Mike Sweeney
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Michael John Sweeney (born July 22, 1973) is an American former
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
designated hitter The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. Unlike other players in a team's lineup, they generally only play as an offensive player and usually do not play defense as ...
and
first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
. Sweeney played his first 13 seasons in the majors with the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
, first as a
catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...
, then at first base and designated hitter. Sweeney also played for the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
,
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
, and
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
. On March 25, 2011, Sweeney retired from baseball. He now works as a special assistant for the Kansas City Royals. Sweeney was inducted into the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame on August 15, 2015.


Major league career


Kansas City Royals


1991–1997: Minor leagues and MLB debut

Sweeney was drafted by the Royals as a
catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...
out of Ontario High School (
Ontario, California Ontario is a city in southwestern San Bernardino County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles and west of downtown San Bernardino, the county seat. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire metropolitan area, it lies ...
) in the 10th round (262nd overall) of the 1991 MLB draft. He signed with the Royals in May 1991, a month before his graduation from Ontario High School. He had just led his Varsity baseball team as the team captain to a CIF victory with an undefeated record of 26-0 for the 1991 season. Sweeney made his major league debut on September 14, 1995 at catcher. He got his first major league hit against Paul Assenmacher of the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
during the final game of the season. While Sweeney's ability with the bat impressed the Royals, they were less than enamored with his defensive skills as a catcher, having him work with starter Mike Macfarlane on his defense. Sweeney hit his first major league
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...
, off
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
'
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
Jamie Moyer Jamie Moyer (born November 18, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Over his 25-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB), Moyer pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Ba ...
, on August 12, 1996. Sweeney caught 76 games in 1997, splitting time with Macfarlane. He hit a two-run, walk-off home run off Doug Brocail of the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
on May 15, 1997 in his only at bat of the game.


1998: Primary catcher

In 1998, Sweeney played in his first
Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent year ...
game. He tied a club record with two hits in an inning versus the Oakland A's on May 31. Sweeney missed
hitting for the cycle In baseball, hitting for the cycle is the accomplishment of one batter who hit (baseball), hits a single (baseball), single, a double (baseball), double, a triple (baseball), triple, and a home run in the same game. Collecting the hits in that ...
by approximately 40 feet, when he retreated to
second base In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the infield, between second and first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must ...
on what appeared to be a sure triple in the eighth inning with the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
leading by a 12-6 score. He caught 91 games, the most of his major league career, serving as the regular starter after Macfarlane was traded midseason.


1999–2001

Sweeney's big break came in 1999, after the Royals tried unsuccessfully to trade him during
spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...
. Riddled with injuries and with no other viable options, the Royals started using Sweeney as their regular designated hitter. After the sudden retirement of Jeff King, the Royals offered the first base job to rookie Jeremy Giambi. When Giambi showed reluctance, they gave the job to Sweeney, who responded by posting the highest
fielding percentage In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a baseball positions, defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putout ...
by a regular first baseman in more than 20 years. His .322 batting average led the team and his 22 home runs and 102 RBI were second and third on the team, respectively. From July 18 to August 13, Sweeney had a hit in 25 consecutive games, collecting 42 hits total. The 25-game hitting streak is tied for fourth longest in Royals history with
George Brett George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953) is an American former professional baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals. Brett's 3,154 career hit ( ...
's 25-game streak in 1983, trailing only Whit Merrifield's 31-game streak spanning 2018–2019, Brett's 30-game streak in 1980 and José Offerman's 27-game streak in 1998. In 2000, Sweeney was selected to his first of five
All-Star An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry. Sports "All-star" as a sport ...
games. He joined Jermaine Dye to become the first pair of Royals to go to the Mid-Summer Classic since 1989 ( Bo Jackson and Mark Gubicza). Sweeney passed the 100 RBI mark for the second straight year on August 13, 2000, reaching the century mark faster than any player in Royals history. He finished second in the league with a club record 144 RBI, behind only Seattle's Edgar Martínez's 145 RBI, and breaking Hal McRae's 1982 team mark of 133. In June 2001, Sweeney hit .392 with 11 home runs and 29 RBI with a .794
slugging percentage In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at-bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at-bats for a given player, an ...
and was named the
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
Player of the Month for the only time in his career.


