Collegiate
Swann attended the
University of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he was an
All-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the
1972 undefeated and national championship seasonThe 1972 college football season saw the USC Trojans, coached by John McKay, go undefeated and win the national championship as the unanimous choice of the fifty AP panelists...
. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations in 1974. In 1993, he was inducted into the
College Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.
Professional career
Swann was selected by the
Pittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
with the 21st pick of the first round in the
1974 NFL DraftThe 1974 National Football League Draft took place at the Americana Hotel in New York City on January 29–30, 1974. Each of the 26 NFL teams was granted 17 selections for a total of 442 picks....
. The Steelers draft class of '74 is considered one of the best in NFL history and included 4 eventual
Hall of FamersThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
: Swann,
John StallworthJohnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
,
Mike Webster, and Jack Lambert.
Swann spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers and wore the jersey number 88. As a rookie, he led the NFL with 577 punt return yards, a franchise record and the fourth most in NFL history at the time. He went on to win a championship ring with the Steelers in
Super Bowl IXSuper Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
but did not record any receptions in the tough defensive struggle (Pittsburgh quarterback
Terry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
completed only nine passes in the game). However, he returned 3 punts for 34 yards.
The following season became the highlight of Swann's career. He caught 49 passes for 781 yards and a league-leading 11 touchdowns. In the AFC title game against the
Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
George Atkinson cheap shotted Swann with a vicious hit. He suffered a severe concussion that forced him to spend two days in a hospital, but surprised many by returning to play for
Super Bowl XSuper Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
. Swann recorded four catches for a Super Bowl record 161 yards and a touchdown in the game, assisting the Steelers to a 21–17 win and becoming the first wide receiver to earn
Super Bowl MVPThe Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
honors.
Three seasons later the Steelers made it to
Super Bowl XIIISuper Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
. In the game, Swann caught seven passes for 124 yards and scored the final touchdown for Pittsburgh in their 35-31 win over the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. The Steelers made it back to the Super Bowl again in the 1979 season, and Swann caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 31-19 win in
Super Bowl XIVSuper Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
. Overall, Swann gained 364 receiving yards and 398 all-purpose yards in his four
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s, which were both Super Bowl records at the time.
Swann retired after the 1982 season with four Super Bowl rings. He amassed 336 career receptions for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns, along with 72 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, and 739 punt return yards and a touchdown. He was a
pro bowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection three times (1975, 1977, 1978) and was selected on the 1970s all-decade team.
Swann was named an All-Pro Team Selection in 1975, 1977, and 1978. He was elected to the
Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2001, a year before his teammate John Stallworth. He was also selected to the
NFL 1970s All-Decade TeamThis is a list of all NFL players who have had outstanding performances throughout the 1970s and have been compiled onto this fantasy group. The team was selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
by Hall of Fame voters.
After football
Swann serves as a director on the boards of
H J Heinz Co.The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts and Wyndham International. He was a football and sports broadcaster for ABC Sports from 1976–2006, but left to run for Pennsylvania governor.
Swann briefly hosted the television
game showA game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
To Tell the TruthTo Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
, on which he had previously appeared as a panelist before replacing original host
Gordon ElliottGordon Elliott is a British-born Australian journalist and producer. He is the executive producer of ABC's daytime program The Chew, but is probably better known for his 1990s TV talk show program, The Gordon Elliott Show....
, on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from 1990 to 1991. His fourteen-week run as emcee ended, and he was replaced by
Alex TrebekGeorge Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian American game show host who has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984, and prior to that, he hosted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. He has appeared in numerous television series, usually as himself...
. He made a
cameo appearance on
Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
During his time at ABC, Lynn Swann began his broadcasting career in 1976 while still active with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Upon retirement in January, 1983, Swann began his career full-time with ABC Sports, which ended after the
2006 Orange BowlThe 2006 Orange Bowl, a 2005-2006 BCS game, was played on January 3, 2006. This 72nd edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Florida State Seminoles....
. Swann has broadcast a variety of events as a host, reporter, and analyst. Included in these events are: the
1976 Winter OlympicsThe 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
, the
1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, the
1980 Winter OlympicsThe 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, the
1984 Winter OlympicsThe 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
, the
1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, the
1988 Winter OlympicsThe 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
, the Iditarod Trail sled dog race, International Diving Championships,
USFLOn May 24, 1982, the United States Football League reached an agreement with ABC and ESPN on television rights. The money for inaugural 1983 season would be a total of $13 million: $9 million from ABC and $4 million from ESPN ....
,
college footballESPN College Football on ABC presented by Kay Jewelers is a presentation of the American Broadcasting Company's regular season American college football television package...
and
Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, the
Kentucky DerbyThe Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
,
Preakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
,
Belmont StakesThe Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
, the Irish Derby,
ABC's Wide World of Sports, and
Curt GowdyCurtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
's
The American SportsmanThe American Sportsman was a television series from 1965 to 1986 on ABC which presented filmed highlights of hunting and/or fishing trips involving the program's hosts and celebrities. It was typically presented on Sunday afternoons, frequently following coverage of live sporting events...
Swann was the sideline reporter on CBS' "Clash of Champions" bowling telecast that aired on May 10–11, 2008. He teamed with color analyst
Nelson Burton Jr.Nelson "Bo" Burton, Jr. is a professional ten-pin bowler and former longtime analyst for the Professional Bowlers Tour on ABC Television. He is the son of Nelson Burton, Sr., who himself was a successful bowler in his day, competing with the likes of Glenn Allison and Billy Welu...
and play-by-play man
Bill MacateeBill Macatee is an American sports broadcaster.-Early life and career:Macatee was born in Rome, New York, and grew up in El Paso, Texas. In 1978, he earned a bachelor of science degree in speech from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas...
. The broadcast marked bowling's return to network television for the first time since 1999 when CBS carried it.
Swann made an appearance, playing himself in the role of a sideline reporter at the "Bourbon Bowl", in the
1998-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
Adam SandlerAdam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
comedy feature film
The WaterboyThe Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
.
Political career
Swann was the Chairman of the United States
President's Council on Physical Fitness and SportsThe President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition , is an American government organization that aims to "promote, encourage and motivate Americans of all ages to become physically active and participate in sport"...
