Billy O'Dell obit

Ex-big leaguer Billy O'Dell, who won 105 games in majors, dies at 85

 

He was not on the list.

CLEMSON, S.C. -- Former major league pitcher Billy O'Dell, who won 105 games during a 13-year career, has died. He was 85 years old.

O'Dell pitched at Clemson before moving on to the majors. The school announced O'Dell's death on Thursday after speaking with family members. The Whitaker Funeral Home in Newberry, South Carolina, said O'Dell died Wednesday at Newberry County Memorial Hospital. Neither the school nor the funeral home announced a cause of death.

O'Dell went straight from college to the Baltimore Orioles in 1954 and pitched in the big leagues until 1967.

O'Dell was twice named to the American League All-Star team, in 1958 and 1959. He was named the MVP of the 1958 game after retiring nine straight batters in the AL's 4-3 victory.

O'Dell earned a save in the 1962 World Series with the San Francisco Giants.

O'Dell had a 3.29 ERA and a 105-100 career record. He also had 50 saves.

O'Dell was an All-Star representative for the American League in 1958 and 1959, and in 1959 had the highest strikeout to 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.

On July 4, 1961, in the first game of a doubleheader, O'Dell came on in relief of Eddie Fisher, who allowed the first three Chicago Cubs he faced to reach base on hits in the bottom of the first inning, tying the game 2-2, and proceeded to retire the next 26 of the 29 batters he faced. O'Dell allowed just one run and two hits in nine innings and struck out a career high 13 batters in a relief role, recording the win. The SF Giants routed the Cubs, 19-3, at Wrigley Field.

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 1962 World Series against the New York Yankees. He gave up a two-run double to Roger Maris, an RBI single to Tony Kubek, a solo home run to Clete Boyer, and finally an RBI single to Dale Long before being relieved by manager Alvin Dark for veteran pitcher Don Larsen, thus allowing five earned runs in 71⁄3 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.

He also played in the Cuban League for Almendares.

 

Teams

Baltimore Orioles (1954, 1956–1959)

San Francisco Giants (1960–1964)

Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves (1965–1966)

Pittsburgh Pirates (1966–1967)

 

Career highlights and awards

2× All-Star (1958, 1959)