Canadian Open Water Swimmer was born on this day in 1909…..
George Young (CAN) 2014 Honor Pioneer Open Water Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: FIRST PERSON TO WIN AN ORGANIZED AND ADVERTISED MARATHON SWIM FOR CASH PRIZES (CATALINA CHANNEL, 21 MILES, 1927); WINNER OF CANADIAN NATIONAL EXPOSITION (CNE) RACES (15 MILES) IN LAKE ONTARIO.
In 1926, William Wrigley, Jr., the chewing gum magnate and owner the Santa Catalina Island Co., was looking for ideas that could bring more attention to the island’s mild winter climate. When word came that Gertrude Ederle had swum across the English Channel, Wrigley took note of Ederle’s stunning accomplishment but was particularly fascinated by the ticker-tape parade and worldwide press coverage that followed.
So, it was with the hope of publicizing the “off season” attractiveness of his resort that Wrigley invited the world’s greatest distance swimmers to race across the Catalina Channel, roughly the same distance as the English Channel, for a winning prize of $25,000.
Never in swimming history was there an event that created greater enthusiasm, interest and participation than the William Wrigley Ocean Marathon.
When the starter’s gun boomed at 11:21 AM, it was followed almost instantaneously by the roar of the massed crowd and blasting boat horns as one hundred and one swimmers leaped for the water, which was as smooth and inviting as a pond. But a few hundred yards from shore the 54 degree temperature water offered whitecaps and fog in the distance.
Olympian Norman “Moose” Ross and George Young, a pennyless 17 year old amateur from Toronto, Canada quickly emerged from the pack. After about a mile Young grabbed a lead of about 150 yards, doubled that lead after two hours and stretched it to a mile by sunset. Gradually, swimmers began to drop out of the race, until Young and Ross were alone to fight against the icy depths, the intense exhaustion, and even the occasional shark. As Young neared the mainland with Ross closing the gap, thousands of people lined the shore with car headlights and bonfires, shouting encouragement to the solitary swimmer as he battled the force of the incoming tide. The triumphant Canadian stepped onto shore to claim his prize after an incredible and grueling 15 hours and 45 minutes.
Over the next few days, Young was picked up and carried along by a gigantic title wave of popularity that seemed to be taking the sports world’s newest idol to fame, glory and riches. But while fame and glory proved to be elusive, the spirit and memory of George Young, the “Catalina Kid” survives today in the minds of all swimmers who try to meet the challenge of the crossing, his victory remains an example of achievement and accomplishment through perseverance and fortitude.
On this day in 1903, Honor Swimmer, Warren Kealoha was born…..
WARREN KEALOHA (USA) 1968 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1920 gold (100m backstroke); 1924 gold (100m backstroke); NATIONAL AAU CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2 gold (50 freestyle); Backstroke world record holder and national champion for 6 years.
Hawaiian Olympic swimming is a study in brotherhood — the Kahanamoku brothers, the Kealoha brothers and the Kalili brothers. The Kahanamoku brothers, Duke and Sam, were second and third to Johnny Weissmuller in the 1924 Olympic 100 meter freestyle after Duke had won in 1912 and 1920. The Kalili brothers, Mailola and Manuella, were on the silver medal 800 meter freestyle relay team in 1932. The Kealoha brothers, Pua and Warren, won gold medals in the 800 freestyle relay (Pua) with The Duke; and the 100 meter backstroke (Warren) in the 1920 Olympics.
Warren Kealoha, the baby of the 1920 team, was 16 when he won his first Olympic backstroke crown. He came back to win again in 1924 as the Olympics first double winner in any stroke other than freestyle.
Warren Kealoha, like his brother, was a USA champion freestyler, twice winning the National AAU 50 freestyle gold medal, but he was supreme for 6 years as backstroke world record holder and national champion.
“It wasn’t easy for Hawaiians to get to the Olympics back in those days,” Warren says, “or I might have had a chance at my third Olympics in 1928.” Warren Kealoha had more trouble getting to his races than winning them. “We had to break a world record before they could afford to send us to the Mainland,” he says, “then when we arrived by boat and out of shape, we had to beat all comers on the West coast, again in Chicago, and again in New York before we finally made the Olympic team.” Warren joins the late Duke Kahanamoku, Bill Smith, Buster Crabbe and coach Soichi Sakamoto as Hawaiian swimmers in the Hall of Fame. Now a successful rancher, Kealoha represents an amazing heritage of Island swimming which dominated the world for 50 years. The list, beginning with coach “Dad” Center and ending with diver Keala O’Sullivan, including Sargent Kahanamoku, Keo and Bunny Nakama, Douglas and Jerry Miki, Bill Woolsey, Allan Stack, Dick Cleveland, George Onekea, Sunny Tanabe, Halo Hiroshi, Ford Konno, Oshi Oyakawa, Charlie Oda, Evelyn Kawamoto, Thelma Kalama, Ivalena Hoe, Clarence Lane, Dudley Pratt, Jose Balmores, Kenny and Sammy Nakasone, Walt Richardson, the Honda boys and many others.
