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FL Washington Wild Things

Where The Wild Things Are

December 8, 2009 - Frontier League (FL)
Washington Wild Things News Release


Washington, PA - The Washington Wild Things, presented by Washington Federal Savings Bank, enjoy the company of team members for a brief period of time before they move on to other things in their lives. Some go back to school; others seek out careers both inside and outside the field of baseball, while others continue to play baseball in other leagues.

Matt Swope played for the Wild Things in 2005 when he posted a.309 batting average, with eight home runs, 13 doubles, and 39 RBI in 64 games. He recalls that season as his best season in pro baseball. "My host family was wonderful and I met some good people." Prior to his stint with the Wild Things, the Maryland native spent the 2002 season with Clinton of the Midwest League and Vermont of the New York Penn League.

When Swope, who currently resides in Washington, DC., retired from professional baseball at the conclusion of the 2005 season, he was a project manager for a custom home builder in the Washington Metro area. In addition he was an athletic trainer for his own company called Swope's Sports Stars, LLC.

"My grandfather, father, uncle and cousin were all cops, so majoring in criminology was natural for me," said Swope, who graduated with a degree in criminology. "But I knew I wanted to be a pro player and to get drafted. I wanted to major in something I was comfortable with so I could focus on school work and sports. That's why I chose criminology, and my passion for sports is why I am doing what I'm doing now."

Swope is currently is the co-host of a sports talk show on the ESPN in Baltimore. "The Gameface" Swope and Sutter Show airs on Monday nights from 5-7 p.m. "I have always been really passionate about sports, and I realized all I did was listen to talk radio and comment on what they would say. Suter and I did our own show on i-tunes and the internet for four months. We did a demo for CBS/ESPN and they liked us," added Swope. Suter, who attended the University of Maryland with Swope, was an All American wide receiver.

"I keep myself very busy," said Swope. I'm working on my Master's Degree; I do a lot of fundraising for cancer research {Matt lost his sister to Cancer in 2008}, and I love doing the radio show. I do, however, miss playing baseball every day.

Swope isn't sure where exactly his career will take him. He leaves all the options open. "I would love to stay in sports and see where it takes me. I am so passionate about it I could see myself in tons of different areas, but I will always stay connected; it's in my blood."

The Wild Things open their ninth season at CONSOL Energy Park Friday, May 21, 2010 when they will host the Oakland County Cruisers. Season Ticket Packages are available at the CONSOL Energy Park box office.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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