Dave Swanson graduated from Berlin High in 1991. He excelled in both basketball and baseball. On the basketball court he was a member of the varsity team all four years. In 1989 and 1990 he was recognized with the Basketball Foul Shooting Award. In 1990 and 1991 he was All Northwest Conference and won the Coaches Award both years.
Baseball is where he really made a name for himself and received much recognition. He was a varsity player all four years. In 1990 and 1991 he was a member of the All Northwest Conference Baseball Team. He was selected as the 1991 Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year and also the Gatorade Northeast Region Baseball Player of the Year. That year he was also a CHSCA Courant All State selection.
In 1991 Swanson was selected by the New York Mets in the 9th round, the 252nd selection overall. Between 1991 and 1995 he pitched in the minor leagues with the Mets and the Colorado Rockies. From 1999 to 2001 he pitched in the Independent League. In eight minor league seasons he compiled a 44-37 record with a 3.72 era in 172 games.
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In 2002 Swanson started Swanson’s Professional Baseball and Softball Instructional School. He also produces the K-zone for ESPN’s Sunday and Wednesday night baseball. He is also the pitching coach for Class S state champion Northwest Catholic which is coached by former Berlin High School alumnus Cory Carlson and Jason Maule. Dave resides in East Berlin and is married to Sharon (Stack) Swanson.
Swanson will be inducted-into the Berlin Hall of Fame on March 20, at the Crown Plaza, Cromwell. For ticket information, contact Marie Siegal at (860) 828-1115 or e-mail mvs7581@yahoo.com.
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The Berlin High School Athletic Hall of Fame class this year features: former BHS coaches Al Pelligrinelli and Jim Day, and athletes Robert McCann (Class of 1956), Mauro Gozzo (Class of 1984), Rocky Urso (Class of 1987), Ken Pera (Class of 1989), Monica Early (Class of 1990), Forrest Conoly (Class of 1991), David Swanson (Class of 1991) and Lindsey Pulito (Class of 2000). The 1958 state championship baseball team will also go into the Hall as a team.
We will have biographies on all of the members of this second class to go into the hall of fame as the event gets closer.
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