Bill Swiacki Sr.
From BR Bullpen
William Adam Swiacki, Sr.
- Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.
- School College of the Holy Cross, Columbia University
- Born October 22, 1922 in Southbridge, MA USA
- Died July 7, 1976 in Sturbridge, MA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Bill Swiacki played catcher for the Stamford Pioneers in the Class B Colonial League in 1949, hitting .263 and slugging .345. However, he was better known as a receiver in football. He starred at Columbia, becoming famous for the great catches he made in a remarkable upset of Army in October 1947. Army was then a national college football power riding a 32-game winning streak. Swiacki played in the NFL from 1948 to 1952 with the New York Giants and Detroit Lions. He was later an assistant coach in the NFL (1954; 1958) and head coach of the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL (1955-56).
Swiacki later owned his own real estate and insurance agencies. He was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1976. However, he was inducted posthumously: the ceremony took place in December, as he had died at the age of 53 that July. His son, future minor-league pitcher Bill Swiacki, was there to accept the honor.
