Robert J. Swaldi
- Post by: mcalibrary
- January 11, 2024
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INDUCTEE
Hard work, dedication, commitment, and perseverance! Words that are usually reserved for someone who has made it the hard way. BJ Swaldi did just that. As an undersized lineman on the MCA ’79 football team, BJ failed to letter. In 1980, he began to see some time at tackle and earned his first letter. In 1981, after committing himself to the weight room, he became a two-way starter for Coach Diminick’s Red Tornado football team. He was one of the strong points on the offensive line and contributed 47 tackles and 2.5 QB sacks on defense. His efforts made him an All Anthracite Defensive tackle and a scholarship to West Chester University. He would letter as a long snapper during his freshman year, playing every game of the 1982 season.
That was only the beginning! BJ continued to get bigger and stronger – 6’3″ – 278lbs – and would transfer to Bloomsburg University. He would rejoin former Tornado teammate Frank Sheptock, and, together would be among the players who would take the Huskies from 0-10 to 14-0. BJ was a mainstay on the offensive line while starting 37 consecutive games over a three year period. The 1985 team would go as far as the Division II semi-finals before losing to Northern Alabama in 1985. That team also came away with the PSAC Championship.
Swaldi would succeed his old teammate, Sheptock, as captain of the 1986 squad and, was named an honorable mention All-American following the 1986 season. He was a two-time first-team PSAC all star at offensive guard.
At Mount Carmel Area, Swaldi was also a three-year letter-winner for the Tornado basketball team under coaches Ken Kline and Al Madalis. The 1979-80 team is the team with the most wins in school history – 27. That team also won a school-record 12 consecutive games. Swaldi would serve as the co captain of the 1981-82 Tornadoes..
Swaldi would continue his weight lifting after college and would place second in the AAU Mr. Maryland competition in 1989 and 5th in the 1990 Chesapeake Regional Competition. He owns Max Muscle – a retail company of sports related nutritional products and apparel. He has proposed to fiancé Julie on a valentines Day- Sharon Osborn Special on National TV.