Oddibe McDowell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oddibe McDowell |
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| Center fielder | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born: August 25, 1962 Hollywood, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||||||||
| May 19, 1985, for the Texas Rangers | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| August 10, 1994, for the Texas Rangers | ||||||||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .253 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 74 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 266 | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Oddibe McDowell was born on August 25, 1962. He is a former American baseball player. He played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Oddibe played for the Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and Atlanta Braves from 1985 to 1994.
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Oddibe McDowell's Early Baseball Career
Oddibe McDowell was a great athlete in high school. He went to McArthur High School in Hollywood, Florida. In 1979, he won a wrestling championship.
McDowell played college baseball at Arizona State University (ASU). In 1984, he won the Golden Spikes Award. This award goes to the best amateur baseball player each year. He wore the number 0 jersey at ASU. In 1991, ASU added McDowell to its sports hall of fame. They also retired his jersey number, meaning no one else can wear it.
Oddibe also played for the U.S. national team. In 1981, he won a gold medal at the World Games. He also won a gold medal in the 1981 Intercontinental Cup. In 1984, he was part of the Olympic Team. They won a silver medal. He hit three home runs during that tournament.
Oddibe McDowell in Professional Baseball
The Texas Rangers chose McDowell in the first round of the 1984 Major League Baseball draft. When he first played for the Rangers, he wore the unusual uniform number 0. Later, he wore number 20 with the Indians. He wore number 1 with the Braves. When he returned to the Rangers, he wore number 8.
McDowell made history for the Rangers on July 23, 1985. He was the first Rangers player to hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game. The Rangers won that game 8–4 against the Indians. Other Rangers players who have hit for the cycle include Mark Teixeira and Adrián Beltré. In 2024, Wyatt Langford became the first Rangers rookie since McDowell to hit for the cycle. Oddibe finished fourth in the voting for the American League Rookie of the Year in 1985.
Oddibe McDowell was also known for hitting leadoff home runs. These are home runs hit by the first batter in a game. For a long time, he was tied for second in career leadoff home runs for the Rangers.
His first name is pronounced "owed a bee" or "oh-ta-bee."
Oddibe McDowell's Life After Playing
In 2011, Oddibe McDowell was added to the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.
As of 2025, McDowell is the head coach for the varsity baseball team. He coaches at McArthur High School in Hollywood, Florida. This is the same high school he attended.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
