Johnny Lee "Blue Moon" Odom (born May 29, 1945, in Macon, Georgia) was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. For most of his thirteen-year career, he played for the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics. He also pitched for the Chicago White Sox and the Atlanta Braves.

Odom was called up to the A's in late 1964 and debuted in a start against the New York Yankees on September 5 at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City. Odom gave up a three-run homer in the first inning to Mickey Mantle and surrendered three more runs in the second, but wound up with a no-decision. Odom went on to pitch in two All-Star games (1968 and 1969), and won three consecutive World Series rings with the Oakland dynasty of 1972-1974.

Odom was dominant in postseason play. In 42 innings pitched from 1972 to 1974, Odom compiled a 3-1 record with a remarkable 1.07 ERA and 27 strikeouts. In his first ever post-season game on October 7, 1972, he threw a three-hit shutout against the Detroit Tigers. In the next two postseasons for the Athletics, Odom was placed in a relief pitcher role, gaining the win in the decisive Game 5 of the 1974 World Series.

In his best season, 1968, Odom won 16 games and compiled a 2.45 earned run average. On June 7 of that year, against the Baltimore Orioles, he had a no-hitter broken up by a Davey Johnson single with two out in the ninth.

An excellent athlete, Odom was used quite often as a pinch-runner. He also wielded a strong bat (for a pitcher), hitting 12 home runs with a batting average of .195 for his career. On May 4, 1969, he went 3-for-3 with a home run and six RBI against the Seattle Pilots. In the 2nd inning, Odom belted a home run off Pilots pitcher Bucky Brandon, scoring teammates Rick Monday and Dick Green. With the bases loaded in his next at bat in the 3rd inning, he hit a three-run double, driving home (Sal Bando, Green, Dave Duncan).

Pitching for the Chicago White Sox on July 28, 1976, Odom combined with reliever Francisco Barrios to pitch a no-hitter against his former team, the Oakland A's. Odom pitched the first five innings, Barrios the last four, in what would be his last big-league victory.

Odom led the Northwest League in games started (29) and innings pitched (198) while playing for the Lewis-Clark Broncs of Lewiston, Idaho in 1965. His debut for the Broncs is locally legendary and was one of the most spectacular in baseball history. In the bottom of an inning with no outs, Odom came to the mound in relief. He not only struck out three in a row, he threw all strikes and left the mound to a rousing ovation {from an eye-witness account}. He tied for the American League lead (with Frank Bertaina) in wild pitches with 17 in 1968.

In High School, Odom led Ballard Hudson High to two consecutive state championships while amassing a 42-2 record and pitching eight no-hitters.^[1]

Blue Moon Odom was formally recognized as one of the all-time greats when he was inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

Odom was asked to represent the Athletics at the 2008 First Year Player Draft, June 5 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

[edit] References

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• Georgia Sports Hall of Fame
• Retrosheet
• Lost in the Ninth: No-Hitters Broken Up in the Ninth Inning Since 1961
• 1968 Baseball Register published by The Sporting News

[edit] Notes