| Among the most refreshing of the Mets' refreshing young men was Ron Swoboda. He later went on to a career in spotws broadcasting in New York and then New Orleans.
September 17: Swoboda Revels In His Image St. Louis -- Pete Rose of the Reds once described himself in terms that apply to Ron Swoboda. Rose said, "You know what I am? A refreshing young man; that's what I am." Swoboda has always displayed a zest for life. He's never been more refreshing in ball player's terms than he has been this week emerging as a front-and-center hero of the Mets pennant chase with two game-winning performances. On Saturday Swoboda hit a grand-slam home run that powered a victory. On Monday night he hit the pair of two-run homers off the Cardinals' Steve Carlton that gave the Mets a 4-3 victory even though Carlton went on to strike out 19 men, more than anybody had ever struck out in a nine-inning game. Many of the Met victories have been sterling examples of opportunism, and this one was as glorious as any. They find ways to win, no matter what happens, and certainly nobody had ever won a baseball game in the face of 19 strikeouts. "The Mets were no match for Steve Carlton, and they beat him," was one rollicking view of the Mets derring-do.
Swoboda delighted in the pounding of congratulations his teammates gave him when he returned to the bench after each home run. He bubbled his young man's effervescence all day yesterday. When the game ended Monday night, I made a breakfast appointment to talk about "The Life and Times of Ron Swoboda" and he said, "Sure, but let's not make it too early because I'll expect I'll get in late tonight and will sleep late." Fairly early in the morning, though, Swoboda called and said, "I'm up already. Is it all right if we meet now?" And at breakfast he said, "I'm still so excited that I wasn't able to sleep late." He smiled tolerantly at a waitress who was overburdened handling her table assignments. When I remarked that it was tough being a waitress when you're not good at it, Swoboda said, "It's tough doing anything when you're not good at it." Ah so. And therein lies, perhaps, some of the good feeling bubbling over Swoboda these days. He said, "Now that we are winning, it's hard to believe that we were ever that bad. Winning makes you forget about losing." Swoboda knows about the losing better than most Mets because he is the third oldest player in point of seniority. He's a bridge between the bumbling Mets of yore and these surging heroes. Swoboda is appreciated here because in performance and personality he has the stamp of the Casey Stengel Mets on him. It's good to see that someone still raises on high the banner of the Grand Old Man. "The Old Man was with us on our recent West Coast trip," Swoboda said. "You could see that was dying to be a part of us, but of course he knew enough not to butt in, because he knew that this is Gil Hodges' team." Were Swoboda made of less solid stuff, he could have been turned into a sour young man now. The Met boobirds with little compassion made Swoboda a prime target in the early going this year. With the Mets suddenly showing competence, it was as if a certain segment tried to exorcise the past by turning on Swoboda, who stood out so prominently as a reminder of less exalted days. The boos rained on him. One night when he struck out four times they rooted for him to strike out five times. And he did. Swoboda did not lose his good cheer. He said, "The way I played they should have lined up outside the stadium all the way to my house in Syosset to boo. What if I struck out five times and nobody noticed? "I know that if I had lengthy conversations with some of those people, if I got to talk to them and know them, I'd like them and they would like me. But there's that wall outside there between us and you can't get to know them. I would mind if the booing were personal, but they don't know me so it's not personal and I would be small to call the people who boo me idiots." Now, of course, Swoboda is turning it all around with his opportunistic bat. "Super Swat" somebody called him yesterday. It's a source of small regret only that Swoboday's bases-loaded homer and his twin homers weren't hit at Shea Stadium. Nobody would have enjoyed the hometown shouting more than Swoboda. "The big things about those homers," he said, "was the feeling I had hitting the ball. When you mash a ball you have a special feeling in your hands. I was ever so quick, I felt so good." The whole Met experience is so exhilarating, he said, "It's like being high all the time. You are like an inebriate." And so, while Swoboda philosophized about the good life over his breakfast yesterday morning, there was a multitude going to work throughout the metropolitan area, and they were talking about the Mets and the strikeouts and the home runs that Swoboda hit to win another lovely game. Just how did he feel about that? "One of the beautiful things about being a personality--and let's face it, that's what a ball player is--is that you know you can give happiness to people. Of course it isn't very significant and won't really change their lives, but at least it makes them feel good for a while."
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Guess Who Came to Great Met Party 
