{{Short description|Scottish squash player (1937–2016)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}} {{Use British English|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox squash player | name = Mike Oddy | image = | caption = | nationality = British (Scottish) | birth_date = 18 March 1937 | birth_place = Hawick, Scotland | death_date = 19 November 2016 | death_place = Bicester, Oxfordshire, England | turnedpro = | retired = | highest_ranking = | date_of_highest_ranking = | medaltemplates = {{MedalCompetition | British Amateur Championships}} {{MedalSilver | 1960/1961 | singles}} {{MedalSilver | 1962/1962 | singles}} }}
'''Michael Oddy''' (18 March 1937 – 19 November 2016) was a squash player from Scotland.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Squash|first=Scottish|date=2016-12-09|title=Michael Oddy 1937-2016|url=https://www.scottishsquash.org/michael-oddy-1937-2016/|access-date=2020-11-15|website=Scottish Squash|language=en-GB}}</ref> He was one of the game's leading players in the 1960s and was twice winne rof the British Amateur Squash Championships.
== Biography == He was born in Hawick, Scotland and after Rugby School joined Ballantyne Knitwear, which became part of Baird Plc. He moved to Leicester to take up the role of managing director of Pantherella Fine English Socks, taking the business public onto the USM and then through its sale to Great Universal Stores (GUS Plc) before retiring.
He played in an era where the sport was dominated by great players from Pakistan (such as Azam Khan, Roshan Khan, Mo Khan and Aftab Jawaid) and Egypt (such as A.A. AbouTaleb and Ibrahim Amin).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sportscorrespondent.info/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/squashinterviewoflegendaryazamkhan.htm |title=SQUASH: Interview of legendary Azam Khan for 'Squash Player ' magazine |accessdate=2010-03-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715233736/http://www.sportscorrespondent.info/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/squashinterviewoflegendaryazamkhan.htm |archivedate=15 July 2009 }} Sports Correspondent</ref>
Oddy was one of the few British players to provide as consistent challenge to the dominant Asian and African players of his era. He was runner-up to A.A. AbouTaleb at the 1964 British Open (which was considered to be effective world championship of the sport at the time),<ref>https://www.squashplayer.co.uk/features/azam_khan_part_one.htm Squash Player</ref> and won the British Amateur Championship during the 1960/61<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19610117/408/0012 |title=Oddy is suash champion|work=The Scotsman |date=17 January 1961 |p=12 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=28 May 2026}}</ref> and 1961/62 seasons.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005475/19620116/010/0010 |title=Oddy again wins squash title|work=Liverpool Daily Post |date=16 January 1962 |p=10 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=28 May 2026}}</ref>
He had a lifelong passion for flat racing, never missing a King George race day at Ascot for 59 years. He was delighted when through his membership of the Royal Ascot Racing Club he had a share in the Derby Winner Motivator in 2005.
Mike died on 19 November 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|last=admin|date=2016-11-25|title=Michael ODDY Obituary|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetimes-uk/obituary.aspx?n=michael-arthur-oddy-mike&pid=182792324|access-date=2020-11-16|website=Legacy.com|language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oddy, Mike}} Category:Scottish male squash players Category:1937 births Category:2016 deaths Category:20th-century Scottish sportsmen Category:People educated at Rugby School