Happy Birthday Frank Gorman !!
Frank Gorman (USA) 2016 Honor Pioneer Diver
FOR THE RECORD: 1964 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (3m springboard); HARVARD UNIVERSITY: never lost a dual meet diving competition; NCAA ALL-AMERICAN DIVER: 1m, 3m springboard from 1957-1960.
Before 1973, there were no World Championships, World Diving Cups or Grand Prix Diving series. For divers there was only one chance to test their skills in the international arena every four years and that was at the Olympic Games.
In 1952, Francis Xavier Gorman became the youngest boy to win the New York City Public School Athletic League Diving Championships. When he won the title for the fourth time in a row, he caught the eye of Harvard University’s coach, Harold Ulen. At Harvard, Gorman became an immediate success. He was an All-American on both the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards in each of his four years, from 1957 through 1960 and amazingly, never lost a dual meet competition. In 1960, he was the Eastern Intercollegiate Champion on both boards.
After graduating, he set his sights on the Olympics, but failed to make the team. Extremely disappointed, Frank entered the Navy, where he was eventually assigned to the physical education department at the US Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland.
For three years, Frank agonized over not making the 1960 Olympic team and he vowed if he ever got another chance, he would make the most of it. He contacted his friend and fellow competitor, Tom Gompf, who recommended they train together with coach Dick Smith, who at the time, was one of the world’s greatest diving coaches.
At the 1964 US Olympic Diving Trials, Gorman qualified for the Tokyo games on the 3-meter springboard with a record breaking point total. Of the 12 available slots on the US Men’s and Women’s Diving Team, Coach Dick Smith’s divers claimed six of them – with Frank Gorman and Tom Gompf taking two of the spots.
In Tokyo, Frank Gorman gave one of his finest performances. With the highest scores of the competition on each of his first eight dives, Frank was firmly on track for the gold medal, but on his second to last dive he missed badly. Although he recovered to receive the highest scores of the competition on his last dive, he still finished two points behind teammate Ken Sitzberger – but 14 points ahead of teammate, Larry Andreasen to claim the silver. For anyone at the event, there was little doubt that except for one dive Frank Gorman had turned in one of the truly outstanding performances of the 1964 Olympic Games.
After Gorman’s career as an athlete ended, he continued to stay involved in diving and giving back to the sport he loved
On this day in 1934, Honor Diver Paula Jean Myers Pope was born…
Paula Jean Myers Pope (USA) 1979 Honor Diver
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1952 silver (platform); 1956 bronze (platform); 1960 silver (springboard, platform); NATIONAL AAU DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS: 11 (1m, 3m, platform); PAN AMERICAN GAMES: 1955 team member; 1959 gold (springboard, platform).
Paula Jean Myers Pope medaled in three Olympics — 1952, 1956 and 1960. For most of her career this talented diver was a bridesmaid to two of the greatest and most versatile women divers of all time. First it was Pat McCormick twice a double Olympic winner (the only such male or female), 1952 and 1956, and then to Ingrid Kramer, 1960 double winner.
Paula Jean first upset Pat McCormick in 1953 off the springboard (Indoor) and off the tower the following summer (Outdoor). All three of these great women divers of the era were a rarity in that they were equally strong off both the springboard and the tower. In spite of Pat’s competition much of the time, Paula Jean won 11 nationals, two Pan Am titles and a total of four Olympic medals — three silver and one bronze. In 1957 Paula Jean scored a grand slam of U.S. National Women’s Diving by winning all five competitions – Indoor and Outdoor. In 1958 she repeated Outdoors with a summer slam off the 1- and 3-meter boards and the tower and followed this by winning both the springboard and tower in the Pan Am Games at Chicago in 1959. She also won the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1960 and won the silver medals in Rome, finishing second to Ingrid Kramer.
Paula Jean was the first woman to do double twisting 1 1/2 somersault and inward 2 1/2 somersault in competition off the 10-meter. She had three coaches, Rusty Smith (1948-51), Lyle Draves (1952-57), and Sammy Lee (1958-60 and again in 1964). She placed in the Nationals under all three.
Married in 1958 to Karl Pope, Paula Jean had five children and with her husband, ran the Ojai Valley Racquet (swimming & tennis) Club. She was a graduate of U.S.C. in Dental Hygiene.
Paula Jean died in 1995.
Sid Cassidy to Receive the 2020 Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award
FORT LAUDERDALE – The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) will recognize Sid Cassidy, for his extensive contributions to the administration of open water swimming with the 2020 Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award. The Award will be presented to Sid, on Saturday evening, during the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies, on May 2nd in New York City. The Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award is presented annually by International Swimming Hall of Fame to the organization or individual who has contributed the most to the administration of open water swimming.
