Bill Swift, author King headline Hall inductees> Eleven to be enshrined during July 23 festivities

Billy Swift leads the list of honorees who will be inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame July 23.

The former South Portland High and University of Maine star, who enjoyed a 13-year major league career, will be enshrined with 10 others during a banquet at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.

Best-selling horror novelist Stephen King of Bangor will also be recognized, along with Tony Tammaro of Woodland, Bob Darling of Cumberland Center, Brian Gillespie of Portland, Fred Hill of Baltimore, Ted “Bitsy” Ionta of Dixfield, Keith Johnson of Portland, Don Kilgour of Rockland, Mike Linkovich of Brunswick, and Steve Loubier of Manchester, N.H.

Swift, who resides in Paradise Valley, Ariz., retired after an attempted comeback with the Seattle Mariners last spring. He pitched for the Mariners, the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies, amassing a 94-78 career record with a 3.94 earned run average.

Swift was the runnerup in the 1993 Cy Young Award balloting. He also pitched for the USA in the 1984 Olympics.

His father, Herb Swift, was inducted into the hall in 1976.

Tammaro, 80, played, managed and umpired baseball for more than 60 years. He organized the Woodland Red Sox in 1946 and founded two semipro leagues, the Border League and the Quoddy League. Woodland’s ballpark is named in his honor. Tammaro is also a longtime basketball official and has served as a state legislator.

King is a longtime baseball fan and supporter. He has contributed financially to baseball parks in Bangor and Brewer, including the building of Mansfield Stadium in Bangor.

Darling, 66, played baseball and basketball at Greely Institute (now Greely High in Cumberland Center) and Portland Junior College (now the Portland branch of the University of Southern Maine). He also played baseball in the Navy and for several area semipro teams.

Gillespie, 51, played for Cape Elizabeth High and the University of Southern Maine. He organized, played and coached in the Portland Twilight League for 15 years and also founded the Maine Stags, a fall baseball club for high school players. A member of the Maine Running Hall of Fame, Gillespie also organized the Maine Track Club and coaches the Run to Win Team, a local running club.

Hill, 60, pitched for Bowdoin College and played five years in the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies organizations. His father Francis and younger brother Dick also have been inducted to the hall. Hill is a foreign policy planner for the State Department.

Ionta, 64, pitched for Mexico High and in Texas as a member of the U.S. Air Force. He was a longtime player and coached for five decades in the Pine Tree League, the oldest organized adult baseball league in the state.

Johnson, 73, was a catcher for Deering High in Portland and played in the Western Maine League and the Twilight League. He was also a bullpen catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics.

Kilgour, 83, pitched for Fryeburg Academy, the University of Maine, and the semipro Worumbo Woolen Mill club. He played two years in the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians organizations.

Linkovich, 78, worked as the head athletic trainer at Bowdoin College for 40 years and served with athletic organizations at the national and Olympic level. He is also a member of the National Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame.

Loubier, 35, pitched at South Portland High and UMaine, leading the Black Bears to an appearance in the College World Series. He played five years in the San Diego Padres and California Angels organizations. Loubier’s grandfather, Harold Loubier, is also a member of the hall.

Mills of Scarborough will receive the President’s Award.

The festivities start at 11:30 a.m. and the the induction banquet begins at noon. Those seeking tickets may contact Sonny Noel at 799-4742 or send $18 to 204 Preble St., South Portland 04106.