Black History Month The Story of Charles Jackson French – A Hero For Our Time
by Bruce Wigo
On January 19, 2020, the United States Navy announced it was naming a new aircraft carrier after African American WWII war hero “Dorie” Miller. The announcement came more than 78 years after the events at Pearl Harbor that earned him the Navy Cross, the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps’ second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The U.S.S. Doris Miller is seen as a belated salute to the contributions of African Americans in the military. But it is just a first step. There is another Navy man who was at least equally heroic and deserves recognition.
The world first heard about this story on October 21st, 1942, when U.S. Navy Ensign Robert Adrian was in the Hollywood studios of the NBC Broadcasting Company. He was there for a weekly radio program called, It Happened in the Service. “For the past week,” the solemn sounding host began, “the prayers of the nation have been turned toward the Solomon islands, a small group of strategic islands in the South Pacific. Right now, one of the greatest battles of history is raging there and in the waters of the surrounding islands, and here in our studio tonight is a gallant naval officer who has already tasted the fury of that Solomon battle and who has had his ship blasted out from under him. But before we meet Ensign Robert Adrian, let’s listen to his story.”
That was the cue for dramatic organ music and the sound of sirens and explosions. Amidst those cacophonous sounds came a voice calmly announcing: “Abandon ship, all hands, abandon ship.” Adrian was the junior officer on the bridge when it took a direct hit from a Japanese ship. He was knocked unconscious for a moment and when he came to, he felt the ship turning on its side and sinking. Although wounded in his legs and with blast fragments in his eyes that clouded his vision, he managed to float over into the water with his life jacket as the ship sank below him. As he drifted, he saw the Japanese ships turn their searchlights and machine guns on the survivors. Then he heard voices and found a life raft filled with badly wounded shipmates. Upon questioning the men, he found only one shipmate who had not been wounded. It was Charles Jackson French, a negro mess attendant known only by his last name. When Adrian told French that the current was carrying them toward the Japanese occupied island, French volunteered to swim the raft away from shore. Adrian told him it was impossible – that he would only be giving himself up to the sharks that surrounded them. But French responded that he was a powerful swimmer and was less afraid of the sharks than he was of the Japanese. He stripped off his clothes, asked for help to tie a rope around his waist and slipped into the water. “Just keep telling me if I’m goin’ the right way,” he said. French swam and swam all night, 6 to 8 hours and pulled the raft well out to sea. At sunrise, they where spotted by scout aircraft who dispatched a marine landing craft to pick them up and returned them safely behind American lines.
When the dramatization ended, the host returned to the microphone: “And now standing here beside me is Ensign Bob Adrian of Ontario, Oregon. Ensign, yours was certainly an unusual rescue.”
“Yes, it was,” agreed Adrian. “And I can assure you that all the men on that raft are grateful to mess attendant French for his brave action off Guadacanal that night.”
“Well, he is certainly a credit to the finest traditions of the Navy.”
Adrian was then prompted to give a patriotic enlistment appeal and for everyone at home to unite behind the war effort.
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The next day, the Associated Press picked up the story of the “powerful Negro mess attendant who swam six hours through shark-infested waters, towing to safety a raft load of wounded seamen.” The story reached Philadelphia and the War Gum Trading Card Company, which as the name suggests, sold bubble gum with commemorative baseball-like cards depicting the war’s heroes and events. The card, captioned as: “Negro Swimmer Tows Survivors,” was #129 in the 1942 set. It has a beautiful color rendition of French towing the raft of wounded seamen in wavy blue water with two shark fins near the raft. The flip side told the story, without knowing the identity of the hero beyond being a “Negro mess attendant, known only as ‘French.’” It went on to say that because Ensign Adrian was immediately hospitalized, he “never learned the full name of the heroic swimmer.”
Then, on October 30th, NBC revealed it had learned about French through the Navy Personnel Bureau in Washington. He was 23-year-old Charles Jackson French, of Foreman, Arkansas. The revelation brought a passionate editorial reaction from the Pittsburgh Courier, one the nation’s leading Black newspapers.
“All those who thrill to high HEROISM are paying tribute to a black boy from Arkansas, who risked his life that his white comrades might live. We did NOT learn about this act of heroism… from the Navy Department. We learned about it almost incidentally, from Ensign Robert Adrian, white officer of the destroyer Gregory…when he broadcast over an NBC national hookup from Hollywood. He and other white Americans owe their LIVES to a black man whom he identified as a ‘mess attendant named French.’ Mess attendants are none too highly regarded in the United States Navy. They are either Negroes or Filipinos and they are BARRED from service in any other branch of the Navy unless serving in a segregated unit. There is not much OPPORTUNITY for heroism in a ship’s galley or an officers’ ward room. But all the men on a ship are in DANGER in time of battle, no matter where they are serving or what their skin pigment may be…Although Mess Attendant Charles Jackson French of Arkansas was not in a heroic job, he MADE a heroic job out of it. He who had been looked down upon as a caste man, frozen in status, suddenly was looked up to as a SAVIOUR.”