, appointed to the position by President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. He served as Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports from June 20, 2002 to July 30, 2005.
Political positions
Swann is a social conservative who opposes
abortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and supports gun rights.
2006 candidacy for governor
In December 2004, Swann, who resides in the
PittsburghPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
suburb of
Sewickley Heights, PennsylvaniaSewickley Heights is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 810 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sewickley Heights is located at ....
, indicated that he was considering seeking the
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania in the
2006 electionThe Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and included the races for the Governor of Pennsylvania and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.Incumbent Governor Ed Rendell, a Democrat, ran for re-election...
. On February 23, 2005, Swann filed papers with the state elections board stating his intention to run. On the same day he formed a fundraising committee called
Team 88 after his Steeler jersey number. On January 4, 2006, Swann formally declared his candidacy for Governor of Pennsylvania.
Swann's opponents in the Republican
primaryA primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
scheduled for May 16, 2006 had initially included Jim Panyard, State Senator Jeff Piccola, and former
Lieutenant GovernorThe Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
William Scranton, IIIWilliam Worthington Scranton, III served as the Republican lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987 in the administration of Governor Richard Thornburgh...
. After Swann received the endorsement of the Republican state committee on February 11, 2006, all three opponents quit the race, leaving Swann as the only Republican to have filed by the deadline of March 7, 2006. Swann's campaign focused mainly on property tax reform. He also supported giving the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
Pittsburgh's lone slots license so they could build a new
arenaAn arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, free of taxpayer money.
In the end, Swann lost the election with 40% of the vote to incumbent
Ed RendellEdward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
's 60%. Had Swann won, he would have been the first African-American governor of
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and only the third African-American elected governor of a state in U.S. history. Of the three African American gubernatorial candidates in 2006, only one (
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
'
Deval PatrickDeval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
, a
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
) won;
Kenneth BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, a Republican, lost in Ohio.
2008 to present
In 2008, Swann confirmed that he was considering running for the United State House of Representatives from
Pennsylvania's 4th congressional districtPennsylvania's fourth district is located in western Pennsylvania and includes suburbs of Pittsburgh as well as Beaver County, Lawrence County, and Mercer County....
against Rep.
Jason AltmireJason Altmire is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
. However, Swann did not file for the election and former congresswoman Melissa Hart won the Republican nomination unopposed and then lost to Altmire in the 2008 General Election. Although he did not endorse a candidate in the primaries, Swann endorsed
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
in the 2008 Presidential Election.
In October 2009, Swann joined the short and enviable list of membership into the
Augusta National Golf ClubAugusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
. He is a dues-paying member of the home of the Masters Golf tournament every April.
On August 19, 2010, the
Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewThe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
reported that Swann would be a part of the ownership team for
Pittsburgh's AFL expansion franchiseThe Pittsburgh Power is an Arena Football League team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that began play in March of 2011. The team plays its home games at the new Consol Energy Center, which they share with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
, which will begin play in the spring of 2011. The team's home field will be the new Consol Energy Center.
External links
Politics
Football
Other
Collegiate
Swann attended the
University of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he was an
All-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the
1972 undefeated and national championship seasonThe 1972 college football season saw the USC Trojans, coached by John McKay, go undefeated and win the national championship as the unanimous choice of the fifty AP panelists...
. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations in 1974. In 1993, he was inducted into the
College Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.
Professional career
Swann was selected by the
Pittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
with the 21st pick of the first round in the
1974 NFL DraftThe 1974 National Football League Draft took place at the Americana Hotel in New York City on January 29–30, 1974. Each of the 26 NFL teams was granted 17 selections for a total of 442 picks....
. The Steelers draft class of '74 is considered one of the best in NFL history and included 4 eventual
Hall of FamersThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
: Swann,
John StallworthJohnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
,
Mike Webster, and Jack Lambert.
Swann spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers and wore the jersey number 88. As a rookie, he led the NFL with 577 punt return yards, a franchise record and the fourth most in NFL history at the time. He went on to win a championship ring with the Steelers in
Super Bowl IXSuper Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
but did not record any receptions in the tough defensive struggle (Pittsburgh quarterback
Terry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
completed only nine passes in the game). However, he returned 3 punts for 34 yards.
The following season became the highlight of Swann's career. He caught 49 passes for 781 yards and a league-leading 11 touchdowns. In the AFC title game against the
Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
George Atkinson cheap shotted Swann with a vicious hit. He suffered a severe concussion that forced him to spend two days in a hospital, but surprised many by returning to play for
Super Bowl XSuper Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
. Swann recorded four catches for a Super Bowl record 161 yards and a touchdown in the game, assisting the Steelers to a 21–17 win and becoming the first wide receiver to earn
Super Bowl MVPThe Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
honors.
Three seasons later the Steelers made it to
Super Bowl XIIISuper Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
. In the game, Swann caught seven passes for 124 yards and scored the final touchdown for Pittsburgh in their 35-31 win over the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. The Steelers made it back to the Super Bowl again in the 1979 season, and Swann caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 31-19 win in
Super Bowl XIVSuper Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
. Overall, Swann gained 364 receiving yards and 398 all-purpose yards in his four
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s, which were both Super Bowl records at the time.
Swann retired after the 1982 season with four Super Bowl rings. He amassed 336 career receptions for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns, along with 72 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, and 739 punt return yards and a touchdown. He was a
pro bowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection three times (1975, 1977, 1978) and was selected on the 1970s all-decade team.
Swann was named an All-Pro Team Selection in 1975, 1977, and 1978. He was elected to the
Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2001, a year before his teammate John Stallworth. He was also selected to the
NFL 1970s All-Decade TeamThis is a list of all NFL players who have had outstanding performances throughout the 1970s and have been compiled onto this fantasy group. The team was selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
by Hall of Fame voters.
After football
Swann serves as a director on the boards of
H J Heinz Co.The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts and Wyndham International. He was a football and sports broadcaster for ABC Sports from 1976–2006, but left to run for Pennsylvania governor.
Swann briefly hosted the television
game showA game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
To Tell the TruthTo Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
, on which he had previously appeared as a panelist before replacing original host
Gordon ElliottGordon Elliott is a British-born Australian journalist and producer. He is the executive producer of ABC's daytime program The Chew, but is probably better known for his 1990s TV talk show program, The Gordon Elliott Show....
