Duane Swanson

Duane Alexander Swanson


Born:
August 23, 1913  
Waterman, IL

Died:
September 13, 2000
Cumberland Furnace, TN


Career
Waterman High School (High School)
Illinois Wesleyan (College)
1933-34 University of Iowa (College) Freshmen
1933-34 Columbia Studios (Independent)
1934-35 Joe E. Brown All-Stars (Independent)
1935-36 Universal Studios (Independent)
1936 U.S. National Team (Olympics)
1936-37 Universal Studios (Independent)
1937-38 MGM (Independent)
1938-39 MGM (Independent)
1939-40 Sheboygan Redskins (NBL)

This man is listed in places as George Swanson from the University of Toledo, but there is no such person on their rosters. But the story of Duane Swanson is an interesting one.

He attended Illinois Wesleyan, and then went to Iowa where he joined the freshman basketball squad. Abruptly, he, along with another player named Fred Wayne "Bud" Froning, shipped a bunch of their personal belongs to USC coach Sam Berry. They then hitchhiked across the country, but upon arrival did not join USC (Berry was apparently unaware of the boys' plan.)

Swanson wound up playing with various professional outfits in California, and eventually found his way onto the 1936 Olympic team which competed in Berlin. After playing for various Hollywood Studio teams, we headed back to the midwest, playing briefly for Sheboygan. (He also may have also played for the Marshfield Tigers in 1941-42.)

He was married to actress Jean Stevens (born Peggy Carroll Sproul.)


Source:
Lincoln Star, January 19, 1934
Daily Chronicle (DeKalb, IL), April 6, 1936
Rhinelander Daily News (Wisc), December 19, 1941
Rhinelander Daily News (Wisc), February 28, 1942
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/duane-swanson/

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/s/swansge01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=swansge01