BILL SWAN NAMED BUD METHENY AWARD WINNER

Former Old Dominion assistant baseball coach Bill Swan was presented with the university's Bud Metheny Award for his contribution to the sport.

In addition to coaching at Old Dominion, he gave years of service to Virginia Wesleyan College and the Tidewater Summer League.

"This is a very special award, because Bud Metheny means so much to me and has done so much for baseball and athletes in Hampton Roads and all up and down the East Coast," said Swan. "Bud helped me and so many others with the game of baseball and life. He is the most wonderful person I have ever met both in and out of the game, and the baseball clinic is such a special event."

Swan moved to Hampton Roads in 1973 and began playing in the new Tidewater Summer Baseball League. Swan became player-coach of the Chesapeake Athletic Club team in the league in 1975. At the same time, he became active in the administration of the league and continued to do so until 1994.

In 1985, Swan formed the Norfolk Redbirds, whom he sponsored, coached and played for through 1994. The Redbirds won three Tidewater Summer League Championships during that period and never finished lower than third. The team also competed in various baseball tournaments in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Virginia in addition to the regular season summer league schedule.

Swan served as head baseball coach at Virginia Wesleyan College from 1981-84. The Marlins ranked nationally from 1982-94. From 1985 to 1994, Swan served as assistant baseball coach at Old Dominion University, for both Mark Newman and Pat McMahon, working with the catchers as well as serving as the bull pen coach and first base coach.

Born in Altoona, Pa., Swan is currently the chief deputy Commonwealth Attorney for the city of Portsmouth. He is a 1969 graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, earned his law degree in 1972 from Duke University.