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Ron Swoboda: 1969 World Series Mets Hero (1965 - 1971)

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Ronald Alan Swoboda was born on June 30, 1944, in Baltimore, Maryland. His parents were John & Delores Swoboda. His father was a veteran of World War II who worked as a mechanic & teacher. His mother was a supervisor in social services. In high school Ron played baseball, basketball & soccer. He was goal tender & the captain of his soccer team. The six foot two right-handed hitting outfielder was signed out of Maryland University, as an amateur free agent in 1963. He signed for $35,000 after a strong AABA tournament performance. Swoboda only played minor league ball for one season, impressing a new Mets organization with his power. They were a team looking for a home-grown slugger to attract fans.  In 1964 he hit 14 HRs at AA Williamsport & then three more at AAA Buffalo in 22 games there.  Youth of America : He was called "Rocky" & "Swobo" becoming one of Casey Stengel's young Mets he called the "Youth of America". Othe...
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Remembering Mets History (2004) Richard Hidalgo Sets Club Mark Homering In Five Straight Games

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In 2002 Richard Hidalgo had suffered a gunshot wound in his left arm during a carjacking in his native Venezuela. He recovered & returned to baseball.   The next year he established a few Astros hitting records & won a Player of the Month Award. But Hidalgo & Astro manager Jimmy Williams had their differences. The manager annoyed with Hidalgo's behavior even benched the player when he struggled at the plate. Mets Career: On June 18th, 2004, Richard Hidalgo came over to the Mets from the Houston Astros in exchange for pitchers Jeremy Griffiths & David Weathers. In his third game with the New York, Hidalgo hit a HR off the Tigers Jeremy Bonderman in a 6-1 win. The following week, nine days after arriving in New York, he hit two HRs in the second game of a subway series double header in the Bronx. Although his stay in New York was brief, he was making a name for himself in franchise history . July 1st, 2004: In the rubber game of a series at Cincinnat...
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