, on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from 1990 to 1991. His fourteen-week run as emcee ended, and he was replaced by
Alex TrebekGeorge Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian American game show host who has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984, and prior to that, he hosted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. He has appeared in numerous television series, usually as himself...
. He made a
cameo appearance on
Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
During his time at ABC, Lynn Swann began his broadcasting career in 1976 while still active with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Upon retirement in January, 1983, Swann began his career full-time with ABC Sports, which ended after the
2006 Orange BowlThe 2006 Orange Bowl, a 2005-2006 BCS game, was played on January 3, 2006. This 72nd edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Florida State Seminoles....
. Swann has broadcast a variety of events as a host, reporter, and analyst. Included in these events are: the
1976 Winter OlympicsThe 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
, the
1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, the
1980 Winter OlympicsThe 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, the
1984 Winter OlympicsThe 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
, the
1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, the
1988 Winter OlympicsThe 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
, the Iditarod Trail sled dog race, International Diving Championships,
USFLOn May 24, 1982, the United States Football League reached an agreement with ABC and ESPN on television rights. The money for inaugural 1983 season would be a total of $13 million: $9 million from ABC and $4 million from ESPN ....
,
college footballESPN College Football on ABC presented by Kay Jewelers is a presentation of the American Broadcasting Company's regular season American college football television package...
and
Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, the
Kentucky DerbyThe Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
,
Preakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
,
Belmont StakesThe Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
, the Irish Derby,
ABC's Wide World of Sports, and
Curt GowdyCurtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
's
The American SportsmanThe American Sportsman was a television series from 1965 to 1986 on ABC which presented filmed highlights of hunting and/or fishing trips involving the program's hosts and celebrities. It was typically presented on Sunday afternoons, frequently following coverage of live sporting events...
Swann was the sideline reporter on CBS' "Clash of Champions" bowling telecast that aired on May 10–11, 2008. He teamed with color analyst
Nelson Burton Jr.Nelson "Bo" Burton, Jr. is a professional ten-pin bowler and former longtime analyst for the Professional Bowlers Tour on ABC Television. He is the son of Nelson Burton, Sr., who himself was a successful bowler in his day, competing with the likes of Glenn Allison and Billy Welu...
and play-by-play man
Bill MacateeBill Macatee is an American sports broadcaster.-Early life and career:Macatee was born in Rome, New York, and grew up in El Paso, Texas. In 1978, he earned a bachelor of science degree in speech from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas...
. The broadcast marked bowling's return to network television for the first time since 1999 when CBS carried it.
Swann made an appearance, playing himself in the role of a sideline reporter at the "Bourbon Bowl", in the
1998-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
Adam SandlerAdam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
comedy feature film
The WaterboyThe Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
.
Political career
Swann was the Chairman of the United States
President's Council on Physical Fitness and SportsThe President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition , is an American government organization that aims to "promote, encourage and motivate Americans of all ages to become physically active and participate in sport"...
, appointed to the position by President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. He served as Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports from June 20, 2002 to July 30, 2005.
Political positions
Swann is a social conservative who opposes
abortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and supports gun rights.{{citation needed|date=May 2011}}
2006 candidacy for governor
{{Main|Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2006}}
In December 2004, Swann, who resides in the
PittsburghPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
suburb of
Sewickley Heights, PennsylvaniaSewickley Heights is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 810 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sewickley Heights is located at ....
, indicated that he was considering seeking the
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania in the
2006 electionThe Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and included the races for the Governor of Pennsylvania and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.Incumbent Governor Ed Rendell, a Democrat, ran for re-election...
. On February 23, 2005, Swann filed papers with the state elections board stating his intention to run. On the same day he formed a fundraising committee called
Team 88 after his Steeler jersey number. On January 4, 2006, Swann formally declared his candidacy for Governor of Pennsylvania.
Swann's opponents in the Republican
primaryA primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
scheduled for May 16, 2006 had initially included Jim Panyard, State Senator Jeff Piccola, and former
Lieutenant GovernorThe Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
William Scranton, IIIWilliam Worthington Scranton, III served as the Republican lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987 in the administration of Governor Richard Thornburgh...
. After Swann received the endorsement of the Republican state committee on February 11, 2006, all three opponents quit the race, leaving Swann as the only Republican to have filed by the deadline of March 7, 2006. Swann's campaign focused mainly on property tax reform. He also supported giving the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
Pittsburgh's lone slots license so they could build a new
arenaAn arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, free of taxpayer money.
In the end, Swann lost the election with 40% of the vote to incumbent
Ed RendellEdward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
's 60%. Had Swann won, he would have been the first African-American governor of
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and only the third African-American elected governor of a state in U.S. history. Of the three African American gubernatorial candidates in 2006, only one (
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
'
Deval PatrickDeval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
, a
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
) won;
Kenneth BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, a Republican, lost in Ohio.
2008 to present
In 2008, Swann confirmed that he was considering running for the United State House of Representatives from
Pennsylvania's 4th congressional districtPennsylvania's fourth district is located in western Pennsylvania and includes suburbs of Pittsburgh as well as Beaver County, Lawrence County, and Mercer County....
against Rep.
Jason AltmireJason Altmire is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
. However, Swann did not file for the election and former congresswoman Melissa Hart won the Republican nomination unopposed and then lost to Altmire in the 2008 General Election. Although he did not endorse a candidate in the primaries, Swann endorsed
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
in the 2008 Presidential Election.
In October 2009, Swann joined the short and enviable list of membership into the
Augusta National Golf ClubAugusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
. He is a dues-paying member of the home of the Masters Golf tournament every April.
On August 19, 2010, the
Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewThe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
reported that Swann would be a part of the ownership team for
Pittsburgh's AFL expansion franchiseThe Pittsburgh Power is an Arena Football League team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that began play in March of 2011. The team plays its home games at the new Consol Energy Center, which they share with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
, which will begin play in the spring of 2011. The team's home field will be the new Consol Energy Center.
