Bill Sweeney - 1B/Mgr
1936-57
Portland, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Seattle

Bill Sweeney was a veteran player when he came to the Pacific Coast League, already 32 years old.

He was a first basemen for 7 years, and a manager in the PCL for 19 seasons over the next 21 years, playing long past the time when other players had hung up their glove and began telling lies about the good old days.

Sweeney managed for 17 seasons, including pennant-winning teams in Portland in 1936 and in Los Angeles with the Angels in 1943 and 1944.

Sweeney's Uncle, William John Sweeney, was a major leaguer in the early days of baseball. He also played briefly in the PCL.

He was born William Joseph Sweeney on December 29, 1903 in Cleveland, Ohio to a baseball family. His uncle, also Bill Sweeney (William John Sweeney) was a major league player in the infancy of professional baseball with early teams like the Boston Doves, Rustlers and Braves. He also played in the PCL in 1905 and 1906. Sweeney's shot at the major leagues started late by the standards of players of the time, when he was 25 years old. In 1928 he was signed by the Detroit Tigers. In his first season , he batted .252 in 89 games with 309 at-bats, driving in 19 and grabbing 19 stolen bases in 28 tries. He also had a .333 slugging percentage. Sweeney returned to the majors in 1930 with the Boston Red Sox. He saw a modest amount of action in 88 games with a .309 average on 243 trips to the plate. He hit his first major league home run that year, one of four for the season. His slugging percentage rose to .412. He made the club the following year, in what was his best year as a major leaguer. His average was a very respectable .295 in 131 games with 498 at-bats.

In 1936 Sweeney entered the Pacific Coast League on May 11th, playing first base and managing for Portland. He batted .309 on 314 at-bats in 83 games at first base. As the skipper, he helmed his team to a first place finish, capturing the pennant with a 75-60 record and a .556 percentage.

Bill played for Portland and managed the team from 1936 though 1939. Working with less than ideal crops of players, his record as a manager steadily declined. The team finished fourth in 1937 with a .511 percentage and dropped to .434 and 25-1/2 games back of the leader in 1939. Ironically, his worst year with Portland as a skipper was his best year as a player: He had a .336 average with 60 RBIs and a PCL career-high six home runs that year.

With tensions between the United States and Japan rising, Sweeney signed a deal to manage the Hollywood Stars and play during the early war years, in 1940 and 1941.

The team finished 6th and 4th respectively. Sweeney played back-up first baseman, finishing the seasons .268 and .273 with a declining production that signalled the coming of the end of his playing days.

In 1942 he moved across town to the rival Los Angeles Angels as a player and bench coach. He pinch hit that year only delivering paltry production and a puny .188 on just 16 at-bats.

1943 saw Sweeney return to the helm of a team, staying with the Angels as their manager. It was also his return to the helm of a winning team. The Angels under Sweeney finished first in 1943 and 1944.

His team in 1943 captured the pennant with a devastating 110-45 record and a .710 percentage. Some attribute this blip to the talent drain during WWII, but records show that some of the great players of the PCL were still in the game during these years, making it still one of the best seasons in PCL history. Sweeney coached the Angels until 1946.

In 1949 Sweeney returned to the PCL to coach his old team, Portland. His teams from 1949 through 1951 hovered around a winning percentage, but never finished better than fourth.

From 1952 to 1953 Bill coached Seattle, finishing 2nd, 8 games back in '53.

Sweeney packed his bags and headed back to Los Angeles in 1954. He lasted there until being fired on May 23 of 1955. Portland fired their skipper on July 11, 1956 and brought Sweeney back. He brought the team to a third place finish.

1957 would be Sweeney's last season as a skipper and, tragically, on Earth. The team was 3-1/2 games back with a dismal 1-5 record when he died of a heart attack on April 18th on a road trip in San Diego.

Sweeney finished his PCL career as a hitter with a lifetime .299 average, 289 RBIs and 20 home runs from 648 games and 2,285 appearances at the plate.

His career as a manager peaked just above average at .503, with a 1471-1452 record. He often was dealt poor hands,with players that weren't much to write home about. He always made the most of what he had to work with, though, and was known as a manager who could at least bring a team to a respectable finish.

Bill Sweeney went out still very much a part of the game that had been his life the majority of his 54 years.