The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-09
Gehrig's Old Roomie Pitches For House of David Club at 51
Arm Trouble Put Swoney Out Before World Wor !
By LUTHER EVANS NEA Service Staff Correspondent


 NEA Service Staff Correspondent
 New York.--Charles Swaney ad- mits to 51 years, but tells you he is just getting his second wind.
 Moose Swaney defies time or any young sprout to do anything about or to his left-handed pitching.
 A dead arm forced this remark able man to give up hurling prior t World War I.
 such as Bob Grove and Ted Lyons nearing the end of their strings, Swaney boasts. three-game win ming streak.
 Roommate of the late Lou Geh- rig before the immortal Yankee crashed the American league, Swaney now has gray beard and a paunch and southpaws for the bewiskered House of David team now travelling throughout the east.
 swaney couldn't win last season. Everyone lamented what appeared to be his finish.
 
 like your favorite department stores Santa Claus, the squat, 200- pounder reported this spring, his venerable wing creaking, but ready for action.
 He demands to work ct least once week and sometimes draws two starting assignments. His rec ord thus far for the, campaign Is six victories and two defeats, and .750 wouldn't be at all bad in any company for much younger chucker.
 To open his latest winning splurge, Swaney handcuffed the Royal Giants, crack New York No- gro outfit, 5-1. He gave the Ches- ter, Pa, team only four hits In shutting 1t out, so.
 RIVAL CLUBS MAKE
 MOOSE TRIM BEARD
 Swaney's best pitch doesn't come in fast enough to be honestly la beled slow ball. His curve IS be- coming less seductive. He doesn't uncork his sinker very often, but near perfect control prevents him l AAOlAL 0SA NAAAS AAA0AAy AaV OAASS'
 The Moose is mad about oppon- ents forcing him to have his beard trimmed. They claimed they could not see the ball for the flowing adornment.
 Swaney, native of Braddock, Pe., twirled semi-professlonal ball as a youth. As related in the fore- going, his arm went bad as this country got into World War I. The Moose changed his uniform to those of khaki and olive drab. He was wounded and gassed, but his arm regained It's zip. ] So, when the last shot had been fired, back to the ball yards went Moose swaney. To the Pacific Coast League, the Canadian bush- es and then to Hartford of the old Eastern League, where he acquired Gehrig. then a green hand, as a roommate.
 I He was Columbia Lou's constant companion in l923-24, while the big boy from Harlem was acquir- ing the fundamentals which led to 50 many baseball records. COMEDIAN SWANEY IS TOO SUBTLE IN BOX
 Thirteen years ago, after stop overs in the International and Piedmont Leagues. Swaney joined the House of David ranks. It was way of prolonging a career. He has been 8 regular member of the mound staff ever since; has bagged l50 games against 70 defeats.
 Swaney entertains in the Al Schacht manner when he isn't pitching. He initiates, with exag- gerations, moves of opposing play CTS. The idea of such a fat man scooping up imaginary grounders panics the customers.
 But youthful opponents find nothing to laugh about when the old fellow Is making suckers out of them.
 Comedian Swaney, fat and 51, is a bit too subtle in the pitchers box.