ISHOF loses one of its biggest supporters: John Spannuth, who was there in the very early days of ISHOF…..
On Monday, December 19, 2022, ISHOF lost a great friend. John Spannuth, of Boynton Beach was one of the original men who was there when ISHOF was first founded, back in 1965. He was there from the very beginning, and he was involved with ISHOF in some capacity until the very end. He was involved in aquatics for over 60 years in many capacities, most currently as CEO of United States Water Fitness Association, until his recent retirement.
From his first, full-time job in aquatics in 1956 as Aquatics Director of the Reading, PA, YMCA, he has developed outstanding programs. He has been the Aquatics Director and Head Swimming coach for Phillips Petroleum Co. in Bartlesville, Oklahoma where in seven years he developed one of the best age group swim teams in the country. He was the National Aquatics Administrator for the AAU where, on a national level, he guided all four disciplines plus long distance and Masters swimming. He was the International Director of the Special Olympics in Washington D.C. where he guided the growth of Special Olympics for Eunice Shriver and helped to build it into an internationally recognized program for persons with mental disabilities. He served four years in the Middle East as Aquatics, Sports and Recreation Administrator in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, while teaching swimming on all levels, including competitive swimming, to native children of the region.
John, second from right, seen here with Buster Crabbe and other Masters greats at the 1972 Masters Nationals in Bloomington, Indiana
John, is the creator and founder of many innovative programs and conferences including: The World Swimming Coaches Clinic 1969, which has grown into the largest international coaches conference in the world and is run by the American Swimming Coaches Association; Masters Swimming (1970) where he implemented Ransom Arthur’s ideas and decrees to begin a competitive fitness program for adults; Masters Synchronized Swimming (1975); National YMCA Masters Aquatics Championship (1976); Water Walking as a program (1986), which began a water fitness program for individuals who were not great swimmers or who needed water therapy work; National Aquatics Director Certification (1996); National Programs Awards (recognizing the top programs in the country), Top Water Fitness Programs (1990), Top Aquatic Programs (1997); Who’s Who in the Country Aquatics(1997) Water Exercise (1998); and National and State Leadership Awards (1990).
Other national leadership positions have included: Chairperson of the 1998 National Aquatics Summit; President of the American Swimming Coaches Association; Member of the Board of Directors, International Swimming Hall of Fame; NRPA Aquatics Council; Charter member of the AAHPERD Aquatics Council (1968); Chairperson of the National Forum for the Advancement Of Aquatics; Advisory Board, Disability International Foundation.
Spannuth giving a talk at ISHOF
Back in 2011, John formed 13 committees at ISHOF which included: Adapted Aquatics, Aquatic Programs for Wounded Warriors, Every Child a Swimmer, Education, Fund Raising (includes Special Events), Future Visions, Honoree Alumni Committee, Library, Museum (includes Memorabilia, Public Relations, Security, International, and Constitution and By-Laws. He has played an active role on each committee by choosing each committee’s chairperson and helping to organize an agenda.
He has lectured extensively in Egypt, Brazil, South Africa, Canada, Germany and throughout the United States at conferences for over 20 organizations. As the CEO of U. S. Water Fitness, Inc. he has set the guidelines which have developed this organization to be the authority in developing and maintaining standards from which to teach water aerobics and fitness on a recreational level. We will always be thankful to/and for John, for his many years of service to ISHOF as well as dedicating his life to aquatics. He will be missed by so many.
Last Call for Nominations for the ISHOF 2023 Induction Class – submit by January 2, 2023
We are extending the deadline for Honoree nominations until January 2, 2023. We have not gotten a very good response, so we are asking once again for nominations, specifically for athletes from all four disciplines, (must be retired at least one Olympiad or five years). The individuals should have achieved tremendous success in the aquatic disciplines and/or made a significant impact on the sport of aquatics through their lifelong efforts. Nominations must be submitted along with supporting materials by January 2, 2023.