There may have been years when the Hawaiian Islands would have won the Olympics without help from the Mainland. It should be an inspiration to island peoples everywhere that swimming championships can become part of the way of life in island recreation.
Happy Birthday Ian O’Brien !!!
IAN O’BRIEN (AUS) 1985 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1964 gold (200m breaststroke), bronze (relay); 1968 4th (relay); WORLD RECORDS: 4 (200m, 110yd, 220yd breaststroke, 1 relay); COMMONWEALTH GAMES: 1962 (110m, 200m breaststroke; relay); 1966 (100m, 200m breaststroke); AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (9): 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 (100m breaststroke); 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 (200m breaststroke).
Ian O’Brien moved to Sydney when his father died in 1961 to swim for Terry Gathercole. He was an immediate success-State Champ and National Champ for the next six years. He won three golds in the Commonwealth Games the next year in Perth. Yet, his wins were in yards and no one took him seriously.
The Tokyo Olympic favorites were Jestremski (USA) and Pankin. O’Brien remembers with joy how he and his coach worked out in Tokyo before the Games with the Russian and American coaches, watching and timing. In that practice he came within two seconds of the World Record for 200m breaststroke–the big psyche was on! It was an omen of his Olympic races which followed. He set a World and Olympic Record, winning the gold over both Pankin and Jestremski.
O’Brien’s greatest showing, however, would be saved for the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica. Six weeks before the Games, out of shape and 30 pounds overweight. O’Brien decided to have a go at it. He not only “had a go at it” but won the 110 and 220 yard breast, the latter in 2:28 (which translates to 2:27.0 for 200m or two tenths better than his Olympic and World Record in Tokyo two years before.)
He came back again to swim in the 1968 Mexico Olympics, but this time he was fourth. His memories are of Russian teenagers pestering him to sell Beatles’ records, gum and nylons; of training in sunny Queensland and of standing on top of the victory stand in 1964 and 1966 when he was not supposed to win. These moments and his trips to Mexico, Jamaica, Japan and a tour of Russia and Europe, plus bringing his coach’s World Records back to Australia, are the memories of this Olympic Champion and World.
Happy Birthday Mary Kok !!!
MARY KOK (NED) 1980 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1956 (boycott); WORLD RECORDS: 10 (440yd, 880yd, 800m, 1760yd freestyle; 100yd, 100m butterfly; 400yd, 400m individual medley; 1 relay) from 1955 to 1957.
Hall of Fame coach Jan Stender developed 8 world record holders living on one street in Hilversum, Holland, in 1955. Yet neither coach Stender nor any of his Dutch swimmers were allowed to compete in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. This boycott which the Dutch Government called as a protest to the Russian repression of the Hungarian Revolution was toughest on Mary Kok, perhaps the finest of the Dutch swimmers and the world’s most prolific record holder (10) in 1955. The versatile Mary (no relation to Hall of Famer Ada Kok) held the middle distance freestyle records and was one of the first world record holders in the four stroke individual medley and the butterfly stroke. After the 1956 Olympics, Mary Kok became one of the world’s greatest marathon swimmers. She is currently married to Kees Oudegeest coaching in Spain.
Happy Birthday Elena Vaitsekhovskaia !!!
ELENA VAITSEKHOVSKAIA (URS) 1992 Honor Diver
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1976, gold (platform); EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1974, bronze (platform); 1977, silver (platform).
Elena Vaitsekhovskaia of Russia surprised the world in 1976 when she won the platform diving gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. She had to beat the defending champion Ulrike Knape of Sweden to do it.
“I didn’t think I would win”, said the shy, young diver. “Here in Montreal, the fans are cheering for the Canadians and Americans”.
The finals were extremely close with never more than nine points separating the first six divers through the four compulsory dives. Amazingly, after five dives only three points separated first place Irina Kalanina of the Soviet Union from sixth place Melissa Briley of the United States.
On the sixth dive, Elena took the lead, five points ahead of Debbie Wilson of the U.S.A. and seven ahead of Knape. Going into the seventh and final dive, Elena and three other divers were within less than eight points of each other.