This year’s award honors Sid Cassidy. As a swimmer Sid achieved a 4th place world ranking in 1979 as professional marathon swimmer and was part of a record setting English Channel double crossing relay in 1991.
As an administrator, Sid has been a leader of the sport since 1982 when first named to USA Swimming Open Water Committee. Over nearly four decades, he has been National Team Coach; USA Swimming Administrator; FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee (TOWSC) member; Swimming Safety Task Force member; Olympic official, race announcer, race director, and strong advocate of the sport. Cassidy has done nearly everything there is to do in the sport.
He is also part of the team with Chris Guesdon and Dennis Miller credited with developing the strategy to have a marathon swimming event included in the Olympic Games which happened in 2008.
For additional information, please call Ned Denison in Ireland, (+353) 87-987-1573, or ISHOF at (954) 462-6536, or visit http//:www.ishof.org
Colin Hill to Receive the 2021 Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award
FORT LAUDERDALE – The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) will recognize Colin Hill, for his extensive contributions to the administration of open water swimming with the 2021 Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award. The Award will be presented to Colin during a future International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Induction and Award Ceremony. The Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award is presented annually by International Swimming Hall of Fame to the organization or individual who has contributed the most to the administration of open water swimming.
This year’s award recognizes Colin Hill, an open water swimming administrator from Great Britain who has served the sport for more than 15 years. He has contributed via a wide range of roles and assisted at many events across the world. Colin’s swimming organization roles included: Technical Manager for 2012 London Olympics and 2018 European Open Water Swimming Championships; FINA Open Water Swimming Consultant (2013 to present) and Correspondent plus created the Great Swim Series (for the Great Run Company), Swim Serpentine (with London Marathon), Chillswim (2012 – 2018) and currently Ullswater Swim Place.
He assisted at marathon swimming events as FINA’s OWS Consultant in the following countries: Argentina, Canada, China, Dubai, England, Hungary, North Macedonia, Portugal, Qatar, Seychelles and Taiwan.
Selected examples help illustrate the range of Colin’s contribution:
Technical Manager for 2012 London Olympics – the second Olympics for the open water marathon held in the Serpentine, in the middle of a London Park, showcased the sport of open water marathon swimming to a new generation.
Founder of the Great Swim – tens of thousands of swimmers got their first taste of open water competition in these 1-mile swims and spawned a generation of new marathon swimmers. This provided a massive publicity boost for the sport.
Colin has assisted thousands of long-distance swimmers to complete swims in the English Lake District.
Colin is an accomplished marathon swimmer: English Channel in 10 hours and 30 minutes, winner 25 km Madeira and the first man from Great Britain to complete an ice mile. His understanding of the swimmers and experience as an organizer and administrator was key toward Colin’s leadership in the success and expansion of marathon swimming in the world.
For additional information, please call Ned Denison in Ireland, (+353) 87-987-1573, or ISHOF at (954) 462-6536, or visit http//:www.ishof.org
Today we celebrate the birthdate of Florence Chadwick
FLORENCE CHADWICK (USA) 1970 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: First woman to swim the English Channel both ways, 1950 (France to England); 1951, 1953, 1955 (England to France); First woman to swim the Catalina Channel (1952); Straits of Gibraltar (1953); Bosporus (one way) 1953; Dardanelles (round trip) 1953.
For a period of 10 years going on immortality, Florence Chadwick owned the English Channel, a piece of flooded real estate that has changed hands about every quarter century. First it was Captain Webb in 1875, then Burgess in 1906, followed by the remarkable women Channel swimmers Ederle 1926 and Chadwick 1950.
After 18 years as an amateur swimming shorter ocean races off hometown San Diego, then training in the Persian Gulf while saving her money for a Channel try, Florence Chadwick left the Arabian American Oil Company and was off to England and preparation for her lifetime ambition, a try at the English Channel. Swimming from France to England, she made it in 13:23 finally breaking the women’s record (14:34) set by Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim it. Eleven others had made the Channel between Ederle and Chadwick, but all in slower times. Chadwick’s #13 women’s crossing lowered the record by an hour and 11 minutes. Counting males as well as females, Florence was the 32nd person to complete the crossing, called impossible until Capt. Webb accomplished it in 1875. No other man made it until 1906 and Miss Ederle was the first woman in 1926.
