Billy O'Dell
William Oliver O'Dell, known as Billy O'Dell and also as Digger O'Dell, was an American professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues in thirteen seasons: 1954 and from 1956–1967. He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent in 1954, and was a bonus baby, never spending a day in the minors. He did not play in 1955 due to service in the military.
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.
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 7 innings. He did strike out eight, including Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle, who struck out twice.
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.
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.