Ulrika Knape then performed like a defending gold medalist should, scoring a whopping 68.18 points on an inward 2 1/2 somersault to vault in to a close second place position. The pressure was on Elena to perform the same dive. She coolly and calmly stepped up and hit the dive to become the first Russian woman to win a gold medal in Olympic competition history. Knape took the silver and Debbie Wilson the bronze.
Elena had entered the international scene in 1974 at the European Championship when she placed third on the platform, helping her team win the Fern Cup for most points scored in men’s’ and women’s diving. Following the Olympics in Montreal, she competed one more time in 1977 at the European Championships, placing second and beating teammate Irina Kalanina, who went on to win the Springboard event in the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
Elena is currently a diving publicist for television and the media.
Happy Birthday Jeff Farrell !!!
JEFF FARRELL (USA) 1968 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1960 gold (4x200m freestyle relay; 4×100 medley relay); Appendectomy 5 days before 1960 Olympic Trials; 1960 had world standard times in 100yd, 100m, 110yd, 200yd, 200m, 220yd freestyle; WORLD RECORDS: 4x200m freestyle; 4x100m medley relay; NATIONAL AAU CHAMPION: 1960.
No man ever overcame a greater handicap to make the U.S. Olympic swimming team than Jeff Farrell, the world’s premier freestyle sprinter at the time of the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. Farrell, with world standard times at 100 yds, 100 meters, 110 yds., 200 yds., 200 meters, and 220 yds., was considered a shoo-in for the Olympic team when he came down with acute appendicitis six days before the Olympic Trials at Detroit. The operation was a success, but Farrell, wrapped in yards of adhesive tape, was considered in no shape to swim. He refused a special dispensation and took his chances in the sudden-death trials that mark U.S. team selection methods. Farrell placed fourth, and qualified for the relays. By Rome, Farrell was fully recovered and anchored both U.S.A. men’s relays to Olympic and world records for his two Olympic gold medals.
Farrell’s whole swimming career was a classic example of determination. A good high school swimmer from Wichita, Kansas, he enrolled at Oklahoma, talked athletic director Bud Wilkinson into hiring Matt Mann, the retired Michigan coach. Under Mann, Farrell became a Conference champion, worked his way up to the finals in NCAA and NAAU championships. Just about the time Farrell was ready to make his run for the top, he wrecked his shoulder in a dormitory wrestling match. His senior year in college, with a long scar marking the shoulder operation, he was a solid third in the Nationals. Pretty good swimming, but Farrell was not ready to quit. He became a Navy ensign and was assigned to the ROTC at Yale where he worked out with retired Yale coach Bob Kiphuth, and finally reached his potential without injury. Farrell was unbeatable that winter at Yale, winning the National AAUs. Everyone–Matt Mann, Bob Kiphuth, the swimmers–agreed it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Even Farrell must have figured he was finally home free until the appendectomy came to handicap him once more.
Happy Birthday Keena Rothhammer !!!
KEENA ROTHHAMMER (USA) 1991 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1972 gold (800m freestyle), bronze (200m freestyle); WORLD RECORDS: 2 (400m, 800m freestyle); NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 12 (200yd, 400m, 500yd freestyle; 7 relays); WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1973 gold (100m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle); AMERICAN RECORDS: 13 (200yd, 400yd, 400m, 500yd, 800yd, 800m freestyle; 5 relays).
A talented freestyler with a racing range from 200 meters to 1500 meters, Keena Rothhammer’s performances were unpredictable except for the fact that she always won something. At a time when Shane Gould of Australia and Shirley Babashoff of the United States were swimming all the freestyle distances as well, this trio of swimmers flip-flopped their way down the event list, each pushing the other to new heights.
As youngest event gold medalist in both Olympic and World Championship competition, Keena, with the help of her Santa Clara coach, Hall of Famer, George Haines, set the world on fire. At age 16, Keena had accumulated an Olympic gold and bronze medal, two world records, fifteen U.S. National championships, ten American records, and a gold and silver medal at the first World Championships in 1973.
At the 1972 Munich Olympics, Keena was America’s third fastest 800 meter freestyler, but she captured the gold medal with a world record of 8:53.68. As the top seeded American in the 400, Keena came in sixth, but maintained her place in the 200 b3hind Gould and Babashoff to take the bronze medal.
The swimming dominance of Rothhammer allowed her to use her fame to convince the Amateur Athletic Union to change its strict, long-standing rule on women’s racing suits. The American suits were required to have a skirt around the hip, while the East Germans competed in skin tight suits–and won! Due to the Rothhammer family’s lobbying efforts, the AAU changed its tune and submitted to faster and more water resistant suits.
