Jan. 21, 2006
Stockton, Calif. - The Pacific department of
intercollegiate athletics honored distinguished alumni Eddie
LeBaron (`50, football, baseball, track), Robert McGuire (`49,
cross country and track), and Keith Swagerty (`67, men's
basketball) at the Amos Alonzo Stagg Award of Honor Recognition
Luncheon on Saturday, Jan. 21.
The Amos Alonzo Stagg Award of Honor was established in 1981 by
former Graduate Manager of Athletics Bob Breeden, Pacific Alumni
Director Kara Brewer, and Director of Athletics Elkin Isaac. The
award recognizes an alumnus who participated in athletics at
Pacific and who has gone on to achieve distinction in his/her life
through the notable examples of integrity, dedication, idealism,
and team spirit that Mr. Stagg personified and to which Pacific is
dedicated.
An all-around athlete at Pacific from 1946-1949, LeBaron filled
his four years as a Tiger with football, baseball and track while
managing to graduate in 1950 with an economics major. The
three-year All-American was called up into the service and served
in the Marine Corp during the Korean War. He was a platoon leader
during the spring and summer offensives of 1951, was wounded and
received a Purple Heart and Letter of Commendation. Following his
service in Asia, LeBaron went on inactive duty and joined the
Washington Redskins, the team that had drafted him initially out of
college.
As a Redskin, Edward was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and led
the league in passing in 1958 and was voted most valuable Redskin
in '55 and '58. During his stint in Washington, LeBaron attended
George Washington Law where he finished fifth in his class after
three years. His career in the NFL continued when he was traded to
the Dallas Cowboys in '59. Following an illustrious NFL career
LeBaron became the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons in 1977
as well as a minority owner. During his time with the Falcons, then
Commissioner Peter Rozelle named LeBaron to the Competition
Committee of the NFL. His work on this committee included making
rules for the league, most notably the conception of instant
replay. Upon leaving the Falcons, LeBaron was instrumental in
working with NFL labor negotiations on a new collective bargaining
agreement.
McGuire has transformed his love and dedication from athlete to
coach as well as mentor and teacher during the past 55 years. A
teaching and coaching career that has spanned more than six decades
has allowed McGuire to serve as both the men's cross country coach
and mathematics instructor at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School.
During his time as a Tiger, McGuire was a member of Pacific's
track team from 1945 to 1948 and was an initial member of Pacific's
first cross country team in 1948. He joined the coaching ranks in
1949, serving as a high school cross country coach until 1977.
During his tenure at the high school level, McGuire coached 33
state meet performers, three individual champions, one national
record holder and five top ten nationally ranked boys cross country
teams.
In 1978 he made the jump to collegiate coaching, guiding
California State Hayward University women's track and cross country
teams. While at Hayward he collected 12 league track team titles,
nine Top 10 national finishes and one national title. In cross
country his teams won two national titles and were ranked in the
Top 20, 12 times in his 15 years. In his distinguished coaching
career Bob was named to the California State Hayward Athletic Hall
of Fame (1996), the Northern California Cross Country Coach of the
Year three times, the NCAAC Track Coach of the Year six times and
the 1977 California High School Cross Country Coach of the
Year.
Outside of athletics he has continued his work as a mathematics
instructor, teaching high school from 1949-1982 and again from
1992-2002. He taught on the college level from 1982-1992 as well.
An active member of the community, McGuire is involved in CYO
basketball and track as well as Boy Scouts of America, the Pleasant
Hill Summer All-Comer Track Meets and the Volunteer Reader
Student's annual profiles at local high schools.
One of Pacific's all-time leading scorers (fourth), Swagerty
turned his prowess on the basketball court as an athlete into
interests both inside and outside of the game He has journeyed from
an Academic All-American in 1967 to the current owner of Swag
Stables, a thoroughbred training facility and various encounters
in-between. As a basketball player Swagerty averaged more than 20
points during his three year career as a Tiger and soon after made
the jump to playing basketball in Italy and the ABA in Houston and
Kentucky. Following his graduation from Pacific in 1967 Keith
joined Seattle Pacific University where he was a physical education
assistant and basketball coach as he earned his masters in
Religion. Swagerty continued his life within the game of basketball
but soon ventured out to become a financial planner with Financial
Network Investment Corporation in 1982.
Between his start at the Financial Network Investment
Corporation and now he has also been a member of the Foundation
Board for Bellevue Christian Schools and a Registered
Representative of the Year with the FNIC. He is also involved with
the WA Park & Recreation Association, the Kiwanis, and Habitat
for Humanity and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In addition
to his community involvement with those organizations Swagerty has
dedicated time to Young Life Region, a ministry in Australia. He
has also remained connected in the business world and the
Evangelical Church. In 1975 he was ordained as an evangelist in the
Evangelical Church Alliance.
Pacific is proud to honor these alumni who have inspired others
through their lives and work and who have continued Mr. Stagg's
profound legacy for generations to come.