External links
{{Commons category}}
Politics
Football
Other
Collegiate
Swann attended the
University of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he was an
All-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the
1972 undefeated and national championship seasonThe 1972 college football season saw the USC Trojans, coached by John McKay, go undefeated and win the national championship as the unanimous choice of the fifty AP panelists...
. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations in 1974. In 1993, he was inducted into the
College Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.
Professional career
Swann was selected by the
Pittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
with the 21st pick of the first round in the
1974 NFL DraftThe 1974 National Football League Draft took place at the Americana Hotel in New York City on January 29–30, 1974. Each of the 26 NFL teams was granted 17 selections for a total of 442 picks....
. The Steelers draft class of '74 is considered one of the best in NFL history and included 4 eventual
Hall of FamersThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
: Swann,
John StallworthJohnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
,
Mike Webster, and Jack Lambert.
Swann spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers and wore the jersey number 88. As a rookie, he led the NFL with 577 punt return yards, a franchise record and the fourth most in NFL history at the time. He went on to win a championship ring with the Steelers in
Super Bowl IXSuper Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
but did not record any receptions in the tough defensive struggle (Pittsburgh quarterback
Terry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
completed only nine passes in the game). However, he returned 3 punts for 34 yards.
The following season became the highlight of Swann's career. He caught 49 passes for 781 yards and a league-leading 11 touchdowns. In the AFC title game against the
Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
George Atkinson cheap shotted Swann with a vicious hit. He suffered a severe concussion that forced him to spend two days in a hospital, but surprised many by returning to play for
Super Bowl XSuper Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
. Swann recorded four catches for a Super Bowl record 161 yards and a touchdown in the game, assisting the Steelers to a 21–17 win and becoming the first wide receiver to earn
Super Bowl MVPThe Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
honors.
Three seasons later the Steelers made it to
Super Bowl XIIISuper Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
. In the game, Swann caught seven passes for 124 yards and scored the final touchdown for Pittsburgh in their 35-31 win over the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. The Steelers made it back to the Super Bowl again in the 1979 season, and Swann caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 31-19 win in
Super Bowl XIVSuper Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
. Overall, Swann gained 364 receiving yards and 398 all-purpose yards in his four
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s, which were both Super Bowl records at the time.
Swann retired after the 1982 season with four Super Bowl rings. He amassed 336 career receptions for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns, along with 72 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, and 739 punt return yards and a touchdown. He was a
pro bowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection three times (1975, 1977, 1978) and was selected on the 1970s all-decade team.
Swann was named an All-Pro Team Selection in 1975, 1977, and 1978. He was elected to the
Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2001, a year before his teammate John Stallworth. He was also selected to the
NFL 1970s All-Decade TeamThis is a list of all NFL players who have had outstanding performances throughout the 1970s and have been compiled onto this fantasy group. The team was selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
by Hall of Fame voters.
After football
Swann serves as a director on the boards of
H J Heinz Co.The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts and Wyndham International. He was a football and sports broadcaster for ABC Sports from 1976–2006, but left to run for Pennsylvania governor.
Swann briefly hosted the television
game showA game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
To Tell the TruthTo Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
, on which he had previously appeared as a panelist before replacing original host
Gordon ElliottGordon Elliott is a British-born Australian journalist and producer. He is the executive producer of ABC's daytime program The Chew, but is probably better known for his 1990s TV talk show program, The Gordon Elliott Show....
, on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from 1990 to 1991. His fourteen-week run as emcee ended, and he was replaced by
Alex TrebekGeorge Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian American game show host who has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984, and prior to that, he hosted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. He has appeared in numerous television series, usually as himself...
. He made a
cameo appearance on
Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
During his time at ABC, Lynn Swann began his broadcasting career in 1976 while still active with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Upon retirement in January, 1983, Swann began his career full-time with ABC Sports, which ended after the
2006 Orange BowlThe 2006 Orange Bowl, a 2005-2006 BCS game, was played on January 3, 2006. This 72nd edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Florida State Seminoles....
. Swann has broadcast a variety of events as a host, reporter, and analyst. Included in these events are: the
1976 Winter OlympicsThe 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
, the
1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, the
1980 Winter OlympicsThe 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, the
1984 Winter OlympicsThe 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
, the
1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, the
1988 Winter OlympicsThe 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
, the Iditarod Trail sled dog race, International Diving Championships,
USFLOn May 24, 1982, the United States Football League reached an agreement with ABC and ESPN on television rights. The money for inaugural 1983 season would be a total of $13 million: $9 million from ABC and $4 million from ESPN ....
,
college footballESPN College Football on ABC presented by Kay Jewelers is a presentation of the American Broadcasting Company's regular season American college football television package...
and
Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, the
Kentucky DerbyThe Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
,
Preakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
,
Belmont StakesThe Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
, the Irish Derby,
ABC's Wide World of Sports, and
Curt GowdyCurtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
's
The American SportsmanThe American Sportsman was a television series from 1965 to 1986 on ABC which presented filmed highlights of hunting and/or fishing trips involving the program's hosts and celebrities. It was typically presented on Sunday afternoons, frequently following coverage of live sporting events...
Swann was the sideline reporter on CBS' "Clash of Champions" bowling telecast that aired on May 10–11, 2008. He teamed with color analyst
Nelson Burton Jr.Nelson "Bo" Burton, Jr. is a professional ten-pin bowler and former longtime analyst for the Professional Bowlers Tour on ABC Television. He is the son of Nelson Burton, Sr., who himself was a successful bowler in his day, competing with the likes of Glenn Allison and Billy Welu...
and play-by-play man
Bill MacateeBill Macatee is an American sports broadcaster.-Early life and career:Macatee was born in Rome, New York, and grew up in El Paso, Texas. In 1978, he earned a bachelor of science degree in speech from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas...
. The broadcast marked bowling's return to network television for the first time since 1999 when CBS carried it.
Swann made an appearance, playing himself in the role of a sideline reporter at the "Bourbon Bowl", in the
1998-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
Adam SandlerAdam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
comedy feature film
The WaterboyThe Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
.
Political career
Swann was the Chairman of the United States
President's Council on Physical Fitness and SportsThe President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition , is an American government organization that aims to "promote, encourage and motivate Americans of all ages to become physically active and participate in sport"...
