steal a base since John "Blue Moon" Odom in 1973. Jose Canseco's three home runs are not quite enough, and the game is not decided until Mark McGwire connects in the 16th inning to end it. McGwire will hit another 16th-inning home run tomorrow.

Oakland P Gene Nelson steals a base while pinch running for Don Baylor in a 9 – 8, 16-inning win over Toronto, becoming the first American League pitcher to steal a base since John “Blue Moon” Odom in 1973. Jose Canseco’s three home runs are not quite enough, and the game is not decided until Mark McGwire connects in the 16th inning to end it. McGwire will hit another 16th-inning home run tomorrow.

Biography

​A lean, righthanded starter for the A’s in both Kansas City and Oakland, the highly-touted Odom made his ML debut only three months after graduating high school in 1964, but did not reach the ML for good until 1966. A’s owner Charlie Finley ordered the 19-year-old Odom into the starting rotation at the end of 1964, and he made five starts, pitching one shutout but lasting only eight innings total in the other four, and recording a 10.06 ERA. Odom spent spent most of 1965 and parts of 1966 and 1967 in the minors, but made the AL All-Star team in 1968, finishing 16-10 with a 2.45 ERA. Odom was 15-6, 2.92 as Oakland’s third starter in 1969, and made the All-Star team for the second consecutive year, but was shelled for five runs while retiring only one batter in the All-Star Game.

Elbow problems began to hamper Odom at the end of 1969 and throughout 1970, then after an off-season in 1971 he was 15-6 again in 1972, helping Oakland to the first of three consecutive World Championships. He was dazzling in the LCS, shutting out the Tigers on three hits in Game Two and allowing a single unearned run in the deciding Game Five, and in the WS he lost Game Three to the Reds 1-0 and allowed only one run while getting no decision in Game Seven. Odom slumped to 5-12, 4.49 in 1973, and spent most of 1974 in the bullpen before being traded to the Indians with cash for Dick Bosman and Jim Perry in 1975, then was traded to the Braves for Roric Harrison three weeks later. His ERA was 7.22 in 1975, and he spent his final ML season with the White Sox in 1976, winning only two of eight starts. One, however, was against the A’s on July 28, when he combined with reliever Francisco Barrios to pitch a no-hitter.

He spent almost his entire career with the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics. Odom was a 2X All-Star (1968-69) and a member of the 3 A’s World Series champion teams in the 1970s (1972-74). He was a superb postseason pitcher (3-1 record & 1.13 ERA in 10 games).

In his 13-year career (1964-1976), Blue Moon had 84 wins, 857 strikeouts, & 3.70 ERA.

 

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