Jim Obradovich (baseball)

James Thomas Obradovich (September 13, 1949 – March 3, 2012) was an American professional baseball player who appeared in ten Major League games for the Houston Astros in September of , mostly as a pinch hitter, but also as a first baseman.   He threw and batted left-handed, stood  tall and weighed . 

A native of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and the son of a military officer, Obradovich attended high school in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and signed with the Minnesota Twins in 1967 after being taken in the 24th round of the 1967 Major League Baseball Draft.   He missed the 1971 and 1972 minor league seasons while serving in Germany for the United States Army.  He was in his tenth full professional baseball season when he was recalled by Houston in 1978, after he batted a career-high .306 with 21 home runs and 85 runs batted in for the Triple-A Charleston Charlies. 

Obradovich started three games at first base for Houston during the season's final weeks.  In 17 at bats, he collected three hits, including one triple — hit off eventual Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry of the San Diego Padres on September 16.  The blow knocked in the only Astro run in a 2–1 defeat. 

After spending the 1979 season at Charleston, he spent the next three seasons in the Mexican League before retiring. 

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Category:1949 births
Category:2012 deaths
Category:Baseball players from Kentucky
Category:Charleston Charlies players
Category:Columbus Astros players
Category:Gulf Coast Twins players
Category:Disease-related deaths in Kentucky
Category:Houston Astros players
Category:Lynchburg Twins players
Category:Major League Baseball first basemen
Category:Orlando Twins players
Category:Savannah Braves players
Category:Tacoma Twins players