=Sweeney vs. Weaver

= Sweeney had his first career ejection against the Detroit Tigers on August 10 after charging pitcher Jeff Weaver in the sixth inning. Weaver was pitching to Sweeney. In between pitches, Sweeney asked the home plate umpire if Weaver could be asked to move the rosin bag from the top of the mound. After that, Weaver put his glove over his mouth and appeared to say something "Webster never put in his dictionary" to Sweeney. Sweeney was offended and launched his batting helmet at Weaver while charging the pitcher's mound. He eventually tackled Weaver, igniting a
bench-clearing brawl A bench-clearing brawl is a form of fighting that occurs in sports, most notably baseball and ice hockey, where most or all players on both teams leave their Dugout (baseball), dugouts, bullpens, or benches, and charge onto the playing area in or ...
. Sweeney said afterwards that Weaver had been criticizing the Royals' younger players and Sweeney's faith. Sweeney's teammates did not deny his comments. Paul Byrd was one of the first to aid Sweeney as he held back the Tigers' catcher so that Sweeney could reach Weaver. Sweeney missed the next 15 games, five due to a "bruised hand" and the next ten to serve a suspension, his first career suspension. Prior to that, he had played in 171 consecutive games.


2002–2004

Sweeney had one of the best seasons of his career in 2002, hitting .340, the second-highest batting average in the American League and the second-highest in club history, behind George Brett's .390 in 1980. He had a chance of winning the A.L. batting crown through the season's final weekend but fell short of Manny Ramírez, who hit a league-best .349. Sweeney was hitting .347 on September 24 before going 2-for-16 in his final four games. On August 14, 2002, he became the fifth Royal in club history to record a straight steal of home and the first since Fred Patek versus
Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
on June 18, 1977, with a stolen base off the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
' Andy Pettitte. His stolen base came on a 1-2 count with left-hander Aaron Guiel at the plate and gave the Royals a 2–1 lead, but KC lost the game, 3–2, in 14 innings. Sweeney was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career on July 26, 2002 (retroactive to July 14) with a lower back and hip strain. He would continue to have injury problems throughout the rest of his career, including a lengthy DL stint during the 2003 season, with the Royals seeking their first winning season since the strike-shortened 1994 season, where they went 64–51. During the 2003 season, Sweeney was named to his fourth consecutive Major League All-Star Game, joining Royals closer Mike MacDougal, marking the first time since 2000 (Sweeney and Jermaine Dye) that Kansas had two representatives and just the second time since 1989 ( Bo Jackson and Mark Gubicza). On July 22, 2004, Sweeney hit a grand slam and later hit an insurance three-run home run in a 13–7 Kansas City win. The seven RBI would be a career-high for Sweeney. He would go on to bat .287 with 22 home runs and 79 RBI during the 2004 season. Through the 2004 season, Sweeney compiled a .305 average with 161 home runs and 683 RBI in 1,026 games.


2005–2007

In 2005, Sweeney was named the Royals' player of the year for the third time in his career. He led the team in average (.300) for the sixth time in his career, doubles (39) and home runs (21), despite playing in just 122 games. Sweeney was named the Players Choice Marvin Miller Man of the Year and was also named to the All-Star team for the fifth time in six seasons and the final time in his career. Sweeney was restricted to designated hitter and was able to play just 60 games because of back problems in 2006. After returning from the disabled list on August 8, Sweeney hit .293 with six homers and 26 RBI, but missed another five games with a sore side. On September 1, his first day back off the DL, Sweeney pinch-hit in the bottom of the ninth and hit a bloop base hit that broke up
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
starting
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
Scott Baker's
no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit (baseball), hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in ...
. Baker had gone eight perfect innings before he walked Royals
catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...
John Buck at the beginning of the ninth. With two outs to go, Royals manager Buddy Bell pinch-hit Sweeney for Tony Peña Jr. and Sweeney ended the no-hitter. Sweeney won the Hutch Award, which honors players who exemplify a fighting spirit, honoring Fred Hutchinson, who died of cancer in 1964.


Oakland Athletics

On February 10, 2008, Sweeney signed a minor league contract, with an invitation to spring training, with the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
. After a strong spring in which he hit .308 with a home run, Sweeney's contract was purchased on March 25, 2008. Sweeney underwent arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome left knee on June 11, and was expected to miss four to six weeks. After a brief return from the disabled list, Sweeney was released by the A's on September 9. After considering retirement, Sweeney said he would like to play one more year before retiring.