, appointed to the position by President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. He served as Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports from June 20, 2002 to July 30, 2005.
Political positions
Swann is a social conservative who opposes
abortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and supports gun rights.{{citation needed|date=May 2011}}
2006 candidacy for governor
{{Main|Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2006}}
In December 2004, Swann, who resides in the
PittsburghPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
suburb of
Sewickley Heights, PennsylvaniaSewickley Heights is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 810 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sewickley Heights is located at ....
, indicated that he was considering seeking the
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania in the
2006 electionThe Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and included the races for the Governor of Pennsylvania and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.Incumbent Governor Ed Rendell, a Democrat, ran for re-election...
. On February 23, 2005, Swann filed papers with the state elections board stating his intention to run. On the same day he formed a fundraising committee called
Team 88 after his Steeler jersey number. On January 4, 2006, Swann formally declared his candidacy for Governor of Pennsylvania.
Swann's opponents in the Republican
primaryA primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
scheduled for May 16, 2006 had initially included Jim Panyard, State Senator Jeff Piccola, and former
Lieutenant GovernorThe Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
William Scranton, IIIWilliam Worthington Scranton, III served as the Republican lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987 in the administration of Governor Richard Thornburgh...
. After Swann received the endorsement of the Republican state committee on February 11, 2006, all three opponents quit the race, leaving Swann as the only Republican to have filed by the deadline of March 7, 2006. Swann's campaign focused mainly on property tax reform. He also supported giving the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
Pittsburgh's lone slots license so they could build a new
arenaAn arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, free of taxpayer money.
In the end, Swann lost the election with 40% of the vote to incumbent
Ed RendellEdward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
's 60%. Had Swann won, he would have been the first African-American governor of
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and only the third African-American elected governor of a state in U.S. history. Of the three African American gubernatorial candidates in 2006, only one (
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
'
Deval PatrickDeval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
, a
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
) won;
Kenneth BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, a Republican, lost in Ohio.
2008 to present
In 2008, Swann confirmed that he was considering running for the United State House of Representatives from
Pennsylvania's 4th congressional districtPennsylvania's fourth district is located in western Pennsylvania and includes suburbs of Pittsburgh as well as Beaver County, Lawrence County, and Mercer County....
against Rep.
Jason AltmireJason Altmire is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
. However, Swann did not file for the election and former congresswoman Melissa Hart won the Republican nomination unopposed and then lost to Altmire in the 2008 General Election. Although he did not endorse a candidate in the primaries, Swann endorsed
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
in the 2008 Presidential Election.
In October 2009, Swann joined the short and enviable list of membership into the
Augusta National Golf ClubAugusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
. He is a dues-paying member of the home of the Masters Golf tournament every April.
On August 19, 2010, the
Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewThe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
reported that Swann would be a part of the ownership team for
Pittsburgh's AFL expansion franchiseThe Pittsburgh Power is an Arena Football League team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that began play in March of 2011. The team plays its home games at the new Consol Energy Center, which they share with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
, which will begin play in the spring of 2011. The team's home field will be the new Consol Energy Center.
External links
{{Commons category}}
Politics
Football
Other
{{Navbox
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Collegiate
Swann attended the
University of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he was an
All-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the
1972 undefeated and national championship seasonThe 1972 college football season saw the USC Trojans, coached by John McKay, go undefeated and win the national championship as the unanimous choice of the fifty AP panelists...
. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations in 1974. In 1993, he was inducted into the
College Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.
Professional career
Swann was selected by the
Pittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
with the 21st pick of the first round in the
1974 NFL DraftThe 1974 National Football League Draft took place at the Americana Hotel in New York City on January 29–30, 1974. Each of the 26 NFL teams was granted 17 selections for a total of 442 picks....
. The Steelers draft class of '74 is considered one of the best in NFL history and included 4 eventual
Hall of FamersThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
: Swann,
John StallworthJohnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
,
Mike Webster, and Jack Lambert.
Swann spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers and wore the jersey number 88. As a rookie, he led the NFL with 577 punt return yards, a franchise record and the fourth most in NFL history at the time. He went on to win a championship ring with the Steelers in
Super Bowl IXSuper Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
but did not record any receptions in the tough defensive struggle (Pittsburgh quarterback
Terry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
completed only nine passes in the game). However, he returned 3 punts for 34 yards.
The following season became the highlight of Swann's career. He caught 49 passes for 781 yards and a league-leading 11 touchdowns. In the AFC title game against the
Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
George Atkinson cheap shotted Swann with a vicious hit. He suffered a severe concussion that forced him to spend two days in a hospital, but surprised many by returning to play for
Super Bowl XSuper Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
. Swann recorded four catches for a Super Bowl record 161 yards and a touchdown in the game, assisting the Steelers to a 21–17 win and becoming the first wide receiver to earn
Super Bowl MVPThe Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
honors.
Three seasons later the Steelers made it to
Super Bowl XIIISuper Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
. In the game, Swann caught seven passes for 124 yards and scored the final touchdown for Pittsburgh in their 35-31 win over the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. The Steelers made it back to the Super Bowl again in the 1979 season, and Swann caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 31-19 win in
Super Bowl XIVSuper Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
. Overall, Swann gained 364 receiving yards and 398 all-purpose yards in his four
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s, which were both Super Bowl records at the time.
Swann retired after the 1982 season with four Super Bowl rings. He amassed 336 career receptions for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns, along with 72 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, and 739 punt return yards and a touchdown. He was a
pro bowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection three times (1975, 1977, 1978) and was selected on the 1970s all-decade team.
Swann was named an All-Pro Team Selection in 1975, 1977, and 1978. He was elected to the
Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2001, a year before his teammate John Stallworth. He was also selected to the
NFL 1970s All-Decade TeamThis is a list of all NFL players who have had outstanding performances throughout the 1970s and have been compiled onto this fantasy group. The team was selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
by Hall of Fame voters.
After football
Swann serves as a director on the boards of
H J Heinz Co.The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts and Wyndham International. He was a football and sports broadcaster for ABC Sports from 1976–2006, but left to run for Pennsylvania governor.
