Kansas City Royals’ PR man “Swanee” leaves a legacy as he heads into retirement
Prior to Saturday night’s penultimate game of the Kansas City Royals’ season, the franchise honored longtime executive Mike Swanson, the club’s vice president of communications & broadcasting, in a ceremony on the field at Kauffman Stadium.
Swanson, a Lee’s Summit resident widely known around baseball and sports simply as “Swanee,” will retire at the end of December and conclude a 43-year career in Major League Baseball that began with the Royals in 1973 and included stints with the San Diego Padres (1984-90), Colorado Rockies (1992-97), Arizona Diamondbacks (1998-2006) and with the Royals again (2007-21).
He spent 21 years with the Royals across his two stints.
The ceremony included a tribute video featuring members of the Royals organization from every level, but also prominently featured a letter written and read by his daughter, Rachel.
Both Rachel and Swanson’s wife, Renee, joined him on field for the ceremony. Swanson was so moved by the tribute that he wiped tears away from his eyes as he walked onto the field to an ovation from the crowd.
“The dedication, time, love and passion that you’ve shown the game of baseball for the last 43 years is unmatched,” Rachel said in the video.
The video tribute included messages from Baseball Hall of Famer George Brett, former Royals stars Alex Gordon, Mike Sweeney and Jeff Montgomery, current Royals Salvador Perez, Whit Merrifield and Brad Keller, chairman and CEO John Sherman, president of baseball operations Dayton Moore, executives JJ Picollo and Scott Sharp, manager Mike Matheny and coach Rusty Kuntz.
Messages also came from director of team travel and clubhouse operations Jeff Davenport, Hall of Fame broadcaster Denny Matthews, television broadcasters and analysts Ryan Lefebvre, Rex Hudler, Joel Goldberg, Steve Physioc and Steve Stewart, Royals Hall of Fame director Curt Nelson as well as members of the media relations, marketing and community impact departments.
Brett said he loved Swanson like a brother, and Matheny said he’d created a legacy. Merrifield described Swanson as a “legend.”
“We’re going to miss you a great deal,” Moore said in the video. “I’m just thankful that you’re still going to be living in the community. We understand that it’s time to be with Renee. It’s time to be with Rachel. You’ve earned it.”
A 1972 graduate of Raytown High School and a member of that school district’s hall of fame, Swanson is an alum of the University of Kansas.
Over his career, he worked with players who earned 94 All-Star selections as well as 34 Gold Glove awards, seven Cy Young awards, six batting titles and an MVP. He also worked with one Hall of Fame manager and one Manager or the Year award winner.
Swanson has been part of two expansion franchises, first with the Colorado Rockies and second with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
He has also been part of two World Series championships, one with Arizona in 2001 and the other with his hometown Royals in 2015.
On top of his distinguished career in baseball, Swanson also worked as statisticians for legendary college football broadcaster Keith Jackson as well as NFL broadcasters Pat Summerall and John Madden.
He also worked six NCAA Final Fours, 23 Maui Invitationals, six Super Bowls, four NFC championship games, six Cotton Bowls, five Sugar Bowls, three Fiesta Bowls and the 2007 BCS National Title Game.
“You’ve not only given me that true love for sports, but you’ve shown me what true motivation and work ethic looks like,” Rachel read during the video. “You’ve been a great mentor, leader and role model to me and everyone around you.”
Lefebvre served as the emcee for the on-field ceremony, which included gift presentations by Matthews, Moore, Merrifield and Perez. Perez, the Royals’ All-Star catcher, also caught the ceremonial first pitch from Swanson.
