Bob Swift
Born: 3/6/1915 in Salina, KS, USA
Died: 10/17/1966 in Detroit, MI, USA
MLB Debut: 1940-04-16 | Final Game: 1953-09-27
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Robert Virgil Swift
Biography
Bob Swift, born in 1915, was a professional baseball player who made significant contributions to the game during his career, which spanned from 1940 to 1953. He was primarily known as a position player and appeared in 1,001 games. Swift recorded a total of 635 hits, including 14 home runs and 238 RBIs, while maintaining a batting average of .231. His speed on the bases was demonstrated by his 10 stolen bases throughout his time in Major League Baseball.
Swift played during a transformative era in baseball, post-Depression and into the early years of television's influence on the sport. His career unfolded against the backdrop of World War II, which saw many players enlist, creating opportunities for others like Swift to showcase their talents on a national stage. Though he may not have been among the most prolific hitters of his time, Swift's versatility and resilience as a player contributed to the teams he played for, helping to shape the landscape of baseball in the early 1950s. He retired on September 27, 1953, leaving behind a legacy as a dedicated competitor in the sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1001 | 2750 | 212 | 635 | 86 | 3 | 14 | 238 | 10 | 324 | 233 | 0.231 | 0.313 | 0.280 | 0.592 | -7335.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | SLA | AL | 130 | 398 | 37 | 97 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 28 | 39 | 0.244 | -1440.7 |
| 1941 | SLA | AL | 63 | 170 | 13 | 44 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 22 | 11 | 0.259 | -211.3 |
| 1942 | PHA | AL | 60 | 192 | 9 | 44 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 13 | 17 | 0.229 | -705.9 |
| 1942 | SLA | AL | 29 | 76 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0.197 | -705.9 |
| 1943 | PHA | AL | 77 | 224 | 16 | 43 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 35 | 16 | 0.192 | -648.3 |
| 1944 | DET | AL | 80 | 247 | 15 | 63 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 27 | 27 | 0.255 | -154.6 |
| 1945 | DET | AL | 95 | 279 | 19 | 65 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 26 | 22 | 0.233 | -931.9 |
| 1946 | DET | AL | 42 | 107 | 13 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0.234 | -118.1 |
| 1947 | DET | AL | 97 | 279 | 23 | 70 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 2 | 33 | 16 | 0.251 | -531.9 |
| 1948 | DET | AL | 113 | 292 | 23 | 65 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 33 | 1 | 51 | 29 | 0.223 | -637.7 |
| 1949 | DET | AL | 74 | 189 | 16 | 45 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 26 | 20 | 0.238 | -412.5 |
| 1950 | DET | AL | 67 | 132 | 14 | 30 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 25 | 6 | 0.227 | -242.2 |
| 1951 | DET | AL | 44 | 104 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 0.192 | -604.8 |
| 1952 | DET | AL | 28 | 58 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0.138 | -391.2 |
| 1953 | DET | AL | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.250 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | WS | DET | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.250 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 980 | 0 | 3601 | 477 | 64 | 75 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | SLA | C | 128 | 0 | 389 | 55 | 9 | 8 |
| 1941 | SLA | C | 58 | 0 | 180 | 22 | 3 | 3 |
| 1942 | PHA | C | 60 | 0 | 253 | 39 | 9 | 3 |
| 1942 | SLA | C | 28 | 0 | 81 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 1943 | PHA | C | 77 | 0 | 278 | 53 | 8 | 9 |
| 1944 | DET | C | 76 | 0 | 288 | 48 | 6 | 4 |
| 1945 | DET | C | 94 | 0 | 358 | 60 | 5 | 12 |
| 1946 | DET | C | 42 | 0 | 187 | 14 | 4 | 2 |
| 1947 | DET | C | 97 | 0 | 401 | 45 | 5 | 6 |
| 1948 | DET | C | 112 | 0 | 476 | 55 | 5 | 13 |
| 1949 | DET | C | 69 | 0 | 232 | 26 | 3 | 6 |
| 1950 | DET | C | 66 | 0 | 201 | 20 | 1 | 3 |
| 1951 | DET | C | 43 | 0 | 146 | 17 | 3 | 3 |
| 1952 | DET | C | 28 | 0 | 118 | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| 1953 | DET | C | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 980 |