The 2023 Inductees will be honored at ISHOF’s annual Induction Ceremony in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA on Saturday September 30, 2023.
Please submit your nomination via this link (below) and upload it to ishof.org
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdbWjNJq9cc0r3Jj5RePDhMmc8ToA1HX9fyjqFnNupU2FIAjQ/viewform
Nominations can be made by anyone in any of the following seven categories:
SWIMMER (includes Olympic, Masters, Marathon, Open Water and Pioneer Swimmers)
DIVER (includes Olympic, Masters and Pioneer Divers)
WATER POLO PLAYER (includes Olympic, Masters and Pioneer Water Polo Players)
ARTISTIC SWIMMER (includes Olympic, Masters and Pioneer Synchronized Swimmers)
PARALYMPIAN (includes only athletes at Paralympic Games)
COACH (Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Artistic Swimming, Masters, Open Water & Marathon Swimming)
CONTRIBUTOR (Swimming, Diving, Water Polo, Artistic Swimming, Masters, Open Water & Marathon Swimming)
Nomination Forms
Nomination forms can be found on the ISHOF website. You can complete and submit the form online, or print the form and return it via email (meg@ishof.org), fax (954.525.4031) or snail mail (Meg Keller-Marvin, International Swimming Hall of Fame, 1 Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316)
Requirements for Nomination
Each nominee must meet the following minimum criteria to appear on the ballot: (see full list of criteria)
Generally, athletes shall not be chosen unless retired from international competition at least four years, or at least one Olympic quadrennial. “Athletes” refers to swimmers, open water swimmers (FINA), divers, water polo players and artistic (synchronized) swimmers and paralympic swimmers. Masters and Marathon swimmers (Non-FINA) may be nominated without retirement after being inducted in their respective Hall of Fame and will be voted on by the same criteria as all other nominees.
Note that male and female candidates are grouped together, alphabetically. Male and female candidates should be voted upon as one combined group per category.
A coach must have a significant international record and have been coaching at least 25 years.
A contributor must have been in aquatics at least 20 years and have had a significant international impact. Athletic achievement should NOT be considered, contributions are to the overall improvement or development of “international” sport through leadership, journalism, invention or other area of great, outstanding impact.
The pioneer category was created to honor great achievements or advancements in aquatics that have been overlooked. These include special circumstances, such as interruptions caused by war or politics, barrier-breaking moments, societal changing events, etc.
All nominees must exemplify the highest athletic moral and ethical standards. Any past or current violations of the spirit and principles of Olympism, such as doping, DUI’s, domestic violence, drug abuse, accusations of sexual offense etc. have to be disclosed at the time of nomination. If and when ISHOF is presented with substantial or compelling evidence, a criminal charge, conviction or admission of guilt, the ISHOF board of Directors will consider all options within our means and resources that will enable us to ensure the integrity of our Hall of Fame.
Remember the key word – “international”. Emphasis should be placed on the international impact made by the nominee, not just within his or her own country.
Consideration should be given to athletes failing to participate in Olympics because of non-Olympic years due to war (1916, 1940, 1944), boycotts (1980, 1984) injury, career interruptions and non-Olympic events such as the individual medley (I.M.) prior to 1964, etc.
Important: Please provide contact information (email, phone, or address) of the person you are nominating and a high-resolution photo (either a photo you took or a photo that you own the rights to).
For more information please email Meg Keller-Marvin at meg@ishof.org or call 570.594.4367
For an alphabetical list of current inductees, please visit the ISHOF website.
About ISHOF
The International Swimming Hall of Fame, Inc. (ISHOF), established in 1965, is a not-for-profit educational organization located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. It was first recognized by FINA, the International Olympic Committee’s recognized governing body for the aquatic sports, in 1968. ISHOF’s mission is to collaborate with aquatic organizations worldwide to preserve, educate and celebrate history, showcase events, share cultures, and increase participation in aquatic sports.
Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center to host TYR Pro Series
USA Swimming TYR Pro Series
March 1-4, 2023
Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center
Come see Olympians and National Team swimmers from the US and the world.
This televised event will see some of the best swimmers in the world race for prize money.
The competition begins Wednesday evening, March 1 and has preliminaries and finals each day Thursday through Saturday, March 2-4.
Tickets are on sale now through Eventbrite.
ISHOF Honoree, Lenny Krayzelburg To Receive 2023 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award
by MATTHEW DE GEORGE – SENIOR WRITER
Lenny Krayzelburg To Receive 2023 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award
Former USC swimmer Lenny Krayzelburg has been named one of six recipients of the 2023 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, announced on Monday.
The awards recognize outstanding athletes on the 25th anniversary of the end of their college careers. They are nominated by administrators at their schools and chosen by a panel of former student-athletes from NCAA member schools and conferences.
Krayzelburg graduated from USC in 1998 after a college career that included nine All-American nods and four Pac-10 championships. He was named to the Pac-12 all-century men’s swimming and diving team in 2016.
He would go on to win the backstroke double at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney to go with a third gold medal in the 400 medley relay. He added gold in the medley relay in Athens four years later. He finished fourth in the 100 back in Athens, .02 off the podium, and served as a captain of Team USA.
Krayzelburg also swept the backstroke golds at the 1998 World Championships and accomplished the same 100 back-200 back-400 medley relay gold sweep at consecutive Pan Pacific Championships in 1997 and 1999. Krayzelburg set world records at 50, 100 and 200 meters of backstroke.
Born in Ukraine and raised in Los Angeles, he was naturalized as a youth. He was named the 1998 U.S. Olympic Committee Sportsman of the Year and was USA Swimming’s Swimmer of the Year in 1999 and 2000. A member of the USC Athletic Hall of Fame, he was included to the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2001, the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 and the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2011.
He swam on through 2008 and has remained active in the sport, as the founder and CEO of Lenny Krayzelburg SwimRight Academy for water safety and swimming education. He also started the Lenny Krayzelburg Foundation, which works to increase global access to swimming opportunities.
Joining him as the 2023 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award winners are football players Phil Dawson (Texas) and Peyton Manning (Tennessee), basketball players Allison Feaster (Harvard) and Marsha Harris (New York University) and soccer player Kate Markgraf (Notre Dame).
Krayzelburg is the 16th Trojan to earn an NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, dating to the inaugural class in 1973. Among the swimmers on that list are John Naber and Bruce Furniss.
ISHOF loses another great one, Honor Coach, Skip Kenney, gone at age 79
by DAN D’ADDONA — SWIMMING WORLD MANAGING EDITOR
28 November 2022, 12:46pm
Skip Kenney, Stanford University’s iconic swim coach has died.
According to reports, Kenney died on Sunday night at age 79 after a short time in hospice care.
Kenney was one of the most successful college coaches of all time. He was also the head Olympic coach in 1996 in Atlanta and was an assistant coach on the 1988 and 1984 teams, coaching 18 Olympic swimmers who totaled 16 Olympic medals during his career.
At Stanford, he led the Cardinal to seven NCAA championships and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) in 2004, then in 2005, the American Swim Coaches Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the Fresno Athletics and Stanford Athletics Halls of Fame.
Born Feb. 24, 1943, Skip Kenney grew up in Fresno, California attending Fresno High School, playing baseball and doing a little diving. Upon graduation, he joined the U.S. Marines, went through boot camp and served in Vietnam in the mid-1960s.
Kenney’s first swim coaching position was as Don Gambril’s assistant from 1968-1971 at Phillips 66 Long Beach. He also coached at Long Beach State during that time. When Gambril moved to Harvard University so did Kenney, and he stayed there for one season before taking his first head coaching position at the Houston Dad’s Club in Texas. After a few years, he moved to Charlie Keating’s Cincinnati Marlins where he coached Renee Magee and Charles Keating, Jr. to the 1976 Montreal Olympics and Glenn Mills, Bill Barret and Kim Carlisle to the 1980 Olympic Team that was never able to compete due to the boycott.