Keena’s forced retirement was due in part to severe migraine headaches which began in junior high school. After her retirement at age 17, she traveled around the country working with Special Olympics programs. Although just a teen, Keena maturely stated she would much rather be remembered for her work with children than anything she did in swimming.
Happy Birthday Jenny Thompson !!!
Jenny Thompson (USA) 2009 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: 1992 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley), silver (100m freestyle); 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley, 4x200m freestyle); 2000 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley, 4x200m freestyle), bronze (100m freestyle); 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley); SIX WORLD RECORDS: 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, two – 4x100m freestyle, two – 4x100m medley; NINE WORLD RECORDS (25m): three – 50m butterfly, four –100m butterfly ,two–100m individual medley; 1991 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (4x100m freestyle); 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley); 1998 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley), silver (4x200m freestyle); 2003 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m butterfly, 4x100m freestyle), silver (50m butterfly, 4x100m medley), bronze (100m freestyle); 1997 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (25m):gold(100m freestyle, 100m buttefly, 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly, 4x100m medley, silver (50m freestyle); 2000 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (25m):gold(50m butterfly, 100m butterfly),silver(100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle),bronze(4x100m medley); 2004 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (25m): gold (50m butterfly), silver (4x100m medley), bronze (100m butterfly); 1987 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (50m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle), bronze (100m freestyle); 1999 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (50m freestyle, 100m freestyle); 19 NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: individual and relay titles.
When Jenny Thompson finished her swimming career following the 2004 Olympic Games, she was the most decorated U.S. Olympian with twelve medals, eight of them gold. From 1992 to 2004, she competed on four Olympic
Jenny Thompson Teams winning gold medals all as a member of relay teams, but in the process she set 15 world records mostly in individual events.
In 1999, she broke one of swimming’s most revered records, Mary T. Meagher’s 18 year old world record in the 100m butterfly. All totaled, she set 15 World Records – six long course in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly with four world records on relays and nine short course, all individual freestyle, butterfly and individual medley events.
Jenny swam for Mike Parratto (Seacoast Swimming Association, Dover, NH) from 1985-1991. She then swam for Richard Quick at Stanford University where she accrued 19 individual and relay NCAA National titles. When not at the University, she swam for John Collins at the Badger Swim Club. She competed in her last Olympic Games at the age of 31 in 2004 Athens where she won silver medals in the 4 x 100m freestyle and medley relays.
Thompson was the 1998 World Swimmer of the Year.
On this day in 1882, Honor Contributor, Dr. Frederick W. Luehring was born…..
DR. FREDERICK W. LUEHRING (USA) 1974 Honor Contributor
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1932 (Secretary of Men’s and Women’s Swimming Committee; Referee of the Olympic Trials); 1936 (Chairman of the Men’s Olympic Swimming Committee; Referee of the Olympic Trials); Swimming and Water Polo Coach at Princeton, 1911-1920; started the swim team at Nebraska, 1921; First editor of the Intercollegiate Swimming Guide, 1916-1922; NCAA Rules Committee member, secretary and chairman from its founding until 1944.
Dr. Frederick W. Luehring was born in Hanover, Kansas, on the Oregon Trail in 1881 and he has been hiking uphill ever since. He was run over by a wagon when he was 4 years old and his success at swimming and running himself back to health directed him into a long life dedicated to physical fitness. At 82, he was the oldest ever to complete hiking the 2000 mile Appalachian Trail. Hiking week-ends and vacations when he could spare the time, it took him 14 years to get from Maine to Georgia. It is a tribute to his persistence. At 93 he was still going on 15 and 20 mile weekend hikes. “The distance,” he says, “depends on how steep the mountain.” He has hiked the C & O Canal three times with Justice Douglas going 20 miles or more a day. He has also hiked the 184 mile tow path along the Lehigh Canal. At 92 he led the Philadelphia March of Dimes Walk-a-Thon for miles.
Enough about Fred Luehring’s dryland exercise. Forget this walk-a-thon and talk about his Swim-a-Thon,
the oldest swimmer at U.S. Pan American Coach Frank Keefe’s Suburban Swim Club where non-believers offered $5.00 a length for as long as Luehring could swim. “I don’t swim as much as I hike now,” observed Luehring, “but I swam a mile before breakfast every day during my vacation last summer and I enjoy half hour swims in the ocean after my 8 mile hikes with the Trail Club in New Jersey.”
