Ken O'Dea
Encyclopedia
James Kenneth O'Dea was a catcher
in Major League Baseball
. From 1935
through 1946
, O'Dea played for the Chicago Cubs
(1935-38), New York Giants
(1940-41), St. Louis Cardinals
(1943-46) and Boston Braves
(1946). A native of Lima, New York
, he batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He debuted on April 21, 1935, and played his final game on August 6, 1946.
In a 12-season career, O'Dea posted a .255 batting average
with 40 home run
s and 323 RBI
in 832 games played
.
A good defensive player and valuable pinch-hitter, O'Dea served as a reserve catcher for Gabby Hartnett
(Cubs), Harry Danning
(Giants) and Walker Cooper
(Cardinals). His most productive season came in 1945, when he posted career-highs in games (100), hits
(78), runs
(36), RBI (43), extra bases (24), and made the National League All-Star team. He also appeared in five World Series
(1935
, '38
, '42
, '43
, '44
), batting .462 (6-for-13) with one home run, including a since-tied record three pinch hits.
O'Dea died in his hometown of Lima at the age of 72.
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. From 1935
1935 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Detroit Tigers over Chicago Cubs *All-Star Game, July 8 at Municipal Stadium: American League, 4-1-Other champions:*Negro League Baseball All-Star Game, August 11 at Comiskey Park: West, 11-8...
through 1946
1946 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox *All-Star Game, July 9 at Fenway Park: American League, 12–0-Other champions:*Negro League World Series: Newark Eagles over Kansas City Monarchs...
, O'Dea played for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1935-38), New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1940-41), St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1943-46) and Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1946). A native of Lima, New York
Lima, New York
Lima, New York refers to two locations south of the City of Rochester, New York in Livingston County, New York:*Lima , New York*Lima , New YorkNote that the names of both places are pronounced like the bean, not like the capital of Peru....
, he batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He debuted on April 21, 1935, and played his final game on August 6, 1946.
In a 12-season career, O'Dea posted a .255 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 40 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 323 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 832 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
A good defensive player and valuable pinch-hitter, O'Dea served as a reserve catcher for Gabby Hartnett
Gabby Hartnett
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago Cubs. Until the career of Johnny Bench, Hartnett was considered the greatest catcher in the history of the National League...
(Cubs), Harry Danning
Harry Danning
Harry Danning, nicknamed Harry the Horse was a professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Giants, and was considered one of the top defensive catchers of his era. He batted and threw right-handed...
(Giants) and Walker Cooper
Walker Cooper
William Walker Cooper was an American professional baseball player. He was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for six National League teams from 1940 to 1957...
(Cardinals). His most productive season came in 1945, when he posted career-highs in games (100), hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(78), runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(36), RBI (43), extra bases (24), and made the National League All-Star team. He also appeared in five World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
(1935
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
, '38
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
, '42
1942 World Series
The 1942 World Series featured the defending champion New York Yankees against the St. Louis Cardinals, with the Cardinals winning the Series in five games for their first championship since and their fourth overall....
, '43
1943 World Series
The 1943 World Series matched the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the New York Yankees, in a rematch of the 1942 Series. The Yankees won the Series in five games for their tenth championship in 21 seasons. It was Yankees' manager Joe McCarthy's final Series win...
, '44
1944 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 4, 1944 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, MissouriGeorge McQuinn hit the Brown's only home run of the series to put his team ahead in the fourth inning, while Denny Galehouse outpitched World Series veteran Mort Cooper to hold on for the win.-Game 2:Thursday, October 5,...
), batting .462 (6-for-13) with one home run, including a since-tied record three pinch hits.
O'Dea died in his hometown of Lima at the age of 72.