Ron Swoboda

After graduating from Sparrows Point High School, one season at the University of Maryland, and a stellar showing in the AAABA tournament in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Swoboda was offered a $35,000 contract to sign with the New York Mets and scout Pete Gebrian on September 5, 1963.\n', ' He spent only one season in the Mets\' farm system in AA with the Williamsport Mets before making the Major League team in spring training, 1965. He made his major league debut as a pinch hitter in the season opener, and lined out in his only at-bat. He pinch hit, again, in the second game of the season, this time hitting an 11th-inning home run (the Mets still lost, as the Houston Astros had scored four runs in the top of the inning). He homered again in his first at-bat on April 18, giving him two home runs in his first four Major League at-bats.\n', ' He had 15 home runs by the All-Star break, the most ever by a Mets rookie in the first half before Pete Alonso destroyed his record with 25 HR\'s in 2019. He commented during a TV interview that he loved hitting fastballs, he began seeing a lot more breaking balls, and hit only four more on the season. Still, his 19 home runs stood as a Mets rookie record until Darryl Strawberry\'s 26 in 1983. His rookie fielding percentage was a below-league-average .947, however, he had nine outfield assists. For his efforts, he was selected to 1965 Topps All-Star Rookie Team. His 1966 Topps baseball card was imprinted with a gold trophy symbol. In the 1966 movie Penelope, Natalie Wood as the title character, opens a pack of 1966 Topps baseball cards, sees Swoboda\'s rookie card, and asks police lieutenant Horatio Bixbee (Peter Falk) "Who\'s Ron Swoboda?"\n', '