Ron Swoboda

Born: 6/30/1944 in Baltimore, MD, USA

MLB Debut: 1965-04-12 | Final Game: 1973-09-30

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 195 lbs

Full name: Ronald Alan Swoboda

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Biography

Ron Swoboda, born in 1944, was a professional baseball player who enjoyed a notable career from 1965 to 1973. Primarily recognized as a position player, he played in a total of 928 games over his eight seasons in Major League Baseball. Swoboda's career was marked by his contributions as a solid outfielder and a reliable hitter, finishing with 624 hits, 73 home runs, and 344 RBIs. His batting average of .242, while modest, reflected the competitive nature of the era in which he played, a time that saw the transition from the deadball era to a more offensively driven game. Swoboda is perhaps best remembered for his defensive prowess and his iconic performance during the 1969 World Series with the New York Mets, where he made a spectacular catch that became a defining moment in the franchise's history. Throughout his career, he also showcased speed on the bases, accumulating 20 stolen bases. After his retirement on September 30, 1973, Swoboda’s legacy endured, particularly among Mets fans, where he remains a cherished figure for his contributions to one of baseball's most beloved underdog stories.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
928	2581	285	624	87	24	73	344	20	299	647	0.242	0.324	0.379	0.703	2642.4

Career AVG .242 vs. league average .248 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .324 vs. league average .314 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .379 vs. league average .367 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.703 vs. league average 0.681 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1965	NYN	NL	135	399	52	91	15	3	19	50	2	33	102	0.228	.245 (-7%)	.310 (-7%)	.371 (+14%)	.682 (+5%)	247.0
1966	NYN	NL	112	342	34	76	9	4	8	50	4	31	76	0.222	.248 (-11%)	.309 (-5%)	.376 (-9%)	.685 (-7%)	-404.7
1967	NYN	NL	134	449	47	126	17	3	13	53	3	41	96	0.281	.242 (+16%)	.306 (+11%)	.357 (+17%)	.663 (+14%)	1180.1
1968	NYN	NL	132	450	46	109	14	6	11	59	8	52	113	0.242	.236 (+2%)	.298 (+9%)	.340 (+10%)	.638 (+9%)	841.5
1969	NYN	NL	109	327	38	77	10	2	9	52	1	43	90	0.235	.248 (-5%)	.320 (+2%)	.369 (-2%)	.689 (avg)	41.5
1970	NYN	NL	115	245	29	57	8	2	9	40	2	40	72	0.233	.253 (-8%)	.325 (+4%)	.385 (+2%)	.711 (+3%)	204.8
1971	WSN	NL	39	75	7	19	4	3	0	6	0	11	16	0.253	.249 (+2%)	.316 (+15%)	.365 (+6%)	.682 (+10%)	146.0
1971	NYY	AL	54	138	17	36	2	1	2	20	0	27	35	0.261	.249 (+5%)	.316 (+23%)	.365 (-9%)	.682 (+6%)	146.0
1972	NYY	AL	63	113	9	28	8	0	1	12	0	17	29	0.248	.243 (+2%)	.310 (+10%)	.353 (-2%)	.664 (+3%)	91.2
1973	NYY	AL	35	43	6	5	0	0	1	2	0	4	18	0.116	—	—	—	—	0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
4	15	1	6	1	0	0	1	1	3	0.400

Playoff Batting by Year

Year	Round	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
1969	WS	NYN	4	15	1	6	1	0	0	1	1	3	0.400

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	22	17	148	17	4	8
OF	767	650	1218	53	37	8

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1965	NYN	OF	112	104	188	9	11	2
1966	NYN	OF	97	88	145	7	2	0
1967	NYN	1B	20	17	143	17	4	7
1967	NYN	OF	108	105	190	8	9	0
1968	NYN	OF	125	117	217	14	6	4
1969	NYN	OF	97	86	163	5	2	0
1970	NYN	OF	100	58	117	3	2	1
1971	MON	OF	26	17	39	3	1	0
1971	NYA	OF	47	41	80	2	3	0
1972	NYA	1B	2	0	5	0	0	1
1972	NYA	OF	35	26	56	2	1	1
1973	NYA	OF	20	8	23	0	0	0