The Cy Young Days Festival welcomes Greg Swindell

Pitcher Greg Swindell will be a guest at the Cy Young Days Festival, set for June 27-29, with activities scheduled for several locations around Newcomerstown. It will be the first time Swindell has visited the festival.

Swindell was raised in Texas and attended college at the University of Texas at Austin. He started his career in Cleveland, where he was a left-handed pitcher for the Indians in 1986 at the age of 21. He also went on to play for other teams including the Cincinnati Reds, Houston Astros, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox and ended his career with the Arizona Diamond Backs in 2002.

“He pitched quite a few years and had a good career,” said Ed Gibson, president of the Cy Young Days Festival Committee. “He was not a Cy Young Award winner, but was really a good ballplayer, and better yet, he’s a super-good guy too.”

The festival committee also is excited Swindell’s agent will attend the event this year.

“It will be nice; it’s the first time we’ve ever had an agent visit,” Gibson said.

The festival committee goes through an agent each year to schedule their guest of honor.

The annual luncheon and bat auction will be held June 28 at 12:30 p.m. at Newcomerstown High School. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children under 12. Reservations can be made by calling 740-498-8562 or 740-227-1544 or emailing chaney.janet8@gmail.com.