In 1979, Kenney became the head coach of the Stanford University men’s team, a position held for 33 years before he retired in 2012. He led the Cardinal to a record 23 PAC-10 Conference titles. He is a 15-time PAC-10 Coach of the Year, coached 93 All Americans to 785 All-America honors and developed over 63 NCAA champions.
In 1992, Stanford scored a record 632 points, routing Texas by 276 points for its fourth title in eight years. At the meet alone, Cardinal swimmers set seven American records as it marked the first time a program had swept all five relays. A repeat was on in 1993, as the Cardinal came to the Championships following its 12th-straight Pac-10 title. The Cardinal came away with three individual titles and three relay titles. In 1994, Stanford racked up 566.5 points to beat Texas, winning five individual titles and three more relays.
In 1994, Stanford again ran away from the rest of the field, finishing with 599 points in 1998, the second-most in school-history. The Cardinal had a finalist in each of the 18 finals, winning eight of them.
“Coach Kenney is one of the iconic figures in college swimming and he has had a profound impact in shaping the lives of hundreds of young men,” said Stanford Director of Athletics Bob Bowlsby in 2012. “Skip has always been a coach that put the team first and in doing so, he has taught lifetime lessons about how to weave the fabric of a high achieving organization. The Stanford Men’s Swimming Program under Coach Kenney’s guidance has established many standards that will never be equaled in the PAC 12 or nationally”
Skip Kenney has coached 18 swimmers to Olympic competition winning ten gold, three silver and three bronze medals. His swimmers in World Championship competition have won five gold, three silver and two bronze medals. Some of his swimmers include Dave Bottom (American record holder); Ray Cary (1996 U.S. Olympian); Wade Flemons (1980 Canadian Olympian); Kurt Grote (1996 Olympic gold medalist); Joe Hudopohl (1992 and 1996 Olympic gold medalist); Jeff Kostoff (1984 and 1988 U.S. Olympian); John Moffet (1980 and 1984 U.S. Olympian and world record holder); Pablo Morales (three-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time world record holder); Jay Mortensen (1988 Olympian); Anthony Mosse (1988 Olympic bronze medalist); Sean Murphy (1988 Canadian Olympian); Eddie Parenti (1992 and 1996 Canadian Olympian); J. Plummer (1988 Australian Olympian); Brian Retterer (American record holder); Jeff Rouse (1992 and 1996 Olympic gold medalist and world record holder); John Simons (1980 U.S. Olympian); Derek Weatherford (American record holder); and Tom Wilkens (2000 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist).
“Skip will leave a long-lasting legacy of leadership and excellence from his incredible career here at Stanford,” senior associate athletics director and swim administrator Earl Koberlein said upon Skip Kenney’s retirement. “He not only won championships, but he produced great men. To paraphrase many of his former student-athletes, “He made us better men, husbands and fathers”.”
ISHOF Board Member Mike Dooley visits Olympic Museum in Lausanne
ISHOF Board Member Mike Dooley and his lovely wife, Bonnie, recently visited the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, where they met Oscar Bercht, Manager Front Office, Operations Unit, of The Olympic Museum. Dooley presented Oscar a shirt on behalf of ISHOF and he and Bonnie were admitted free to the Museum. The museum gets about 275,000 visitors a year. Thanks Mike!