Luehring’s Doctoral dissertation at Columbia became a published book “Swimming Pool Standards.” As Chairman of the Men’s Olympic Swimming Committee, he wrote the report on the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He was secretary of the Men’s and Women’s Swimming Committee in 1932 and Referee of the Olympic Trials in both 1932 and 1936.
Fred Luehring was a football and track star at North Central College and at the University of Chicago under Amos Alonzo Stag. He has coached almost all the college sports. At Ripon College (Wis.) in 1906-1907, he needed a settee rather than a chair for his duties as Professor and Director of Physical Education. For $800 a year, he coached football, basketball, track and spent his evenings as Proctor in the men’s dorm. He coached swimming and water polo at Princeton from 1911-1920, started the swim team at Nebraska (1921), made swimming and life saving conferences for summer camps at Minnesota, Wisconsin, NYU, and others.
Fred Luehring’s biggest contribution, however, was the prestige of his physical education background lent to swimming as a worthwhile educational sport activity. He was the first editor of the Intercollegiate Swimming Guide from 1916-1922. He served on the NCAA Rules Committee as member, secretary, and chairman, from its founding until 1944. Fred Luehring is honored by the International Swimming Hall of Fame for more years in service to swimming than any other physical education leader.
On this day, in 1872, John Arthur Jarvis, British Olympic gold medalist in swimming was born…..
JOHN ARTHUR JARVIS (GBR) 1968 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1900 gold (1000m, 4000m freestyle); 1906 silver (1 mile freestyle), bronze (400m freestyle; 4x250m freestyle relay); WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1907 gold (500m freestyle); His 108 swimming championships included: Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee 1-mile championship; German Kaiser’s Championship of Europe; Austrian Emperor’s World Championships at Vienna; the King of Italy’s World’s Distance Championship; the Queen of Holland’s World’s Championship at 4,000m; King Edward VII coronation Cup One Mile; English Mile Championship – six year in succession; English Long Distance Championship (7 miles) – eight years; Half Mile Championships – 4 times in succession; 500yd Championship – 4 times; 400yd salt water championship- twice; plunging championship of England, 1904; 2 gold cups for 15 mile swim through London; Grand Prix of Antwerp, 1000m; Cup de la Meuse, Belgium; holder of the Royal Humane Society’s Medal for Life Saving.
John Arthur Jarvis called himself “Amateur Swimming Champion of the World” and he had 108 swimming championships to prove it. In 1900 (Paris), he was the first Olympic triple gold medal winner as he touched first at 100 meters, 1000 meters and 4000 meters. He followed with a gold and a silver at the 1906 Athens Olympics. Jarvis swam the overarm sidestroke and all races were “freestyle.” Jarvis and Joey Nuttall, the English professional champion, developed a special kick to go with this stroke which became known as the Jarvis-Nuttall kick. Some of Jarvis’ records with this stroke lasted 28 years.
After the 1907 world championships at Charenton, a newspaper report states: “The event of the day was the exhibition made by Jarvis in the 500 meter championship. The Englishman at once took the lead and swam with a regularity so perfect as to seem absolutely mechanical. He covered the 500 meters in 7 min., 43-4/5 sec. and turning, watched as an interested spectator, the struggle for second place. Boin arrived 46 seconds later, and Gegoire was third in 8 minutes, 50-1/5 sec.”
Jarvis saved innumerable lives in his later career teaching lifesaving including one famed rescue in which he brought in twin sisters. He introduced lifesaving techniques to Italy on one of his many international trips with the English water polo team. His other achievements and awards included Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee one mile championship; German Kaiser’s Championship of Europe; Austrian Emperor’s World Championships at Vienna; the King of Italy’s World Distance Championship; the Queen of Holland’s World’s Championship at 4000 meters; King Edward VII Coronation Cup One Mile (presented by His Majesty); English Mile Championship–six years in succession; English Long Distance Championship (7 miles), eight years; Half Mile Championship, four times in succession; 500 yards championship, four times; 400 yards salt water championship, twice; plunging championship of England, in 1904; two gold cups for 15-mile swim through London, open to the world; Grand prix of Antwerp, 1000 meters; Cup de la Meuse, Belgium; holder of the Royal Humane society’s Medal for Saving Life.
At the period when English swimming was first and swimming was a most important wonder of sport, J. A. Jarvis was certainly the wonder of English swimming. He was later respectfully referred to as “Professor Jarvis” and 3 of his daughters, all swimming teachers, came to Fort Lauderdale to represent him at the induction ceremonies.
