Bill Swift
Born: 6/19/1908 in Glen Lyon, PA, USA
Died: 2/23/1969 in Bartow, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1932-04-12 | Final Game: 1943-09-29
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 192 lbs
Full name: William Vincent Swift
Biography
Bill Swift was a notable pitcher in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1932 until 1943. Born in 1908, Swift made his mark during a transitional period in baseball, navigating the sport through the Great Depression and the early years of World War II. He was known for his competitive spirit and versatility on the mound, finishing his career with a record of 95 wins and 82 losses, an earned run average (ERA) of 3.58, and a total of 636 strikeouts. His ability to close out games was underscored by his 20 saves, showcasing his effectiveness in high-pressure situations.
Swift's playing style was characterized by a blend of control and durability, traits that allowed him to maintain a solid presence in the pitching rotation over his eleven-year career. He contributed to his teams not only as a starter but also as a reliable reliever, which was a valuable asset during an era when the role of the bullpen was evolving. His contributions to the game during this time were significant, as he played a part in shaping the strategies that would influence pitching in the years to come. Bill Swift remains a respected figure in baseball history, remembered for his steadfast performance and dedication to the sport.
Negro Leagues Career Statistics
Batting
| PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14.0 | 14.0 | 0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.286 | 0.286 | 0.429 | 0.715 |
Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 38.0 | 25.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Batting
| Season | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.375 | 0.375 | 0.500 | 0.875 |
| 1935 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.167 | 0.167 | 0.333 | 0.500 |
Negro Leagues Season-by-Season Pitching
| Season | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 30.0 | 20.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1935 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95 | 82 | 336 | 163 | 78 | 7 | 20 | 1637.7 | 1682 | 651 | 103 | 351 | 636 | 3.58 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | PIT | NL | 14 | 10 | 39 | 23 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 214.3 | 205 | 86 | 26 | 64 | 3.61 | 2552.0 |
| 1933 | PIT | NL | 14 | 10 | 37 | 29 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 218.3 | 214 | 76 | 36 | 64 | 3.13 | 2231.6 |
| 1934 | PIT | NL | 11 | 13 | 37 | 24 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 212.7 | 244 | 94 | 46 | 81 | 3.98 | 1352.4 |
| 1935 | PIT | NL | 15 | 8 | 39 | 21 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 203.7 | 193 | 61 | 37 | 74 | 2.70 | 5125.6 |
| 1936 | PIT | NL | 16 | 16 | 45 | 31 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 262.3 | 275 | 117 | 63 | 92 | 4.01 | 2010.5 |
| 1937 | PIT | NL | 9 | 10 | 36 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 164.0 | 160 | 72 | 34 | 84 | 3.95 | 1966.7 |
| 1938 | PIT | NL | 7 | 5 | 36 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 150.0 | 155 | 54 | 40 | 77 | 3.24 | 2807.5 |
| 1939 | PIT | NL | 5 | 7 | 36 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 129.7 | 150 | 56 | 28 | 56 | 3.89 | 2791.8 |
| 1940 | BSN | NL | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9.3 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 2.89 | 0.0 |
| 1941 | BRO | NL | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22.0 | 26 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 3.27 | -703.6 |
| 1943 | CHW | AL | 0 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51.3 | 48 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 4.21 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 336 | 591 | 43 | 134 | 27 | 3 | 3 | 54 | 0 | 19 | 113 | 0.227 | 0.253 | 0.298 | 0.551 | -2354.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | PIT | NL | 39 | 78 | 4 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0.192 | -605.1 |
| 1933 | PIT | NL | 37 | 82 | 10 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0.244 | -324.2 |
| 1934 | PIT | NL | 37 | 84 | 3 | 18 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 0.214 | -424.3 |
| 1935 | PIT | NL | 39 | 78 | 11 | 19 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0.244 | -303.9 |
| 1936 | PIT | NL | 45 | 105 | 6 | 31 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 0.295 | -17.9 |
| 1937 | PIT | NL | 36 | 54 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 0.167 | -440.6 |
| 1938 | PIT | NL | 36 | 50 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0.200 | -238.1 |
| 1939 | PIT | NL | 36 | 42 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0.238 | 0.0 |
| 1940 | BSN | NL | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1941 | BRO | NL | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1943 | CHW | AL | 18 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.100 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 336 | 0 | 41 | 231 | 11 | 11 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | PIT | P | 39 | 0 | 8 | 27 | 2 | 1 |
| 1933 | PIT | P | 37 | 0 | 11 | 39 | 2 | 1 |
| 1934 | PIT | P | 37 | 0 | 8 | 38 | 2 | 0 |
| 1935 | PIT | P | 39 | 0 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 2 |
| 1936 | PIT | P | 45 | 0 | 4 | 36 | 2 | 3 |
| 1937 | PIT | P | 36 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 3 |
| 1938 | PIT | P | 36 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 2 | 1 |
| 1939 | PIT | P | 36 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 1940 | BSN | P | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1941 | BRO | P | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1943 | CHA | P | 18 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 336 |