Steve Swetonic

Stephen Albert (Steve) Swetonic (August 13, 1903 - April 22, 1974) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball, who played his entire career for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1929 through 1935. Swetonic batted and threw right handed. He was born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. Swetonic provided a solid support in Pirates' pitching staffs of the early 1930s that included Larry French, Burleigh Grimes, Waite Hoyt, and Ray Kremer. His most productive season came in 1932, when he went 11-6 with a career-high 2.82 ERA and tied for the National League lead with four shutouts. In 1933 he recorded career-numbers in wins (12), starts (21), and innings pitched (164 ⅔ ). His career ended prematurily at the age of 28 because of a chronic sore arm.

Swetonic went to spring training with the Boston Braves in 1934 but did not play in the regular season. ["Sports of the Times, None But The Braves", New York Times, March 24, 1934, pg. 11.] In a March 24 game against the Philadelphia Athletics, in St. Petersburg, Florida, he yielded four runs in the first inning. ["Athletics Score, 9 "-" 2", New York Times, March 25, 1934, pg. S8.] In March 1935, Swetonic was in spring training with the New York Giants (baseball) team in Miami Beach, Florida. He tossed the finalthree innings of an intrasquad game between teams captained by Carl Hubbell and Freddie Fitzsimmons on February 28. ["ParmaleeIs Busy Trying Forkball, New York Times, March 1, 1935, pg. 23.]

In a five-season career, Swetonic posted a 37-36 record with 154 strikeouts and a 3.81 ERA in 595 ⅓ innings. He died in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania at age 70.

Fact

*As of 2006, Swetonic has one of the lowest ERA (3.81) of any major league pitcher coming out of University of Pittsburgh with more than 100 innings, behind Bob_Malloy (3.26) and Doc Medich (3.77).

References

External links

* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/S/Swetonic_Steve.stm Baseball Library]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/swetost01.shtml Baseball Reference]