Sammy Joe Odom
Encyclopedia
Samuel Joseph Odom, known as Sammy Joe Odom (November 13, 1941–January 18, 2001), was an American football
player for the Houston Oilers, the Northwestern State University
Demons in Natchitoches, Louisiana
, and the Minden High School
Crimson Tide in Minden
, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana
.
Odom was born in Shreveport
to Troy S. Odom, Sr. (1912—1990), and Elvin C. Odom (1912—1995). In the fall of 1958, in his last season at Minden High School, Odom, an offensive tackle and defensive middle linebacker, was named "Most Valuable Player". He was also cited as an All-American center.
He continued his football excellence at Northwestern State, where he was designated permanent co-captain of the 1963 team. He was named (1) the best offensive lineman, (2) the co-winner of the "Most Valuable Player" trophy, and (3) the best lineman in the annual competition between Northwestern and its regional rival, the Louisiana Tech University
Bulldogs, who meet annually in October at the Louisiana State Fair in Shreveport. Odom was also named to (4) the All-Gulf State Conference team and (5) the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American team. He was the (6) "Most Valuable Lineman", according to Gulf State Conference coaches in 1962.
Odom played only a year in the American Football League
for the Oilers—1964.
After his sports career ended, Odom lived in Shreveport, where he founded the flag football program at the Agnew Town and Country School. In 1971, Odom relocated to Mansfield
, the seat of DeSoto Parish south of Shreveport. There, he operated the Dunn-Odom Insurance
Agency for fourteen years. At the time of his death, Odom was the administrator for the DeSoto Parish Police Jury, the governing agency of the parish. Odom's brother, Charles D. Odom (born 1951) of Minden, is a member of the Webster Parish Police Jury. Odom was also a member of the DeSoto Regional Hospital
board for fifteen years.
Odom died of a sudden illness. In addition to his younger brother, he was survived by his wife, the former Cheryl Yarborough; a son, Samuel Joseph "Bo" Odom of Mansfield; two daughters, Joel Caral Odom Salley and husband, Thomas Addison Salley (born ca. 1961), of Shreveport, and Rachel Odom Delafield (born ca. 1974) and husband, Wil Delafield (born ca. 1973), of Mansfield; four grandchildren; sister-in-law, the former Pattie Lou Cook of Minden, wife of Charles Odom; a second brother, Troy S. Odom, Jr. (born 1948), and wife, the former Donna Suzanne Haygood (also born 1948), of Lewisville, Arkansas
, and his mother-in-law, Carajo Yarborough of Mansfield. Services were held in the First United Methodist Church, of which Odom was chairman of the board of trustees. Burial was at Highland Cemetery
in Mansfield.
On July 4, 2007, Odom was posthumously honored among the "Top 100 Players" in the NSU centennial celebration.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player for the Houston Oilers, the Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
Demons in Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the Natchitoches Indian tribe. The City of Natchitoches was first incorporated on February...
, and the Minden High School
Minden High School (Minden, Louisiana)
Minden High School is the public secondary educational institution in Minden, a small city of 13,000 and the seat of Webster Parish located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport in northwestern Louisiana...
Crimson Tide in Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
Odom was born in Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
to Troy S. Odom, Sr. (1912—1990), and Elvin C. Odom (1912—1995). In the fall of 1958, in his last season at Minden High School, Odom, an offensive tackle and defensive middle linebacker, was named "Most Valuable Player". He was also cited as an All-American center.
He continued his football excellence at Northwestern State, where he was designated permanent co-captain of the 1963 team. He was named (1) the best offensive lineman, (2) the co-winner of the "Most Valuable Player" trophy, and (3) the best lineman in the annual competition between Northwestern and its regional rival, the Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
Bulldogs, who meet annually in October at the Louisiana State Fair in Shreveport. Odom was also named to (4) the All-Gulf State Conference team and (5) the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American team. He was the (6) "Most Valuable Lineman", according to Gulf State Conference coaches in 1962.
Odom played only a year in the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
for the Oilers—1964.
After his sports career ended, Odom lived in Shreveport, where he founded the flag football program at the Agnew Town and Country School. In 1971, Odom relocated to Mansfield
Mansfield, Louisiana
Mansfield is a city in and the parish seat of DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,001 at the 2010 census. Mansfield is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, the seat of DeSoto Parish south of Shreveport. There, he operated the Dunn-Odom Insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
Agency for fourteen years. At the time of his death, Odom was the administrator for the DeSoto Parish Police Jury, the governing agency of the parish. Odom's brother, Charles D. Odom (born 1951) of Minden, is a member of the Webster Parish Police Jury. Odom was also a member of the DeSoto Regional Hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
board for fifteen years.
Odom died of a sudden illness. In addition to his younger brother, he was survived by his wife, the former Cheryl Yarborough; a son, Samuel Joseph "Bo" Odom of Mansfield; two daughters, Joel Caral Odom Salley and husband, Thomas Addison Salley (born ca. 1961), of Shreveport, and Rachel Odom Delafield (born ca. 1974) and husband, Wil Delafield (born ca. 1973), of Mansfield; four grandchildren; sister-in-law, the former Pattie Lou Cook of Minden, wife of Charles Odom; a second brother, Troy S. Odom, Jr. (born 1948), and wife, the former Donna Suzanne Haygood (also born 1948), of Lewisville, Arkansas
Lewisville, Arkansas
Lewisville is a city in Lafayette County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,285 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Lafayette County.-Geography:Lewisville is located at ....
, and his mother-in-law, Carajo Yarborough of Mansfield. Services were held in the First United Methodist Church, of which Odom was chairman of the board of trustees. Burial was at Highland Cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
in Mansfield.
On July 4, 2007, Odom was posthumously honored among the "Top 100 Players" in the NSU centennial celebration.