Paul Edmondson

Paul Michael Edmondson (February 12, 1943 – February 13, 1970) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. Born in Kansas City, Kansas, the right-hander was drafted by the Chicago White Sox out of California State University, Northridge in the 21st round (419th overall) of the first-ever MLB amateur entry draft in June, 1965. In his major league debut four years later on June 20, 1969, he pitched a complete game two-hitter in a 9–1 White Sox victory over the California Angels.

Edmondson started thirteen of the fourteen games he appeared in during his short MLB career. He had the second-best earned run average (3.70) of any of the six White Sox pitchers who started ten or more games during the 1969 season.

The 26-year-old rookie actually pitched better than his poor 1–6 record would indicate. His one and only relief appearance could be called a disaster, as he allowed four earned runs in just three innings and took the loss against the Detroit Tigers (August 8, 1969). As a starting pitcher, his ERA was just 3.40.

He pitched six or more innings in nine of his thirteen starts, but didn't get much run support from his teammates. In his five losses as a starter, the White Sox scored a total of just six runs.

Some of Paul Edmondson's other best efforts in 1969:

• 9 innings, 0 earned runs vs. Oakland—NO DECISION (September 13)
• 9⅓ innings, 1 earned run vs. California—NO DECISION (September 6)
• 8 innings, 1 earned run vs. Kansas City—NO DECISION (September 25)
• 7 innings, 1 earned run vs. Oakland—LOST 2-1 (July 8)
• 6⅔ innings, 1 earned run vs. California—NO DECISION (July 4)
• 7⅓ innings, 3 earned runs vs. Washington—NO DECISION (August 6)
• 6 innings, 3 earned runs vs. Seattle—LOST 3-1 (June 25)

While traveling south on rain-soaked U.S. Route 101 near Santa Barbara, California on February 13, 1970, the day after his 27th birthday, his automobile skidded and crashed into oncoming northbound traffic, killing Edmondson and his passenger, Lauraine Leas, 22, of Simi Valley, CA. They had traveled from Simi to San Luis Obispo where Lauraine would be attending Cal Poly the following semester. The tragedy occurred only two weeks prior to spring training, and the White Sox had hoped that Edmondson would become the fourth starter in the rotation.