Swann briefly hosted the television
game showA game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
To Tell the TruthTo Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
, on which he had previously appeared as a panelist before replacing original host
Gordon ElliottGordon Elliott is a British-born Australian journalist and producer. He is the executive producer of ABC's daytime program The Chew, but is probably better known for his 1990s TV talk show program, The Gordon Elliott Show....
, on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from 1990 to 1991. His fourteen-week run as emcee ended, and he was replaced by
Alex TrebekGeorge Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian American game show host who has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984, and prior to that, he hosted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. He has appeared in numerous television series, usually as himself...
. He made a
cameo appearance on
Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
During his time at ABC, Lynn Swann began his broadcasting career in 1976 while still active with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Upon retirement in January, 1983, Swann began his career full-time with ABC Sports, which ended after the
2006 Orange BowlThe 2006 Orange Bowl, a 2005-2006 BCS game, was played on January 3, 2006. This 72nd edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Florida State Seminoles....
. Swann has broadcast a variety of events as a host, reporter, and analyst. Included in these events are: the
1976 Winter OlympicsThe 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
, the
1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, the
1980 Winter OlympicsThe 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, the
1984 Winter OlympicsThe 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
, the
1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, the
1988 Winter OlympicsThe 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
, the Iditarod Trail sled dog race, International Diving Championships,
USFLOn May 24, 1982, the United States Football League reached an agreement with ABC and ESPN on television rights. The money for inaugural 1983 season would be a total of $13 million: $9 million from ABC and $4 million from ESPN ....
,
college footballESPN College Football on ABC presented by Kay Jewelers is a presentation of the American Broadcasting Company's regular season American college football television package...
and
Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, the
Kentucky DerbyThe Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
,
Preakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
,
Belmont StakesThe Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
, the Irish Derby,
ABC's Wide World of Sports, and
Curt GowdyCurtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
's
The American SportsmanThe American Sportsman was a television series from 1965 to 1986 on ABC which presented filmed highlights of hunting and/or fishing trips involving the program's hosts and celebrities. It was typically presented on Sunday afternoons, frequently following coverage of live sporting events...
Swann was the sideline reporter on CBS' "Clash of Champions" bowling telecast that aired on May 10–11, 2008. He teamed with color analyst
Nelson Burton Jr.Nelson "Bo" Burton, Jr. is a professional ten-pin bowler and former longtime analyst for the Professional Bowlers Tour on ABC Television. He is the son of Nelson Burton, Sr., who himself was a successful bowler in his day, competing with the likes of Glenn Allison and Billy Welu...
and play-by-play man
Bill MacateeBill Macatee is an American sports broadcaster.-Early life and career:Macatee was born in Rome, New York, and grew up in El Paso, Texas. In 1978, he earned a bachelor of science degree in speech from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas...
. The broadcast marked bowling's return to network television for the first time since 1999 when CBS carried it.
Swann made an appearance, playing himself in the role of a sideline reporter at the "Bourbon Bowl", in the
1998-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
Adam SandlerAdam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
comedy feature film
The WaterboyThe Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
.
Political career
Swann was the Chairman of the United States
President's Council on Physical Fitness and SportsThe President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition , is an American government organization that aims to "promote, encourage and motivate Americans of all ages to become physically active and participate in sport"...
, appointed to the position by President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. He served as Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports from June 20, 2002 to July 30, 2005.
Political positions
Swann is a social conservative who opposes
abortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and supports gun rights.{{citation needed|date=May 2011}}
2006 candidacy for governor
{{Main|Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2006}}
In December 2004, Swann, who resides in the
PittsburghPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
suburb of
Sewickley Heights, PennsylvaniaSewickley Heights is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 810 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sewickley Heights is located at ....
, indicated that he was considering seeking the
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania in the
2006 electionThe Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and included the races for the Governor of Pennsylvania and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.Incumbent Governor Ed Rendell, a Democrat, ran for re-election...
. On February 23, 2005, Swann filed papers with the state elections board stating his intention to run. On the same day he formed a fundraising committee called
Team 88 after his Steeler jersey number. On January 4, 2006, Swann formally declared his candidacy for Governor of Pennsylvania.
Swann's opponents in the Republican
primaryA primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
scheduled for May 16, 2006 had initially included Jim Panyard, State Senator Jeff Piccola, and former
Lieutenant GovernorThe Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
William Scranton, IIIWilliam Worthington Scranton, III served as the Republican lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987 in the administration of Governor Richard Thornburgh...
. After Swann received the endorsement of the Republican state committee on February 11, 2006, all three opponents quit the race, leaving Swann as the only Republican to have filed by the deadline of March 7, 2006. Swann's campaign focused mainly on property tax reform. He also supported giving the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
Pittsburgh's lone slots license so they could build a new
arenaAn arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, free of taxpayer money.
In the end, Swann lost the election with 40% of the vote to incumbent
Ed RendellEdward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
's 60%. Had Swann won, he would have been the first African-American governor of
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and only the third African-American elected governor of a state in U.S. history. Of the three African American gubernatorial candidates in 2006, only one (
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
'
Deval PatrickDeval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
, a
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
) won;
Kenneth BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, a Republican, lost in Ohio.
2008 to present
In 2008, Swann confirmed that he was considering running for the United State House of Representatives from
Pennsylvania's 4th congressional districtPennsylvania's fourth district is located in western Pennsylvania and includes suburbs of Pittsburgh as well as Beaver County, Lawrence County, and Mercer County....
against Rep.
Jason AltmireJason Altmire is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
. However, Swann did not file for the election and former congresswoman Melissa Hart won the Republican nomination unopposed and then lost to Altmire in the 2008 General Election. Although he did not endorse a candidate in the primaries, Swann endorsed
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
in the 2008 Presidential Election.
In October 2009, Swann joined the short and enviable list of membership into the
Augusta National Golf ClubAugusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
. He is a dues-paying member of the home of the Masters Golf tournament every April.
On August 19, 2010, the
Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewThe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
reported that Swann would be a part of the ownership team for
Pittsburgh's AFL expansion franchiseThe Pittsburgh Power is an Arena Football League team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that began play in March of 2011. The team plays its home games at the new Consol Energy Center, which they share with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
, which will begin play in the spring of 2011. The team's home field will be the new Consol Energy Center.
