KANSAS CITY, MO (December 16, 2021) – Kansas City Royals Vice President of Communications, Mike Swanson, will be among the 21 sports figures/teams inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. The annual enshrinement ceremony is set for Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022 at Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, Mo. Swanson will follow Royals President of Baseball Operations, Dayton Moore, who was named a Missouri Sports Hall of Famer last January.

“Growing up in Raytown, Mo., I had dreams, but even I couldn’t have dreamt how exciting or fulfilling my life in sports would be,” said Swanson. “Of all the opportunities I’ve had in the sports world, I never did it for the accolades, I did it out of my love for the game and the relationships I was able to forge. In 2007 I was given an opportunity to return to my hometown and join the Royals and I enjoyed every single minute and relationship I had within that organization. I could never fathom that my professional career could be capped off by this honor from the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. I am forever grateful.”

Swanson, who is known throughout baseball as “Swanee,” will retire at the end of this month following a 43-year career in Major League Baseball. Swanee began his career in sports working in the equipment room for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1969-72. His first stint with the Royals began in 1973, which was his first of six seasons working as an intern in the Club’s media relations department.

Swanee served as a television statistician from 1977-85, before returning to baseball with the San Diego Padres from 1984-90, the upstart Colorado Rockies from 1992-97, and the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks from 1998-2006. In 2002, he was named the prestigious Robert O. Fishel Award winner for Public Relations Excellence. Swanee returned to Kansas City in 2007 and has served as the Royals VP of communications and broadcasting for the last 15 years, including back-to-back American League pennant winning seasons from 2014-15, and a World Series championship in 2015.

In total, Swanee has spent 21 of his 43 years in Major League Baseball representing his hometown team in Kansas City. His days as a statistician have seen him work six Final Fours, six Super Bowls, four NFC Championship games, five Sugar Bowls, six Cotton Bowls, three Fiesta Bowls, the 2007 BCS national championship game, 23 Maui Invitationals and the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in 2018.

The 1972 graduate of Raytown High School was inducted into the Raytown School District Hall of Fame in 2016. A University of Kansas alum, Swanee and his wife, Renee, and daughter, Rachel, reside in Lee’s Summit, Mo.

Other inductees in the Class of 2022 include: Willie Roaf (Kansas City Chiefs), Matt Holliday (St. Louis Cardinals), Forest Lucas (Founder of Lucas Oil), Ken Morrow (Hockey), Rich Gould (TV sports director), Julie Dorn (Mizzou gymnastics), Jay Osborne (Nixa High School boys basketball coach), Tim Poe (University of Central Missouri boys golf coach), Steve Hesser (Drury University men’s basketball coach), Jon Leamy (Missouri State University men’s soccer coach), Don Peterson (Scuba Diving), Randy Magers (Missouri State baseball & basketball standout), Larry Whiteley (Bass Pro Shops), West Plains High School Volleyball Era 1984-1991, Grain Valley High School Cheerleading Program, Football Coach Rick Byers & St. Pius X Football Era 1998-2002, Helias Catholic High School Boys Golf Program, Bryan Properties (John Q. Hammons Founder’s Award), Bonnie Keller (Ace Award), Craig Curry (President’s Award).