Athletes - Bob Swift

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	Athletes - Bob Swift

Robert Virgil Swift (March 6, 1915 - October 17, 1966) was a catcher, coach and manager in American Major League Baseball. Swift is pictured in one of the most famous photographs in American sporting history. He was the catcher for the Detroit Tigers on August 19, 1951, when St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck sent midget Eddie Gaedel to pinch hit during an actual MLB game. The stunt was inspired by the James Thurber short story You Could Look It Up and Gaedel was allowed to bat when the Browns showed the umpires a legitimate baseball contract. Swift knelt on the ground to receive pitcher Bob Cain's offerings - it is this kneeling stance that is captured in the photo - and Gaedel took a base on balls. He was immediately replaced at first base by a pinch runner and he never appeared in a big league game again; he had had no baseball experience in the first place.

While Gaedel was a novice, Swift, a native of Salina, Kansas, played 14 consecutive seasons (1940-53) in the big leagues. Primarily a second-string catcher, he toiled for the Browns (1940-42), Philadelphia Athletics (1942-43) and Tigers (1944-53), appearing in 1,001 games and hitting .231. A good defensive catcher, he batted and threw righthanded.

He became a coach and minor league manager immediately upon the end of his playing career, working for the Tigers, Athletics (then in Kansas City), and Washington Senators.

Swift was in his second stint as a Detroit coach, under Chuck Dressen, in 1965, when Dressen was felled by a mild heart attack during spring training. As acting manager, Swift led Detroit to a 24-18 record until Dressen was able to return. In May 1966, Dressen suffered his second coronary in as many seasons. Again, Swift took the reins, but in July he fell ill and was hospitalized for what appeared to be food poisoning. Tests revealed, however, that Swift was suffering from lung cancer. Coach Frank Skaff then took over as the team's second acting manager.

Tragically, neither Dressen nor Swift survived their illnesses. Dressen succumbed to a kidney infection August 10, 1966, and cancer claimed Swift in Detroit on October 17 of that same year at age 51. Swift's record in 1965-66 as an interim manager was 56-43 (.566).

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