Odie Spears

Odie Spears
Personal information
Born (1925-06-26)June 26, 1925
Scottsville, Kentucky
Died March 28, 1985(1985-03-28) (aged 59)
Louisville, Kentucky
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight 205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school Scottsville (Scottsville, Kentucky)
College Western Kentucky (1941–1943, 1946–1948)
NBA draft 1948 / Round: -- / Pick: --
Selected by the Chicago Stags
Playing career 1948–1957
Position Guard
Number 20, 15, 8, 19
Career history
19481950 Chicago Stags
1950–1951 Louisville Alumnites (NPBL)
19511955 Rochester Royals
19551956 Fort Wayne Pistons
1956–1957 St. Louis Hawks
Career BAA and NBA statistics
Points 4,161 (8.7 ppg)
Rebounds 1,409 (4.0 rpg)
Assists 917 (1.9 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Marion Odicea "Odie" Spears (June 17, 1925 March 28, 1985) was an American basketball player.

A 6'5" guard from Scottsville, Kentucky, Spears attended nearby Western Kentucky University but saw little playing time during his first two seasons. After his sophomore year, he left Western Kentucky to serve in the United States Army, where he played three seasons for the 326th Glider Infantry basketball team at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He then returned to Western Kentucky in 1946 with improved skills and confidence and became the team's leading scorer during his junior and senior years. Spears received All-American honors in 1948 after leading Western Kentucky to a third-place finish in the National Invitation Tournament (then the nation's premier basketball tournament).[1]

From 1948 to 1957, Spears played professionally in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Chicago Stags, Rochester Royals, Fort Wayne Pistons, and St. Louis Hawks. He averaged 8.7 points per game and 4.0 rebounds per game in his NBA career and ranked as one of the league's top-ten free throw shooters three times.[2] Spears also played during the 1950–51 season for the Louisville Alumnites of the National Professional Basketball League.[3]

After his playing career ended, Spears moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where he became an insurance executive. He was elected to the Western Kentucky Hall of Fame in 1993.[1]

Notes


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