Arthur Leonard "Red" Swanson Sr. (April 19, 1905 â November 4, 1987) was an American football, basketball, and baseball coach. He served as the head football coach at Southeastern Louisiana CollegeâÂÂnow known as Southeastern Louisiana UniversityâÂÂfrom 1931 to 1937 and at Southwestern Louisiana Institute of Liberal and Technical LearningâÂÂnow known as the University of Louisiana at LafayetteâÂÂin 1950, compiling a career college football coaching record of 46âÂÂ21âÂÂ4.
From 1943 to 1945 he served as head coach of the LSU Tigers baseball team. His record as LSU's baseball coach was 28âÂÂ23 and led the 1943 team to a Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship. During the 1944âÂÂ45 LSU Tigers basketball season, he served as head coach for the final six games, compiling a 4âÂÂ2 record.
Swanson's son, also nicknamed Red Swanson, was a pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball from 1955 to 1957. The elder Swanson was married to Billie Hightower and died in 1987.