It also described what happened prior to Adrian finding the raft. That French had found the raft floating and had swum around with it, piling “wounded white comrades upon it until it had almost sank.”
“All men honor bravery and LOYALTY, and today all America hails ‘A Mess Attendant named French” who risked death that others might live. Americans like Mess Attendant French and Ensign Adrian, mutually undergoing danger to preserve American freedom for all alike, will make democracy a glowing reality in this country for future generations to enjoy.”
In time it was learned that Charles Jackson French stood 5’8” tall and weighed 195 pounds. He had been born on Sept. 25, 1919, in Foreman, Arkansas. But after his parents died, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska to live with his sister. On December 4, 1937, French enlisted in the Steward/Messman branch of the United States Navy – the only positions open to African Americans at the time. He was assigned to the USS Houston, the flagship of the Asiatic Fleet. As a Mess Attendant 3rd class, his job was to serve meals to white officers and sailors, clear their tables and keep the mess, not a mess. While French was onboard, the Houston was stationed in Hawaii and cruised the Pacific Ocean with stops in the Philippines and Shanghai, to name a few. After his four year commitment ended in 1941, French returned to 2703 North 25th St. in Omaha, Nebraska. But four days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, French re-enlisted as a Steward’s Mate 1st class. He joined the crew of the USS Gregory in March of 1942. Although Stewards were a step up from mess mates, they were derisively labeled “seagoing bellhops” by the black press. Their job was to man the white officers’ mess and clean their quarters.
Back in the USA after the sinking of the Gregory, the “human tugboat” visited relatives in Foreman and received a royal welcome from citizens of all races in Omaha. He appeared before enthusiastic crowds at the halftime of a Creighton football game, at war bond rallies, on a calendar and in newspaper comic strips. There was even talk of a Hollywood film.
In early 1943, Twentieth Century Fox released the film adaptation of the Broadway musical,“Stormy Weather”with an all-black cast of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Katherine Dunham and Fats Waller. In June, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer brought to the big screen “Cabin in the Sky,” another musical with an all-black cast that included Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ethel Waters and Lena Horne. Both were hits. “However,” reported the Pittsburgh Courier, “Warner Brothers has it in mind to go all of the companies one better and screen-Immortalize Messman French, the lad who swam through shark-infested waters, towing a raft of wounded sailors to safety after a Japanese sub had sunk their ship in the South Pacific.”
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Based on his incident report, Ensign Adrian had been informed that Mess Attendant French was being recommended for the Navy Cross. It was the second highest honor, just below the Congressional Medal of Honor, and it was the medal that had been awarded to Doris Miller. Then in December of 1943, French’s heroism was immortalized in a poem written entitled “The Strong Swimmer,” by the 1942 Pulitzer Prize recipient, William Rose Benet.
THE STRONG SWIMMERby William Rose Benet*
I have a story fit to tell,In head and heart a song;A burning blue Pacific swell;A raft that was towed along.
Out in the bloody Solomon IslesDestroyer Gregory gone;Ocean that kills for all her smiles,And darkness coming on.
The Gregory’s raft bobbed on the tideLoaded with wounded men.Ensign and seaman clung her side.Seaward she drifted then.
A mess-attendant, a Negro man,Mighty of chest and limb,Spoke up: “Til tow you all I canAs long as I can swim.”
Naked, he wound his waist with a line;Slipped smoothly overside,Where the red bubble tells the brineThat sharks have sheared the tide.
‘I’m going to tow this old craft inSince we ain’t got not one oar’He breathed, as the water lapped his chin;And he inched that raft ashore.
Strongly he stroked, and long he hauledNo breath for any song.His wounded mates clung close, appalled.He towed that raft along.
Clear to the eye the darkening swellWhere glimmering dangers glide;The raft of sailors grimed from HellAfloat on a smoky tide
And a dark shoulder and muscled armLunging, steady and strong.The messman, their brother, who bears a charm,Is towing their raft along.
He gasped, “Just say if I’m go’in right!”Yes, brother, right you are!Danger of ocean or dark of night,You steer by one clear star.
Six hours crawled by. … A barge in sightWith the raft just off the shore. . . .The messman coughed, “Sure, I’m all right’He was just as he was before.
And all that they knew was they called him “French*Not quite a name to sing.Green jungle hell or desert trench,No man did a braver thing.
He’s burned a story in my brain,Set in my heart a song.He and his like, by wave and main,World without end and not in vainAre towing this world along!
From “Day of Deliverance,” copyright, 1944, by William Rose Benet.
