Books and articles about Blue Moon Odom

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.

RELATED LINKS Submissions » A List And An Anniversary by Bruce Markusen Ask The Experts » Who played for the A's championship teams of the early '70s? Corrections » Bug #49 Around the Web » Blue Moon Odom from baseball-reference.com » WHERE ARE THEY NOW? - John "Blue Moon" Odom - 'Blue Moon' risen - Ex-A's pitcher says he's now a better man from sfgate.com (10/14/01) Jump directly to Library content from any website!

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. (SCL)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 5, 1964: Blue Moon Odom makes his ML debut, and Mickey Mantle greets him with a 3-run opposite field homer in the first inning. New York hangs on to win, again by a 9–7 score. » September 11, 1964: After rookie Wally Bunker (16-4) gives the Orioles a 5–2 win, KC'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. » September 18, 1966: Kansas City and Washington battle with the Washington winning 1–0 behind Phil Ortega, 1–0. John "Blue Moon" Odom blanks the Senators for eight 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. » June 7, 1968: The A's Blue Moon Odom's bid for a no-hitter is spoiled by Davey Johnson, who singles with two outs in the 9th inning. Odom tops Baltimore, 6–1. » August 15, 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. » April 13, 1969: The Royals split a pair with the Athletics, taking the opener, 4–1 as Mike Fiore hits the first homer in the Royals' history. Bill Butler wins over Blue Moon Odom. Jim Nash shuts out the Royals in the nitecap, 3–0, with Reggie Jackson and Dick Green supplying homers. » June 14, 1969: With a 21–7 rout of the Red Sox at Fenway Park, the Oakland A's regain first place in the American League West. Reggie Jackson hits two home runs and drives in 10 Oakland runs. Reggie doubles home a run in the 1st, homers in the 3rd and 5th, each time with Tommie Reynolds on base, strikes out with the bases loaded in the 6th, and singles in two with the sacks full in the 7th. Reg drives in three with a single in the 8th on a hit that he could easily have stretched into a double. Blue Moon Odom is the easy winner. The 21 runs is a team record that won't be matched until 2000. » September 6, 1970: Blue Moon Odom yields two 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. » October 8, 1972: During his club's 5–0 win in the 2nd game of the ALCS, Oakland's Bert Campaneris fires his bat at Detroit P Lerrin LaGrow. Campy, who had been hit by a pitch, is fined and suspended for the rest of the series. LaGrow is also thrown out of the game, but Detroit manages just three hits against Blue Moon Odom. » October 18, 1972: With the rainout yesterday, game five is quickly re-scheduled for this afternoon. With runners at 2B and 3B and a 3-2 count, the A's fake an intentional walk and strike out Johnny Bench looking. Blue Moon Odom strikes out 11, but Cincinnati's Jack Billingham is the winner 1–0. » May 1, 1973: Brewers starter Bill Parsons walks the first three A's batters and is lifted for Jim Colborn, who pitches a complete game, 4–3, win. Johnny Briggs drives in all the Milwaukee runs, including a home run in the 9th inning off Blue Moon Odom (0–5), to win it. » May 20, 1975: The Indians trade pitchers Dick Bosman and Jim Perry to the A's for P Blue Moon Odom and cash. » July 28, 1976: Blue Moon Odom and Francisco Barrios combine on a no-hitter as the White Sox top the A's 2–1. Odom walks nine in five innings and is lifted after throwing a ball in the 6th, and Barrios adds another two passes. For Odom (2-0), this is his last ML victory. » July 3, 1988: Oakland's 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.