SANTA ANA, Calif. -- Former Oakland A's pitcher John 'Blue Moon' Odom was sentenced Friday to 90 days in county jail for selling $200 worth of cocaine, despite a doctor's warning the former star may be suicidal.
Superior Court Judge David H. Brickner also ordered Odom to pay a $200 fine, placed him probationon for five years and recommended he voluntarily undergo 30 days of alcoholism treatment before reporting to the Orange County Jail to serve his sentence Oct. 7.
Odom, who maintained throughout his trial that he was framed by overzealous police officers and a former colleague, told the judge before sentencing, 'I'd just like to say I'm an innocent man.
'I want to let you know I'm a very, very innocent man. I would like to get on with my life and have kids,' he said before collapsing in his chair and breaking into loud sobs.
Odom, 41, of Fountain Valley, Calif., was convicted by a jury last month of two felony counts of selling two grams of cocaine to a co-worker at a Xerox Corp. plant in Irvine where they both worked.
Odom, who pitched in three World Series in the 1970s, faced a maximum of more than six years in prison.
Before sentencing, Odom's psychiatrist, Dr. Seawright Anderson, testified that Odom was severely depressed by his conviction and may attempt suicide if sentenced to prison or jail.
Anderson also said Odom had been drinking heavily lately, was addicted to alcohol and could suffer a fatal bout of delirium tremens if not given proper medical treatment in jail.
But the judge declined to give Odom probation and order him to perform community service, as requested by his defense attorney, saying he could not order drug prevention lectures for someone who maintains he does not sell drugs or use them.
Odom's former co-worker, Willie Earl Harris, testified that Odom sold him $100 worth of cocaine on May 17, 1985, and again on May 24, 1985.
Police conducting routine undercover surveillance of the parking lot also testified they saw the two men exchanging what appeared to be a small package and some cash, and arrested the two men shortly after the second transaction.
Odom testified the Harris was simply paying back a debt and no drugs were exchanged, but jurors said later they did not believe that claim.
This was not Odom's only brush with the law.
The former pitcher is currently undergoing a court-ordered counseling program for an attack on his wife, Gayle, 34, in their apartment Dec. 10, 1985.
Odom said he was depressed over his arrest for the cocaine charges and the resulting loss of his job at Xerox when he took his wife hostage at gunpoint for an hour and then held police at bay for another six hours. He surrendered after a police SWAT team lobbed tear gas into his apartment.
Odom rose from poverty in Macon, Ga., to pitch for the Oakland A's from 1968 to 1975, which included a stint in the World Series in 1972, 1973 and 1974. He was traded to the Atlanta Braves in 1975 and retired shortly thereafter.
He has spent the last 18 months trying to find a job and has begun working part-time as a house painter.