Seattle Mariners

On January 29, 2009, Sweeney signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training with the Seattle Mariners, citing his desire to play for Mariners' manager Don Wakamatsu who was Sweeney's bench coach in Oakland. Sweeney made the major-league club
Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent year ...
roster as a bench player. On April 22, 2009, Sweeney left the game during his first at-bat due to back spasms. On May 3, 2009, Sweeney hit his first home run as a Mariner and 200th of his career in the 4th inning at Safeco Field against the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
. On August 6, in a return to Kansas City, Sweeney hit his 100th home run in
Kauffman Stadium Kauffman Stadium () (nicknamed "The K") is a ballpark located in Kansas City, Missouri, and the home of Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals. It is next door to Arrowhead Stadium, home of National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs. Bo ...
in an 8-2 loss to the Royals. On November 5, 2009, Sweeney declared free agency. On February 12, 2010, Sweeney re-signed with the Mariners to a minor league deal. On March 30 the Mariners placed reserve first baseman/corner outfielder Ryan Garko on waivers, clearing room on the 25-man roster for Sweeney. Sweeney was not expected to make the team at the start of spring training but hit over .500 in exhibition games to beat out Garko. Sweeney would hit .263 with six home runs and 18 RBI during his time with the Mariners in 2010. In May 2010, Sweeney was involved in an interesting situation. Teammate Ken Griffey Jr. was accused of napping during a pinch hitting opportunity, also known as "Napgate". Sweeney said he challenged anyone who said Griffey was asleep "to stand up and fight me"; however, Griffey did not deny the accusation.


Philadelphia Phillies

On August 4, Sweeney was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies to replace injured first baseman Ryan Howard for a player to be named later and/or cash considerations. Sweeney hit his first home run as a Phillie on August 29, 2010 in a 5-0 win over the San Diego Padres. With the Phillies, he also made the first postseason appearance of his career, going one for one at the plate in the NLDS. On March 25, 2011 Sweeney signed a one-day contract with the Kansas City Royals and retired. He threw out the first pitch of the 2011 season for the Kansas City Royals on opening day. On Tuesday, May 26, 2015, Mike Sweeney was inducted into th
Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame
along with former Marlins manager Jack McKeon, broadcaster Dave O'Brien, New York Mets p.r. executive Shannon Forde, and Bill Murray, the comedic actor and owner of several minor league baseball teams. He appeared on the ballot for the
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by a private foundation. It serves as the central collection and gathering space for the history of baseball in the United St ...
2016 election and earned three votes.


MLB Network

In March 2012, Sweeney joined the
MLB Network MLB Network is an American television sports channel dedicated to baseball. It is primarily owned by Major League Baseball, with TNT Sports (United States), TNT Sports, Comcast's NBC Sports Group, Charter Communications, and Cox Communications h ...
as a studio analyst. He would leave the network shortly after making his first few appearances on MLB Tonight.


Last days as a Royal

On September 29, 2007, the day before his final game, Sweeney took out a full page ad in the sports section of ''
The Kansas City Star ''The Kansas City Star'' is a newspaper based in Kansas City, Missouri. Published since 1880, the paper is the recipient of eight Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Star'' is most notable for its influence on the career of President Harry S. Truman and a ...
''. The following day, September 30, Sweeney took the field against the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
in front of 19,104 fans at
Kauffman Stadium Kauffman Stadium () (nicknamed "The K") is a ballpark located in Kansas City, Missouri, and the home of Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals. It is next door to Arrowhead Stadium, home of National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs. Bo ...
in Kansas City. Sweeney's first at bat was interrupted by a standing ovation. His second at bat was delayed as well due to applause. Sweeney was removed from first base in the 7th inning and was given a third standing ovation. Sweeney entered the dugout, and upon still hearing fans roaring, he exited the dugout towards the field and bowed, waved, and said "Thank you." After the game, Sweeney and his two children rounded the bases as part of a Sunday home game tradition at Kauffman Stadium called "Sunday Fan Fun Run." Then he spent time talking to reporters, and as always, signed autographs for fans before he left the parking lot. Since leaving the
Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
his Number 29 has been left out of circulation leading some to believe the Royals might end up retiring his number one day. After leaving the Royals, Sweeney ended up wearing #5 for the rest of his career with the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
,
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
, and
Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
.


Return to Royals

In February 2014, the Kansas City Royals announced that they had hired Sweeney as a special assistant to baseball operations. Sweeney's response to receiving the new job: "The only thing I was unable to accomplish during my playing days was to bring October baseball back to Kansas City. With this new position, my goal is do as much as I can to help the Royals get back to being one of the prized organizations in baseball, as it was in the 1980s." Sweeney settled into the role quite quickly, attending the Royals' spring training in
Surprise, Arizona Surprise is a city in Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. The population was 143,148 at the 2020 census, up from 117,517 in 2010 and just 30,848 in 2000. Surprise is the spring training location of the Kansas City Royals and the ...
as a guest instructor that same month. That year, the Royals made the postseason for the first time in 29 years.


Personal life

On November 9, 2002, Sweeney married Shara Nettles, the daughter of former major leaguer Jim Nettles, niece of Graig Nettles. They have six children together; three sons and three daughters. Due to fires in
San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
and the surrounding areas, Sweeney's family was forced to evacuate their home in Rancho Santa Fe and stay with his parents, who live in
Ontario, California Ontario is a city in southwestern San Bernardino County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles and west of downtown San Bernardino, the county seat. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire metropolitan area, it lies ...
. He stated in a report on MLB.com that the few possessions that they took for safekeeping were their marriage certificate, three wedding photographs, birth certificates, and two pictures of his children with Pope Benedict, taken while they were in Rome the previous year. It was later reported that their house was still standing, although damaged by smoke and water.