Florence Chadwick, age 32, was denied entry (no previous record or reputation) in the 1950 half-century contest sponsored by the London Daily Mail so she went about conquering the Channel at her own expense (boat, trainer, navigator). She tried and missed in July, staying in the water 14 hours. On August 8, she left Cape Gris Nez, France and crawled ashore at Dover, a record 13 hours 23 minutes later, with the comment that “I feel fine. I am quite prepared to swim back.” This she did the following summer, the first woman to swim it from England to France (16:22) and the first woman to swim it both ways.
From there it was around the world swimming straits and channels that had defied man and woman. In 1952, it was the Catalina Channel, the first woman to swim it and in an over-all men’s and women’s record from island to mainland. She had been preparing for this since childhood swimming San Diego Bay at age 10 and later winning ten 2 1/2 mile rough water ocean swims at La Jolla.
Barnstorming during the summer of 1953, Florence Chadwick swam again from England to France (14:42, a new women’s record); the Straits of Gibraltar (5:06–men’s and women’s record); then off to Turkey for the Bosporus (one way) and the Dardanelles (round trip). In 1955 she again squashed the England-France Channel record (13:55)
Less it all sound too easy, there were the agonizing near misses fighting icy water and tides at Juan de Fuca, across Lake Ontario and twice the Irish Sea which she tried on her last great swim in 1960.
After that it was sportsman’s shows, swim schools, radio and TV, public appearances to teach children to swim and to encourage people of all ages to extend themselves physically. At 51, Florence Chadwick began a successful new career as a stockbroker. Her first full market year (1969-70) would be a challenge to anyone, but what is rough water after you’ve made it a habit to swim the English Channel?
On this day in 1948, ISHOF Honor Swimmer, Sharon Stouder was born….
SHARON STOUDER (USA) 1972 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1964 gold (100m butterfly; 4x100m freestyle relay; 4x100m medley relay), silver (100m freestyle); PAN AMERICAN GAMES: 1963 gold; U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 7; Girl Age-Group Swimmer of the Year: 1961; World Woman Swimmer of the Year: 1964 (by “Sports Illustrated”, ABC T.V., and “Swimming World”).
15 year-old Sharon Stouder’s performance in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics was one of the most brilliant all-round Olympic swimming exhibitions by a woman up to that time. With her 3 golds and a silver medal at a single games, Sharon Stouder equaled Chris von Saltza’s accomplishment in the 1960 Olympics by winning one individual gold medal, one individual silver medal, and two relay gold medals. Since then only Debbie Meyer (1968) and Shane Gould (1972) have equaled, but not exceeded, Stouder’s 3 gold medals in a single Olympics. (*at the time of her induction in 1972)
Miss Stouder’s Olympic record in the 100 meter butterfly stood 8 years until 1972, but her best swim may have been her silver medal in the 100 meter freestyle, as she finished a touch behind the great Dawn Fraser. In this race, Stouder was only the second girl in history to go under a minute and she pushed Fraser to a new Olympic record. Sharon Stouder joins Dawn Fraser as the premier women sprinters recognized in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Stouder’s other Olympic gold medals were on the winning U.S. Medley and Freestyle Relays.
Sharon started swimming at 3, going into competition at 8 when she won two firsts and set two age-group records in her first meet. At 12 she won 20 firsts in national age-group events and won all 6 of the National Junior Olympic ratings available in her age group. That year, (1961), the “American Swimmer Magazine” picked her as Girl Age-Group Swimmer of the Year.
The next year (1962) Sharon, at age 13, entered her first Senior Outdoor Nationals in Chicago and placed second. At 14 she won 2 Pan American Games gold medals. Her biggest year, however, was the 1964 Olympic year when Miss Stouder was picked World Woman Swimmer of the Year by “Sports Illustrated”, by “ABC TV” and by “Swimming World”.
Sharon won 7 individual Nationals as she became the Super Star of Coach Don Gambril’s star studded, National Champion, City of Commerce team.
In a comeback attempt Sharon Stouder finished 4th and missed the 1968 Olympic team. Stouder and Toni Hewitt had exactly the same time, 1:05.02, but the judges gave 3rd place to Hewitt. It was a controversial call.
Scholastically she was an honor student from Glendora High School, a graduate of Stanford and then went into coaching while doing graduate work at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Happy Birthday Bob Windle, 1990 Honor Swimmer from Australia
ROBERT WINDLE (AUS) 1990 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1964 gold (1500m freestyle), bronze (relay); 1968 silver (relay), bronze (relay); WORLD RECORDS: 5 (200m, 220yd freestyle; relays); COMMONWEALTH GAMES: 1962 gold (relay), silver (1500m freestyle), bronze (400m freestyle); 1966 gold (400m freestyle; relays); AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 11 (200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m freestyle; relays).