External links
{{Commons category}}
Politics
Football
Other
{{Navbox
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|title = Succession & navigation boxes
|list1 =
Collegiate
Swann attended the
University of Southern CaliforniaThe University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he was an
All-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n on the Trojans football team. He played under legendary coach John McKay, including the
1972 undefeated and national championship seasonThe 1972 college football season saw the USC Trojans, coached by John McKay, go undefeated and win the national championship as the unanimous choice of the fifty AP panelists...
. McKay said of Swann, "He has speed, soft hands, and grace." He completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations in 1974. In 1993, he was inducted into the
College Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
.
Professional career
Swann was selected by the
Pittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
with the 21st pick of the first round in the
1974 NFL DraftThe 1974 National Football League Draft took place at the Americana Hotel in New York City on January 29–30, 1974. Each of the 26 NFL teams was granted 17 selections for a total of 442 picks....
. The Steelers draft class of '74 is considered one of the best in NFL history and included 4 eventual
Hall of FamersThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
: Swann,
John StallworthJohnny Lee Stallworth is a former American football wide receiver who played fourteen seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football at Alabama A&M, and was the Steelers' fourth-round draft pick in 1974. Stallworth played in six AFC championships,...
,
Mike Webster, and Jack Lambert.
Swann spent his entire NFL career with the Steelers and wore the jersey number 88. As a rookie, he led the NFL with 577 punt return yards, a franchise record and the fourth most in NFL history at the time. He went on to win a championship ring with the Steelers in
Super Bowl IXSuper Bowl IX was an American football game played on January 12, 1975 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1974 regular season. It would be the last pro game at legendary Tulane Stadium...
but did not record any receptions in the tough defensive struggle (Pittsburgh quarterback
Terry BradshawTerry Paxton Bradshaw is a former American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League . He played 14 seasons. He is a football analyst and co-host of Fox NFL Sunday...
completed only nine passes in the game). However, he returned 3 punts for 34 yards.
The following season became the highlight of Swann's career. He caught 49 passes for 781 yards and a league-leading 11 touchdowns. In the AFC title game against the
Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
George Atkinson cheap shotted Swann with a vicious hit. He suffered a severe concussion that forced him to spend two days in a hospital, but surprised many by returning to play for
Super Bowl XSuper Bowl X was an American football game played on January 18, 1976 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1975 regular season....
. Swann recorded four catches for a Super Bowl record 161 yards and a touchdown in the game, assisting the Steelers to a 21–17 win and becoming the first wide receiver to earn
Super Bowl MVPThe Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
honors.
Three seasons later the Steelers made it to
Super Bowl XIIISuper Bowl XIII was an American football game played on January 21, 1979 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1978 regular season...
. In the game, Swann caught seven passes for 124 yards and scored the final touchdown for Pittsburgh in their 35-31 win over the
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. The Steelers made it back to the Super Bowl again in the 1979 season, and Swann caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's 31-19 win in
Super Bowl XIVSuper Bowl XIV was an American football game played on January 20, 1980 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1979 regular season...
. Overall, Swann gained 364 receiving yards and 398 all-purpose yards in his four
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s, which were both Super Bowl records at the time.
Swann retired after the 1982 season with four Super Bowl rings. He amassed 336 career receptions for 5,462 yards and 51 touchdowns, along with 72 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, and 739 punt return yards and a touchdown. He was a
pro bowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
selection three times (1975, 1977, 1978) and was selected on the 1970s all-decade team.
Swann was named an All-Pro Team Selection in 1975, 1977, and 1978. He was elected to the
Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2001, a year before his teammate John Stallworth. He was also selected to the
NFL 1970s All-Decade TeamThis is a list of all NFL players who have had outstanding performances throughout the 1970s and have been compiled onto this fantasy group. The team was selected by voters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
by Hall of Fame voters.
After football
Swann serves as a director on the boards of
H J Heinz Co.The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
, Hershey Entertainment and Resorts and Wyndham International. He was a football and sports broadcaster for ABC Sports from 1976–2006, but left to run for Pennsylvania governor.
Swann briefly hosted the television
game showA game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
To Tell the TruthTo Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
, on which he had previously appeared as a panelist before replacing original host
Gordon ElliottGordon Elliott is a British-born Australian journalist and producer. He is the executive producer of ABC's daytime program The Chew, but is probably better known for his 1990s TV talk show program, The Gordon Elliott Show....
, on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from 1990 to 1991. His fourteen-week run as emcee ended, and he was replaced by
Alex TrebekGeorge Alexander "Alex" Trebek is a Canadian American game show host who has been the host of the game show Jeopardy! since 1984, and prior to that, he hosted game shows such as Pitfall and High Rollers. He has appeared in numerous television series, usually as himself...
. He made a
cameo appearance on
Mister Rogers Neighborhood.
During his time at ABC, Lynn Swann began his broadcasting career in 1976 while still active with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Upon retirement in January, 1983, Swann began his career full-time with ABC Sports, which ended after the
2006 Orange BowlThe 2006 Orange Bowl, a 2005-2006 BCS game, was played on January 3, 2006. This 72nd edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Florida State Seminoles....
. Swann has broadcast a variety of events as a host, reporter, and analyst. Included in these events are: the
1976 Winter OlympicsThe 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
, the
1976 Summer OlympicsThe 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
, the
1980 Winter OlympicsThe 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, the
1984 Winter OlympicsThe 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
, the
1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, the
1988 Winter OlympicsThe 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
, the Iditarod Trail sled dog race, International Diving Championships,
USFLOn May 24, 1982, the United States Football League reached an agreement with ABC and ESPN on television rights. The money for inaugural 1983 season would be a total of $13 million: $9 million from ABC and $4 million from ESPN ....
,
college footballESPN College Football on ABC presented by Kay Jewelers is a presentation of the American Broadcasting Company's regular season American college football television package...
and
Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
, the
Kentucky DerbyThe Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
,
Preakness StakesThe Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
,
Belmont StakesThe Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
, the Irish Derby,
ABC's Wide World of Sports, and
Curt GowdyCurtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
's
The American SportsmanThe American Sportsman was a television series from 1965 to 1986 on ABC which presented filmed highlights of hunting and/or fishing trips involving the program's hosts and celebrities. It was typically presented on Sunday afternoons, frequently following coverage of live sporting events...
