Don Swartz

Donald Francis Swartz

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 160 lb.

• School University of Notre Dame, University of Colorado
• Born January 19, 1925 in Lorain, OH USA
• Died September 14, 2013

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Starting pitcher Don Swartz played in the minor leagues from 1948 to 1954. He pitched at Triple-A in three seasons, but did not reach the major leagues.

He served in the US Navy in World War II as a pharmacist's mate. After college, he began his professional baseball career as a 23-year-old in 1948, going 12-9 with a 3.39 ERA in 25 games for the Decatur Commodores. With the Des Moines Bruins in 1949, he was 13-14 with a 3.41 ERA in 31 games, tying Lewis Fauth for the Western League lead in losses. He returned to Des Moines for 1950 and went 15-12 with a 3.73 ERA in 33 games. He tied for 7th in the WL in wins. Used mostly in relief in 1951, he was 0-4 with a 3.80 ERA in 32 games for the Springfield Cubs, his first stop at Triple-A. Pitching for the Columbus Cardinals (29 G, 14-7 W-L, 2.71 ERA) and Triple-A Rochester Red Wings (4 G, 0-1 W-L, 14.14 ERA) in 1952, Swartz was 14-8 with a 3.14 ERA in 33 games (22 starts) combined. He tied for 8th in the South Atlantic League in wins.

He went 12-17 with 18 complete games and a 3.45 ERA in 43 games (30 starts) for the Beaumont Exporters in 1953, leading the Texas League in losses, complete games, innings pitched (284), hits allowed (305), runs allowed (137) and earned runs allowed (109), while finishing second in home runs allowed (24). In his final season, 1954, he was 4-4 with a 4.36 ERA in 32 games (three starts) for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

Overall, Swartz was 70-68 with a 3.52 ERA in 229 games.

After baseball, he worked in real estate.

Sources include Obituary