Bob Windle is one of those rare beings that made three Olympic teams. He won Tokyo in 1964, hit Rome on his way up in 1960 and retired for good after a Mexico City comeback in 1968. In addition to the gold for winning the 1500 at Tokyo where he beat, among others, the favored American superstar world record holder Roy Saari, Windle won a bronze in the 4×100 freestyle relay, followed with a bronze and a silver in Mexico, four years later. Oddly enough, Windle won more Olympic medals (2) swimming relay 100’s than in any other distance, yet the 100 was the only freestyle distance he failed to win (by a touch out) in the Australian Championships during his long career. Between Tokyo and Mexico, Windle went to Indiana to swim for Doc Counsilman. He helped his Indiana team win the NCAA Championship by anchoring the victorious 800 yard freestyle relay. Windle returned to his Aussie Coach, Don Talbot however, to assist the Commonwealth Games team in Jamaica set a world record at 440 yards.
He won a total of 4 gold medals, a silver and a bronze in his two Commonwealth Games at Perth and Kingston. Bob Windle retired in 1967 but agreed to swim the shorter distances at Mexico in 1968 when Don Talbot talked him into a comeback. He won 2 medals for Australia in the relays. The versatile Windle is the only Australian to swim Olympic races from the 100 meter to the 1500 meter.
Honor Swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso was born on this day in 1902….Today we celebrate his achievements
Teofilo Yldefonso (PHI) 2010 Honor Pioneer Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: 1928 OLYMPIC GAMES: bronze (200m breast-stroke); 1932 OLYMPIC GAMES: bronze (200m breaststroke); 1936 OLYMPIC GAMES: Competitor (200m breaststroke); 1923, 1927, 1930, 1934 FAR EASTERN GAMES: gold (200m breaststroke); 1929, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1937 PHILIPPINES VS FORMOSA DUAL MEETS: gold (200m breaststroke); ONLY PHILIPPINE ATHLETE TO WIN BACK-TO-BACK OLYMPIC MEDALS AT TWO OLYMPIC GAMES
Born 1902 in Piddig, Philippines, Teofilo learned to swim by teaching himself in the knee-deep Guisit River near his home. Orphaned at an early age, he and his brothers practically raised themselves. He swam every day in the river and would help the women cross the river and carry the clothes to wash.
Around 1920, he enlisted in the 57th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Scouts made up of native Filipinos assigned to the U.S. Army’s Philippine Department under the command of American officers. It was an honor and privilege to be in the Scouts and sports was an important element to instill exercise, loyalty and pride. As a young soldier, Teofilo gained prominence as a competitive swimmer and swam at various meets in the Region. At the Far Eastern Games of 1923, 1927, 1930, and 1934, he was a standout breaststroke swimmer beating Japan’s Hall of Famers Yoshi Tsuruta, Reizo Koike and others. He was invincible at five Philippines vs. Formosa Dual Meets between 1929 and 1937. He competed in the 1928 and 1932 Olympic Games winning the 200m breaststroke bronze medal at both Games. He is the first Philippine athlete to win an Olympic medal but also the only athlete to date to win back-to-back Olympic medals from his country.
Teofilo Yldefonso had transformed the breaststroke style of his time by bringing the stroke more to the surface of the water rather than under the water as was more common at that time. European textbooks called him “The Father of the Modern Breaststroke”. Still with no coach but training in the river as well as at military installation swimming pools, he competed in his third Olympics in 1936 Berlin placing 7th in the final of the 200m breaststroke. He was already a family man with four children.
When World War II broke out and Bataan fell to the Japanese in 1942, he was among thousands of Filipino and American soldiers who experienced the infamous Death March to Capas where, at age 39, he died at the Concentration Camp in the arms of his younger brother, Teodoro, a medical corps worker. Interestingly, Yldefonso rose to the rank of lieutenant as did his swimming rival and friend of many years, Yoshi Tsuruta, then an officer in the Japanese army. Upon hearing that Lt. Yldefonso was among the prisoners, Lt. Tsuruta called for his release, but unfortunately too late. It is believed that Yldefonso received word of the release but refused to leave his men.
His legacy as a championship swimmer and war hero will live on forever. A monument of Swimmer/Lieutenant Yldefonso was unveiled in 2006 in the Piddig Municipal Plaza of his hometown.
On this day in 1879, Austrian born, Otto Wahle was born…..
OTTO WAHLE (AUT-USA) 1996 Pioneer Swimmer/Contributor
FOR THE RECORD: 1900 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (200m obstacle course); 1904 OLYMPIC GAMES: bronze (400m freestyle); 1912 OLYMPIC GAMES: Head Coach; AAU Committeeman; International Record Compiler.