Olympism is a destroyer of dividing walls. It calls for air and light for all ~ Pierre de Coubertin
The Olympic Museum on Lausanne opened on June 23, 1993. To read more about the museum and visit the website, visit: https://olympics.com/museum
Water Polo loses legendary figure, Gabor Csapo
RIP Gábor Csapó (20 September 1950 – 27 November 2022)
by Water Polo Legends
Dr. Gábor Csapó has been a legendary figure in Hungarian Water Polo since the 70s. He joined the National Team in 1970, and in 1973 he was one of the best in the team that won the World Championship in Belgrade. The peak of his career was the 1976 Montreal Olympics, which ended with a gold medal, but he was also a member of the third-place team at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. He also played in the European Championship-gold-winning team in Vienna (1974) and Jönköping (1977). His medal collection is completed by three World Championships (1975, 1978, 1982) and a European silver medal (1983). He played 272 times in the Hungarian national team from 1970 to 1983. In the golden age of the 70s, he was considered along with Tamás Faragó the absolute key players of the National Team and the pillars of Vasas, which won the European Champion’s Cup, the European Cup Winners’ Cup, and a series of championships. One of the most memorable events in the history of the sport was when the national team captain Dezső Gyarmati invited him to the National Team from second division Szeged, and the blond giant, nicknamed Dudi, scored three goals in the decisive match against the Soviets in 1973. He coached the teams of Palermo (1986-1990), Vasas SC (1990-1993), Újpesti TE 2001-2003, and Ferencvárosi TC 2003-2004. The peak of his coaching career has been the moment Vasas won the Hungarian Cup in 1992. In 1972, he became a student at the József Attila University in Szeged, and from the following year at the Faculty of Law at the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. After his sports career, he worked as a lawyer for a long time. Gábor Csapó was a real individual, with a characterful opinion and a remarkable sense of humor. (The picture corresponds to Moscow 1980 Olympic Games).
Kevin Murphy to receive the 2023 Poseidon Award
FORT LAUDERDALE – The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) will recognize Kevin Murphy for his high-level achievement in marathon swimming with the 2023 Poseidon Award. The Award will bepresented to Kevin during the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF)Induction and Award Ceremony on Saturday May 6 th , 2023 in New York City. The PoseidonAward is presented annually by the International Swimming Hall of Fame to the organizationor individual for high level achievement from personal effort or initiative in a fieldof endeavor that contributes to the performance of marathon swimmers or to thedevelopment and status of Marathon Swimming to the world.
This year’s award honors Kevin Murphy. He was one of the most prolific epic soloswimmers of his generation. He swam 34 crossings of the English Channel (male record).These include 3 two-way crossings (one of these was an unsuccessful three-way attemptstopped at 52 hours). He was the first to complete the Original Triple Crown: (English, Northand Bristol Channels) and eleventh to complete the Triple Crown (English and CatalinaChannels and Around Manhattan). Kevin was the first to swim the North Channel threetimes (held the male speed record for 43 years) and completed other major swims includingLake Balaton (Hungary) 75.5 km in 43 hours 15 minutes and Loch Ness.
Kevin also has given back to the sport over 30 years as an Administrator for both the EnglishChannel organizations. For the past 8 years he has administered, coached and piloted withThe Kings Swimmers. Finally, Kevin is a gifted presenter (his profession was radiojournalism) and representative of the sport and he has appeared in many print media storiesand radio/television and documentary films
He was inducted as an Honor Swimmer in the International Marathon Swimming Hall ofFame (IMSHOF) in 1971. In 2009 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall ofFame.
For additional information, please call Ned Denison in Ireland at (+353) 87-987-1573 or ISHOF at(954) 462-6536, or visit https://ishof.org
David Yudovin (USA) selected as the seventh recipient of the Dale Petranech Award
Honoree David Yudovin of the United States of America has been selected as the seventh recipient of the Dale Petranech Award for Services to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF). This will be presented posthumously to his family at the IMSHOF Induction Award Ceremony in New York City on 6th May, 2023. See details at https://www.imshof.org/blank
In 2014 David stepped up and gave IMSHOF a new life, when the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame’s four-year experiment of being independent of the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) had run out of money, executed a poor ceremony in Scotland and the leadership team didn’t have a recovery plan. He provided instant leadership, convinced ISHOF to take IMSHOF back under their wing, formed a new management team – with regular meetings and calls, drove immediate structure changes and generously steadied the IMSHOF finances.
