All of the Swartz boys grew up loving baseball. Two of my uncles, Dutch and Pud, even played semi-pro baseball in Camden, on the Defiance Athletic Club. The story goes that Connie Mack invited Dutch to pitch for a team in the International League, but he declined because he wouldn't earn as much as he did in semi-pro. One of the neighborhood boys, Fred Heimach, did go on to play in the majors. That said, I grew up in a baseball family. The Phillies
are the home team, but I admit that Johnny
Bench will always be my favorite player. And I have yet to forgive
the Dodgers
for deserting me and moving to California when I was a kid.
About the photo of the Cramer Hill Cubs Front row, left to right: Kaiser Bauer, Tom Goldy, Jr., Lou Bobo, Louie Doerr Back row, left to right: Bill Baughman, Wiz Zimmer, Larnie Cassidy, Soapy Swartz (my dad), Dickie Weiss, Walt Heartling, Joe Straub, Tom Goldy, Sr. Missing: Mike Doran, Stewart Saul, Ray Waldner |
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Go to Camden History. BJ
Swartz |
