North Caddo Parish: Odell Hale - Hosston's Major Leaguer

Arvel Odell Hale (1908-1980) was an infielder for 10 major league seasons, mostly with the Cleveland Indians. Playing second and third base, he had a career batting average of .289; and hit over .300 in four of those years. He additionally had 51 home runs and 573 runs batted in. (1)

Going initially by his middle name, he was the son of James Monroe and Ella Hale and a graduate of Hosston High School where he played basketball and baseball. (2) He was also known by various nicknames including "Bing," "Sammy," "Chief" (for purported Native American heritage), and "Bad News," (2) (3)

The J. M. (James Monroe) Hale family living in Hosston per the 1920 U. S. Census.

Shreveport Journal 23-May-1925, Page 10

After high school Odell moved to El Dorado, Arkansas where he worked for Lion Oil and played for the semipro El Dorado Lion Oilers. He began his professional career in Class D Alexandria, LA in 1929, where he caught the attention of major league scouts. Dubbed "Bad News," referring to his impact on opposing pitchers, (once hitting a record-tying seven home runs in six consecutive days), the 1931 New Orleans Times Picayune article below disclosed his preference to be called "Sammy."

Source: Tampa (FL) Tribune 07-Sep-1929, Page 19

Source: New Orleans Times Picayune 28-May-1931, Page 15

Later that year he worked up to the majors playing briefly with the Cleveland Indians. Note he is referred to as "Bing" in the article, which he also was known by in his post-professional days.

Source: Camden (AR) News 06-Aug-1931, Page 4

In 1932, he was assigned to Cleveland's minor league team at the time, the Toledo Mud Hens, before returning to the Indians in 1933.

This 1933 article about his return to Cleveland for what would be an eight year run describes his background, including his high school days, and notes he played for a local baseball team afterward. This may have been a semi-pro club as at the time other area communities (e.g., Oil City, Trees City, McLeod, Texas) had teams often affiliated with a locally-based company or operation. He would later manage and play for a similar organization in El Dorado, Arkansas after his major league career.

Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer 04-Jul-1933, Page 12

Hale played against some of the true legends of baseball. In this example, Cleveland defeated New York 3-1 in Yankee Stadium, with Odell getting a RBI. Notable in the Yankee line-up were four of six from the famous "Murder's Row" of 1927 - Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri and Earle Combs.

Scranton (PA) Republican 21-Jul-1933 Page 14

Source: New Orleans Times Picayune 19-Mar-1934, Page 10

Odell was once featured on the Wheaties box in 1936, albeit it on the back.

There was even an Odell Hale signature baseball glove.

He was involved in one of the most unusual triple plays ever in a game on 07-Sep-1935 against the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park. that began with his being hit by a line drive that glanced off his glove and bounced off his forehead before being caught on the fly by Indian shortstop Bill Knickerbocker to begin the play that retired the Red Sox who had the bases loaded, preserving a Cleveland win.

Hale (left) and teammates Knickerbocker, Roy Hughes, and Hal Trosky after the triple play

A radio broadcast of the 21-Sep-1939 contest between the Cleveland Indians and the Washington Senators, won 6-3 by the visiting Indians. The broadcast begins in last half of fourth inning. Odell Hale (referred to as Sammy, played 2nd base and has significant plays as follows:

17:50 (grounds out)

44:50 (base hit, RBI)

50:25 (scores run)

1:00:48 (catches fly ball)

1:06:24 (throws force out at second to end 8th inning)

1:08:33 (base hit)

1:14:18 (throws out runner)

For the game, Odell batted 2 for 4 with 2 RBI , one walk, and scored one run.

Sorry, youtube audio for game has been removed. I'll leave the details though in case someone ever uploads again

A newspaper article recapping the game.

Cincinnati Enquirer 22-Sep-1939, Page 15

By 1940, his tenure in Cleveland was over as in the winter of that year, he was dealt to the Boston Red Sox.

New Orleans Times Picayune 13-Dec-1940, Page 27

There is a very brief view of Odell (far right) at the 0:09 mark of this film of the Boston Red Sox spring training in 1941.

Link

Fenway Park wasn't home for long, as six months later he was off to the New York Giants.

Source: Omaha (NE) World-Herald 20-Jun-1941, Page 25(Page 1 Sports)

By September, his major league days were over as he was sent to the American Association Milwaukee Brewers (not affiliated with the later major league club).

Source: Boston Herald 10-Sep-1941, Page 25

He played for Milwaukee in 1942 and though reported sold to Portland of the Pacific Coast League, for whom he declined to report, he appeared back on the Brewers 1943 roster as a catcher, a position he apparently hadn't played since high school (see above).

Source: Kansas City (MO) Star 25-Apr-1943, Page 2-B (Milwaukee catcher)

By 1945, with his professional baseball career ended, Odell returned to El Dorado and the employ of Lion Oil, from which he eventually retired, working as a plant operator, (5)

He also returned to the Lion Oilers, for whom he'd played years before, and eventually became manager, In that role he led the team to the Arkansas semi-pro title in 1950.

In the last decades of his life, Odell received little media attention; save for an occasional reference to his past career, or for being the subject of trivia questions.

Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer 14-Feb-1965, Page 5-C

Cleveland Plain Dealer 11-Nov-1965, Page 58

Regarding his place in baseball history, a Cleveland Indian fan website ranks him No. 82 among their players all-time. Baseball historian Arthur Schott named Odell to his all-time Louisiana-born team.