David practiced worldwide diplomacy in his swimming. He completed marathon swims in 13 countries, and 5 continents, and completed first ever swims in 7 of the countries. He crossed every kind of boundary while making people from every walk of life and background part of his “swim team”. He made them proud to be a part of his adventure. Everyone on the team was a “winner”. He did this with swimming, in his business, and, also with the IMSHOF. David brought his enthusiasm and professionalism to the management team and finances of IMSHOF, and those practices continue to this day.
Looking back on IMSHOF’s 50+ year history, David was one of the organizations’ key historical leaders.
This award was created in 2016 to honor Dale Petranech for decades of service to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. Petranech is a dual inductee in both the IMSHOF and the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Contributor. As a marathon swimmer, Petranech previously held the record as the oldest solo swimmer across the Catalina Channel in California. He served for nearly 50 years in various capacities at all levels of the sport – local, regional national and international.
City of Fort Lauderdale Earns Top Architectural Design Award for Dive Tower
by: Arlene Borenstein, November 16, 2022
City of Fort Lauderdale’s Famed Aquatic Center Earns Top Architectural Design Award for World-Renowned Dive TowerThe unique 27-meter dive tower wins the highest category “Built Award” by the American Institute of Architects, Fort Lauderdale ChapterBROWARD COUNTY, FL — The City of Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center continues its legacy of excellence earning the coveted American Institute of Architects (AIA) “Honor Award” in built category for its distinguished 27-meter dive tower.The structure is the tallest 27M dive tower in the Western Hemisphere and is the first in the world to incorporate diving and high diving for competition in one concrete structure. The dive tower is part of a multifaceted revitalization of Fort Lauderdale’s world-renowned Aquatic Center on A1A between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.
The iconic sculptural form includes nine platform levels; high diving platforms of 15M, 20M, 24M, 27M and diving platforms of 1M, 3M, 5M, 7.5M, 10M.
“Our city is absolutely proud to be home to such a rare and unique structure. The rejuvenated aquatic center will be known around the world and benefit the swimming and diving community,” said Mayor Dean Trantalis, who attended the ceremony on Nov. 4 at the NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale. “This distinction for the architectural beauty of the dive tower comes from years of hard work and dedication to upgrade our remarkable Aquatic Center,” he said.The dive tower rises to the sky with fluid curves to emulate the nearby water and ocean. The tower includes an iconic sculptural form that has nine platform levels; high diving platforms of 15M, 20M, 24M, 27M and diving platforms of 1M, 3M, 5M, 7.5M, 10M. The tower is also designed to accommodate up to 12 springboards.
The iconic sculptural form includes nine platform levels; high diving platforms of 15M, 20M, 24M, 27M and diving platforms of 1M, 3M, 5M, 7.5M, 10M.
This is the first permanent 27M Dive Tower in United States and Western Hemisphere. “Fort Lauderdale’s Aquatic is creating an incredible buzz throughout the state, nation, and world. We will once again lead in the fields of swimming and diving,” said Commissioner Steven Glassman who has long been passionate about this internationally-acclaimed City landmark.Justin Architects (previously known as Cartaya and Associates, PA) worked in partnership with the City to help earn the AIA “Honor Award” which recognizes design that elevates the human experience while addressing the project’s practical needs. Award requirements include sustainable design practices. “This project was a collaborative effort between the City and the Hensel Phelps Design Build Team from the conceptual design through the final installation of the dive tower,” said Senior Project Architect Teen Woon. “We are grateful to the City for the opportunity to work on this significant iconic landmark project,” Woon said.
This is the first permanent 27M Dive Tower in United States and Western Hemisphere.
The 27M platform will only be available to experienced divers, but the public can get a tour of the tower which is slated to open at the end of the year.