[pholmer]

When I was researching my last post on the 2 Bill Swifts, I was looking through the Photos folder and right above the Swifts were the Bill Sweeneys, 3 of them.

The first Bill Sweeney (BSw1) only played 2 years in the Majors, 1882 and 1884. He played for Philadelphia in the American Association in 1882 and for the Baltimore Monumentals of the Union Association in 1884. (The Union Association league only lasted one season, 1884.) BSw1 was a pitcher as well as playing 2nd base and the outfield during his short career. His year in Philadelphia was mediocre with a 9-10 record as a pitcher and a BA of .159. When he joined Baltimore, however, he improved. His BA improved to a respectable, if not exciting, .240. But as a pitcher he excelled, establishing a 40-21 record and a 2.59 ERA with a 4th place team. He threw 538 innings. Then, for whatever reason, his career was over. His bio and stats follow.