He was born in Vienna, Austria only five years after Matthew Webb made his famous first crossing of the English Channel in 1875. He was a very bright youngster and learned to speak the English language just as well as his native German tongue. He became an accomplished swimmer, and at the age of 20, represented his country in the second Olympiad of 1900 in Paris, competing in the 200m Obstacle Event where competitors had to climb over a pole, clamber over a row of boats and swim under a row of boats. This was the only time this event was contested in the Olympics and Otto won the silver medal behind Australia’s Hall of Famer Freddy Lane, the fastest freestyler in the world at that time. Perhaps it was conversing with the Americans competing at these Olympic Games, that inspired
Otto to sail across the ocean to America. After raising funds in London, he arrived in New York City in 1901. He was immediately taken in by the New York Athletic Club where he built friendships with the great swimmers of the time – Leo Goodwin, Charles Daniels, Joe Ruddy and L. de B. Handley. Returning to New York, Otto put his emphasis on working with the swimmers. As a competitor in the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, he won a bronze medal in the 400m breaststroke., an event which was discontinued after the 1920 Olympiad. He and C.M. Daniels were the only two individual medal winners for the New York Athletic Club, even though he swam under the colors of the Austrian flag. Being a little older than the other swimmers, New York Athletic Club coach, Gus Sundstrom, groomed Otto to help with the coaching duties.
His job as an accountant allowed him the freedom to be involved with the New York Athletic Club swimming program. In 1912 he was selected to take the United States team to Stockholm, Sweden for the sixth Olympiad. During this time, Otto refined the stroke and turns of the great Duke Kahanamoku preparing him to win the first of his four Olympic gold medals. He inspired Hall of Famer L. de B. Handley to continue in swimming; Handley becoming the great coach of New York’s Women’s Swimming Association. His work with Charles Daniels contributed to Daniels recognition as the first great American swimmer. Even a young West Point grad by the name of Lt. Patten was taught by Wahle to develop his swimming in order to complete in the Modern Pentathlon. The Lieutenant later became the great Army General George Patten of World War II fame.
For more than a fifteen year period, Otto Wahle compiled and maintained the records and times of countries from Europe, Australia and the Americas for the Spaulding Record Books, the official recordkeeping source of the era. As an AAU committeeman, he helped to formulate and to interpret the rules of swimming as they developed over the years.
He is also known for his keen interest and appreciation for classical music and, over the years, built an extensive collection of 78 RPM records. He never lost his love for swimming and even up to the time of his death in 1964, he could be seen far off Jones Beach swimming back and forth, his head bobbing up and down in the surf.
As a swimmer, he won many medals and honors. As a coach and administrator, he helped provide the means to succeed. As a pioneer in the sport, he was instrumental in establishing the origins of our sport in this century.
Passages: Author, Statistician And Swimming Coach Kelvin Juba Dies As LEN Pay Tribute
by LIZ BYRNES – EUROPE CORREPONDENT
03 November 2020, 07:46am
Swimming author and statistician Kelvin Juba has died, European governing body LEN has announced.
Juba was a driving force in developing the ‘learn to swim, prevent drowning’ programme that was launched at the end of 2017.
As a member of the steering group that undertook extensive research across Europe in order to establish standards for teaching and learning swimming, Juba said: “We hope to do something good for not only saving lives but to get people swimming properly.”
He had followed in his father’s footsteps as a swimming coach and went on to work across several sports before returning to the swimming world.
Juba wrote several books including collaborations with David Wilkie, the 1976 Olympic 200m breaststroke champion.
A statement from LEN read:
“The LEN Family has learnt with immense sadness that our long-time contributor and friend Kelvin Juba passed away.
“Kelvin was the heart and soul of LEN’s statistical database and producer of several editions of the Book of Champions, a genuine compilation of the historical results of the European Aquatic Championships, the European Water Polo Championships and the LEN Champions League.
“He and his company was a constant contributor for LEN’s other publications in the past decades and recently he played a major role in creating and implementing LEN’s new pan-European initiative, the Learn-to-Swim, Prevent Drowning programme. His tireless efforts helped LEN to successfully present this programme to the European Union and to gain unanimous support from its decision-makers.
“Kelvin got close to aquatics early since his father was a great swimming coach and he himself also became one. He was involved in sport marketing and communications quite early, even during the 70s and 80s, doing some ground-breaking jobs in several sports. Later he returned to the world of swimming, published highly-rated books like Swimming for Fitness (w/ David Wilkie) and joined the circles of LEN.
“His knowledge, experience and gentleness will be missed badly in the future. In these grieving moments, our thoughts are with his family and friends.”