Clarence Swigart (1983) - Hall of Fame - University of Akron Athletics

Clarence Swigart

Induction:
1983
Class:
1920

1918-20
Football/Basketball/ Track/ Baseball
Fast Back/ Short stop; Pitcher/ Shot put; Discus
‘20
Unlike today’s college athlete who usually concentrates on one sport and works at it year-round. Clarence Swigart’s college years filled with football in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball and track in the spring. He earned nine letters before he graduated in 1920. An exceptionally fast back on the 1919-20 teams, Clarence, nicknamed Johnnie, scored six touchdowns in 1919 to lead the team in that category and to a 6-1-1 season. In baseball, Swigart played shortstop as a junior and pitched his senior season. And in track, he was considered one of Akron’s best in the discus, shot put and pole vault in 1919 and ’20. However, it was in basketball that Clarence really excelled. Teaming with such notables as Eddie Wentz and Art Knowlton, both Hall of Famers, the UA cagers, under the tutelage of Fred Sefton, captured back-to back Ohio Conference Championship in 1918-19 and 1919-20 squad, on the way to 12-2 record, captured its first eight games. That 22-game win streak is unsurpassed to the current day. Considered the third best forward in the state and most feared man under the basket in the OC, Swigart was voted captain of the All-Ohio second team as a senior.