Former Mariner Russ Swan Dead Under Mysterious Circumstances
Exactly one week after Randy Johnson threw the first no-hitter in Mariner history against Detroit, a 26-year-old rookie made an auspicious Mariners debut at Tiger Stadium.
Russ Swan no-hit those same Tigers for seven innings--Cecil Fielder led off the 8th with a single, dashing his (and our) young hopes for another baseball milestone.
Swan spent three more years largely unremarkable years with the Mariners as a reliever and spot starter. He had a hand in one more historical moment. Swan recorded one of the final three outs in the 9th inning of the Mariners' October 2nd, 1991 win over Texas--the win, momentous at the time, which assured the team of its first .500 or better season.
On April 17th, the P-I reports, Swan was found unconscious at the bottom of a stairwell in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. He wasn't carrying identification. He'd hit his head, apparently from the fall. He died nine days later.
Swan was a Kennewick High grad and coached for Washington State University. He has a wife and two kids. Left unanswered by the Seattle P-I obituary is why Swan was in Arizona, why he wasn't carrying I.D., and whether any police investigation is underway.
Whenever we worry about the fragility of our own life, we remember that out of every person that's played for the Seattle Mariners, only five are dead (we're pretty sure about this) . Al Cowens (heart attack), Ivan Calderon (murdered), Rod Scurry (apparent drug overdose), Joe Decker (who pitched only nine games for the M's. He apparently also fell down a flight of stairs), and now Swan. Still many living for a team that began in 1977.
Update! A commenter on USS Mariner points out two other Mariner deather (Rick Anderson and Larry Cox), and says he knows of a couple of others, though doesn't mention who.
