Jim Swanson was a catcher in Little League when a friend told him he should give up the position.
“Why?” Jim asked. His pal clued him, “Because you’re left-handed, is why.” In high school, Jim’s girlfriend observed, “You’ll never make varsity as a catcher, you know.” Jim asked why not; “Duh! You’re left-handed! Hel-loow?”
                  It wasn’t until 1975, after Swanson graduated college with an All-Conference baseball career that someone said, “Hey! You’re a left-handed catcher! I can use you!”
                  The voice belonged to Bing Russell, actor and owner of the Portland Mavericks, an Independent, Single-A team in the Northwest League consisting mostly of misfits who partied hard, ignored traditions, and played loudly. They also beat the Major League franchise teams and set attendance records everywhere they went. Swanson fit right in the team that included Bing’s son, Kurt Russell, and former New York Yankee, Jim Bouton.
                  Then in 1977, after five years of shenanigans from an independent team with an owner better known as the deputy sheriff on Bonanza, Major League Baseball muscled the Mavericks out of existence.
                  With the Mavericks gone, Swanson set sail for Seattle, where he kept the party rolling by opening the first underground comedy club in the Northwest called, Swannies. A young left-hander named Jerry Seinfeld was Swannies’ first act. Ellen DeGeneres and Cheech and Chong soon followed.
                  Located close to the Kingdome Sports Arena, Swannies became a favorite watering hole for athletes and celebrities. Baseball and comedy. What’s not to love?