Swann was the sideline reporter on CBS' "Clash of Champions" bowling telecast that aired on May 10–11, 2008. He teamed with color analyst
Nelson Burton Jr.Nelson "Bo" Burton, Jr. is a professional ten-pin bowler and former longtime analyst for the Professional Bowlers Tour on ABC Television. He is the son of Nelson Burton, Sr., who himself was a successful bowler in his day, competing with the likes of Glenn Allison and Billy Welu...
and play-by-play man
Bill MacateeBill Macatee is an American sports broadcaster.-Early life and career:Macatee was born in Rome, New York, and grew up in El Paso, Texas. In 1978, he earned a bachelor of science degree in speech from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas...
. The broadcast marked bowling's return to network television for the first time since 1999 when CBS carried it.
Swann made an appearance, playing himself in the role of a sideline reporter at the "Bourbon Bowl", in the
1998-Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:...
Adam SandlerAdam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
comedy feature film
The WaterboyThe Waterboy is a 1998 American comedy film directed by Frank Coraci. It stars Adam Sandler alongside Henry Winkler, Kathy Bates, Jerry Reed, and Fairuza Balk. Lynn Swann, Lawrence Taylor, Jimmy Johnson, Bill Cowher, Paul Wight, and Rob Schneider have cameos...
.
Political career
Swann was the Chairman of the United States
President's Council on Physical Fitness and SportsThe President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition , is an American government organization that aims to "promote, encourage and motivate Americans of all ages to become physically active and participate in sport"...
, appointed to the position by President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. He served as Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports from June 20, 2002 to July 30, 2005.
Political positions
Swann is a social conservative who opposes
abortionAbortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and supports gun rights.{{citation needed|date=May 2011}}
2006 candidacy for governor
{{Main|Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2006}}
In December 2004, Swann, who resides in the
PittsburghPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
suburb of
Sewickley Heights, PennsylvaniaSewickley Heights is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 810 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sewickley Heights is located at ....
, indicated that he was considering seeking the
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination for Governor of Pennsylvania in the
2006 electionThe Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and included the races for the Governor of Pennsylvania and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.Incumbent Governor Ed Rendell, a Democrat, ran for re-election...
. On February 23, 2005, Swann filed papers with the state elections board stating his intention to run. On the same day he formed a fundraising committee called
Team 88 after his Steeler jersey number. On January 4, 2006, Swann formally declared his candidacy for Governor of Pennsylvania.
Swann's opponents in the Republican
primaryA primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
scheduled for May 16, 2006 had initially included Jim Panyard, State Senator Jeff Piccola, and former
Lieutenant GovernorThe Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
William Scranton, IIIWilliam Worthington Scranton, III served as the Republican lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987 in the administration of Governor Richard Thornburgh...
. After Swann received the endorsement of the Republican state committee on February 11, 2006, all three opponents quit the race, leaving Swann as the only Republican to have filed by the deadline of March 7, 2006. Swann's campaign focused mainly on property tax reform. He also supported giving the
Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
Pittsburgh's lone slots license so they could build a new
arenaAn arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, free of taxpayer money.
In the end, Swann lost the election with 40% of the vote to incumbent
Ed RendellEdward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
's 60%. Had Swann won, he would have been the first African-American governor of
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and only the third African-American elected governor of a state in U.S. history. Of the three African American gubernatorial candidates in 2006, only one (
MassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
'
Deval PatrickDeval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
, a
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
) won;
Kenneth BlackwellJohn Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
, a Republican, lost in Ohio.
2008 to present
In 2008, Swann confirmed that he was considering running for the United State House of Representatives from
Pennsylvania's 4th congressional districtPennsylvania's fourth district is located in western Pennsylvania and includes suburbs of Pittsburgh as well as Beaver County, Lawrence County, and Mercer County....
against Rep.
Jason AltmireJason Altmire is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
. However, Swann did not file for the election and former congresswoman Melissa Hart won the Republican nomination unopposed and then lost to Altmire in the 2008 General Election. Although he did not endorse a candidate in the primaries, Swann endorsed
John McCainJohn Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
in the 2008 Presidential Election.
In October 2009, Swann joined the short and enviable list of membership into the
Augusta National Golf ClubAugusta National Golf Club, located in Augusta, Georgia, is a famous men's golf club. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and designed by Alister MacKenzie on the site of a former indigo plantation, the club opened for play in January 1933. Since 1934, it has played host to the annual...
. He is a dues-paying member of the home of the Masters Golf tournament every April.
On August 19, 2010, the
Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewThe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
reported that Swann would be a part of the ownership team for
Pittsburgh's AFL expansion franchiseThe Pittsburgh Power is an Arena Football League team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that began play in March of 2011. The team plays its home games at the new Consol Energy Center, which they share with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League...
, which will begin play in the spring of 2011. The team's home field will be the new Consol Energy Center.
External links
{{Commons category}}
Politics
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Class of 1999Dave CasperDavid John Casper , nicknamed "The Ghost." is a former American football player. He was an offensive lineman and tight end.-High school:...
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Pat SummittPatricia "Pat" Head Summitt is an American women's college basketball coach. She is currently the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team. She is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history of either a men's or women's team in any division...
Lynn Swann
Robert R. ThomasRobert R. Thomas is a justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois and a former professional football player. He has served as the Illinois Supreme Court Justice for the Second District since December 4, 2000 and as Chief Justice from September 6, 2005, to September 5, 2008...
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Junior BridgemanUlysses Lee "Junior" Bridgeman is a retired American basketball player.Born in East Chicago, Indiana, Bridgeman was a member of the 1971 East Chicago Washington High School Senators basketball team, which went undefeated and won the Indiana state high school basketball championship...
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Lisa Rosenblum
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RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
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2006The Pennsylvania gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006, and included the races for the Governor of Pennsylvania and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.Incumbent Governor Ed Rendell, a Democrat, ran for re-election...
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{{Persondata
| NAME =Swann, Lynn
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH =March 7, 1952
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
AlcoaAlcoa is a city in Blount County, Tennessee, United States, south of Knoxville. Its population was 7,744 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area....
,
TennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swann, Lynn}}