Community involvement

A fluent speaker of Spanish, Sweeney was very active in the K.C. community while a member of the Royals. He has been a nominee for the
Roberto Clemente Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, primarily as a right fielder. On December ...
Award, and has continued to support the community through various programs, including the Kansas City FCA chapter, Children's Mercy Hospital and the Boys and Girls Club of Kansas City. Sweeney has also purchased a dirt field in a poorer section of downtown Kansas City. The baseball field, once used to sell drugs, is now called Sweeney Family Field. He was named the 2003 and 2004 Good Guy in Sports by the ''
Sporting News ''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...
''. He teams up annually with former
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. Established in 1959 ...
fullback
Tony Richardson Cecil Antonio Richardson (5 June 1928 – 14 November 1991) was an English theatre and film director, producer and screenwriter, whose career spanned five decades. He was identified with the "angry young men" group of British directors and play ...
to host the Sweeney-Richardson Golf Classic, which benefits a faith-based outreach program and invites area charity and non-profit groups to attend Royals games as part of the "Sween Team". Sweeney is known all around Kansas City for being very polite and friendly towards all fans. He always signs autographs for all the fans who ask for one before and after games whether on the field or in the parking lot. Before the 2009 season, the Royals organization created the Mike Sweeney Award which recognizes a player best representing the organization on and off the field. Sweeney was presented with the Mr. Baseball Award—the top honor at the Royals Awards dinner in January 2009. The award is named for Ewing Kauffman, founder of the Royals and the team for which Sweeney played 13 years and served as captain.


Religion and activism

Sweeney is a devout
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
and has appeared on
EWTN The Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) is an American basic cable television network which presents around-the-clock Catholic programming. It is the largest Catholic television network in America, and is purported to be "the world's larges ...
's ''Life on the Rock'', a program targeted towards young Christians. On October 24, 2006, he was featured in a political advertisement opposing an embryonic stem cell research bill in
Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
. It was in response to a pro-embryonic research advertisement featuring actor
Michael J. Fox Michael Andrew Fox (born June 9, 1961), known professionally as Michael J. Fox, is a Canadian and American actor and activist. Beginning his career as a child actor in the 1970s, he rose to prominence portraying Alex P. Keaton on the NBC sitcom ...
. Sweeney appeared with
Jim Caviezel James Patrick Caviezel Jr. ( ; born September 26, 1968) is an American actor. He played Jesus in ''The Passion of the Christ'' (2004), Tim Ballard in Sound of Freedom (film), ''Sound of Freedom'' (2023), and starred as John Reese (Person of Inte ...
, Patricia Heaton, Jeff Suppan, and Kurt Warner. Sweeney is also the advisory chairman of th
Catholic Athletes for Christ
and spokesman fo
Life Teen
the largest Catholic youth ministry program in the United States. On June 13, 2007, Mike and his wife Shara hosted the Lunch for Life and raised $60,000 for the crisis pregnancy centers throughout Kansas City. They also honored a 19-year-old mother who was going to have an abortion but instead chose to have her baby. The Sweeneys gave the girl the first Life Award, which included gift certificates to salons and massage parlors and a grocery store, a baby stroller, a baby crib and clothes for the baby. She also received a $5,000 check to purchase a new automobile. In 2010, Sweeney spoke to the '' National Catholic Register'' about his Catholic faith.Mass-Going Mariner Suits Up
Sweeney had " Lose My Soul" by Toby Mac played over the stadium sound system at
Citizens Bank Park Citizens Bank Park is a baseball stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the city's South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Home to Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies, the stadium opened April 3, 2004. It is named after Citizens Financi ...
when he came up to bat. Mac used to be with the group DC Talk.


Career statistics


See also

* List of Kansas City Royals team records


References


External links


The Mike and Shara Sweeney Family Foundation
: {{DEFAULTSORT:Sweeney, Mike 1973 births Living people Baseball players from Ontario, California Kansas City Royals players Oakland Athletics players Seattle Mariners players Philadelphia Phillies players American League All-Stars Major League Baseball catchers Major League Baseball designated hitters Major League Baseball first basemen MLB Network personalities Baseball players from San Bernardino County, California Gulf Coast Royals players Eugene Emeralds players Rockford Royals players Wilmington Blue Rocks players Omaha Royals players Wichita Wranglers players Burlington Bees players Sacramento River Cats players Tacoma Rainiers players American anti-abortion activists Activists from California Catholics from California Ontario High School (California) alumni