Dan Shwam had long independent league managerial career

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Dam Shwam 1991 Salt Lake City Trappers card

Dan Shwam's Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks got a big win in this August 1993 contest, a 9-2 victory over Sioux Falls, The Sioux Falls Argus Leader wrote.

Shwam assessed the victory afterward to The Argus Leader.

"It is nice to in," Shwam told The Argus Leader. "It is positive when we score that many runs. The three home runs is not our style but we'll take them when we can get them."

By that point, Shwam had worked at winning as a manager and coach in the minors and independent ball. He'd also worked as a scout and high school coach. He went on to manage multiple teams in independent ball up through at least the mid-2000s.

Shwam's career began in Utah in 1987, as a coach for the independent Salt Lake City Trappers. Shwam's name was also spelled Dan Schwam.

While coaching with Salt Lake City, Shwam spent his off seasons coaching baseball and basketball at Salt Lake's Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School. He continued there until at least 1996.

With the Trappers, Shwam served as a coach through at least 1991. In August 1989, an electrical box blew mid-game near the bullpen, causing the pitchers to run out onto the field, The Salt Lake Tribune wrote.

"Usually, it's really boring in the bullpen," Shwam told The Tribune of the electrical events. "Tonight, it was enlightening."

By 1993, Shwam had started his tour of the independent circuits. He started with Thunder Bay. He also spent time as a scout for the Expos.

He managed at independent Mohawk Valley in 1995 and at independent Newburgh in 1996. He won league Manager of the Year honors at Newburgh, taking the second-half title. 

Shwam managed at independent Elmira in 1999. He spoke to The Elmira Star-Gazette that July about his team avoiding a sweep and stayed in contention for a playoff birth with a win.

"We knew our backs were against the wall a little bit and we knew this was a game we had to get," Shwam told The Star-Gazette. "Our guys were a little more aggressive offensively tonight. We played good defense and our pitching did a good job as usual."

He continued. In 2009, as manager of the independent Alexandria Aces, Shwam notched a win that made him, by one count, the second-winningest manager in independent minor league baseball, The Alexandria Town Talk wrote.

"As for my time in the independent leagues," Shwam told The Town Talk then, "I'd like to believe I made a difference in kids' lives."

Dan Shwam 1991 Salt Lake City Trappers card


1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,489
Made the Majors:1,426-31.8%
Never Made Majors:3,063-68.2%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:577
10+ Seasons in the Minors:357

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