Dan Swartz

Daniel S. Swartz (December 23, 1934 – April 3, 1997)^[1] was an American basketball player born in Owingsville, Kentucky. He scored 2,088 points in his high school career^[2] and was just shy from breaking Wah Wah Jones’ national high school scoring record.

Dan Swartz

Swartz with the Wichita Vickers.
Personal information
Born	(1934-12-23)December 23, 1934 Owingsville, Kentucky, US
Died	April 3, 1997(1997-04-03) (aged 62)
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school	Owingsville (Owingsville, Kentucky)
College	Kentucky (1951–1952) Morehead State (1953–1956)
NBA draft	1956: 4th round, 29th overall pick
Selected by the Boston Celtics
Playing career	1959–1963
Position	Power forward
Number	12
Career history
1959–1960	Wichita Vickers
1961	Cleveland Pipers
1961–1962	Philadelphia Tapers
1962	Los Angeles Jets
1962–1963	Boston Celtics
Career highlights and awards
NBA champion (1963) All-ABL First Team (1962)
Career NBA statistics
Points	175 (4.5 ppg)
Rebounds	88 (2.3 rpg)
Assists	21 (0.5 apg)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference
Medals Representing  United States Men's basketball Pan American Games 1959 Chicago Team Competition

Starting off his career, Swartz played one season at the University of Kentucky before transferring home.^[3] The 6'4" (1.93 m) forward transferred to Morehead State University, Swartz played one season (1962-63) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Boston Celtics. He averaged 4.5 points per game and won an NBA Championship ring when the Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1963 NBA Finals.

When his basketball career came to an end he became the local county sheriff then later to be the field representative for U.S. Rep. Scotty Baesler. With his wife they had 5 children, 4 sons and 1 daughter. At the age of 65 from a sudden heart attack. In 1999, Morehead State University retired Swartz's jersey to be hung in the rafters.^[4]

Now his hometown of Owingsville honors him by hosting the "Dan Swartz Classic," a basketball tournament held at Bath County High School.

Career statistics

Legend

GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high
†	Won an NBA championship

NBA

Source^[5]

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1962–63†	Boston	39	8.6	.380	.847	2.3	.5	4.5

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1963†	Boston	1	4.0	–	–	.0	.0	.0

References

1. Social Security Death Index has 1931 birth year, basketball-reference.com has 1934 birth year.
2. "Dan Swartz". Walter's Wildcat World. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
3. "The Kentucky Kernel: 1952-06-20". kentuckynewspapers.org. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
4. "Retired Jerseys". Morehead State University Athletics. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
5. "Dan Swartz NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 12, 2024.

External links

• Career statistics from NBA.com  and Basketball Reference