A significant award for heroism seemed assured, but it wasn’t to be. All he would receive was a letter of commendation from Adm. William F. Halsey, Jr., then commander, of the Southern Pacific Fleet. It read: “For meritorious conduct in action while serving on board a destroyer transport which was badly damaged during the engagement with Japanese forces in the British Solomon Islands on September 5, 1942. After the engagement, a group of about fifteen men were adrift on a raft, which was being deliberately shelled by Japanese naval forces. French tied a line to himself and swam for more than two hours without rest, thus attempting to tow the raft. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.” They were eight hours in the water, but Admiral Halsey reduced it to two.
Ensign Adrian was outraged, but the Gregory episode was complicated by the issuance of a posthumous Silver Star to Lt. Cdr. H. F. Bauer, the ship’s CO. Wounded and dying, the skipper had ordered Adrian and the signalman on the bridge to leave him and go to the aid of another crewman who was yelling for help. He was never seen again. By Navy standards, it would be nearly unprecedented for a subordinate to receive a higher decoration for an act of heroism comparable to that of a superior. In addition to the Silver Star, a Destroyer-minelayer was named the USS Harry F. Bauer in 1944.
Charles Jackson French was probably manning his mop or carrying food trays on the USS Endicott when he heard the news. At the time, his destroyer was escorting convoys in the Atlantic theater, along the African coast and in the Caribbean. With the Endicott needing repairs in May of 1944, French was assigned to the USS Frankford, a destroyer that provided support from its five guns for the successful landings on D-Day, along with rescuing survivors of mined ships and downed pilots, and driving off enemy E-boat attacks. In August, the Frankford arrived in Naples, Italy for the invasion of southern France.
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Little was known of French after the war ended and he was soon forgotten. But sometime after the Korean War, he was at a friend’s home in San Diego and told his side of the story. One of those listening was Chester Wright, who repeated what French said in his book, Black Men and Blue Water. French told it pretty much as Adrian had done years earlier, but with a few twists. He laughed when he told how he almost peed himself when he felt the sharks brush against his feet, but guessed they weren’t hungry for a scared black man. As he told of raft being rescued, his mood changed from jovial to anger and tears. After the badly wounded men were taken to the hospital, French and the others were taken to a rest camp where authorities wanted to separate French because he was “colored.” The white boys from the raft and some of the other survivors from the Gregory refused to have him separated. He was a member of the Gregory’s crew, they said, and they were going to stay together. Anyone who thought different had better been better been ready to fight. There was a standoff that lasted some time, with the crew of the Gregory, all covered with oil and grime and looking like madmen, facing off against the masters at arms in their clean and pressed whites. Eventually, they realized the Gregory’s crew meant what they said and backed down. As French told this part of the story, his shoulders shook and tears coursed down his cheeks as he told how the white boys had stood up for him.
According to Wright, French had returned from the war “stressed out,” from seeing too much death and destruction. He was probably discharged with mental problems and left to fend for himself. He died on November 7, 1956 and was buried in the Fort Rosencrans National Cemetery, in San Diego, an almost forgotten hero.
The name of Charles Jackson French resurfaced in 2009, when his story was part of an exhibit on Black Swimming History at the International Swimming Hall of Fame, in Fort Lauderdale. The irony of French’s heroics was that it came at a time when African Americans were prevented from swimming in virtually every swimming pool and public beach in America. When he was being celebrated in Omaha in 1943, there was no pool in the city where he could have taken a dip. So one of the questions that remain is where and how did he become such a powerful swimmer? Unfortunately his surviving relatives don’t have the answer. The best guess is in the Red River and stone quarries near Forman, Ark.
About ten years later, the exhibit came to the attention of a retired Navy couple, who began some research of their own. They found the family of Robert Adrian, who had passed away in 2011, but his family had their own story to tell of Charles Jackson French. Their father rarely spoke of his war experiences, except for French, for if not for a black man named Charles Jackson French, he would tell them, neither he nor any of them would be alive. For his 75th Birthday, Adrian’s children had found an old record amongst their father’s treasures. It had been given to him by NBC back in 1943. It was the recording of It Happened In the Service. Hearing it after all those years brought him to tears.
Adrian had tried to locate French after the war with no success, but he also had suffered another trauma. It was almost exactly a year after the sinking of the Gregory and he was the gunnery officer on the the destroyer USS Boyd, when it came under attack. As the crew was helping to rescue a downed pilot, two enemy shells crashed into the ship, destroying the forward guns and exploded in the engine room, bursting the steam pipes. One officer and eleven men were killed and another eight seriously wounded. It was Adrian who led the rescue team and he had recurring nightmares the rest of his life seeing the bodies of those men burned alive by 800 degree heat. He was at sea for much of his carrier followed by a successful career as a banker.
After his second retirement, he began writing and one of the stories was published in Tin Can Alley, a newsletter that appealed to men who served on destroyers. It was called, Our Night of Hell off Guadalcanal and it told the story of the Gregory and French and his recommendation for the Navy Cross. He spoke about French to Navy Brass, but social justice was not the issue it is today. He had hoped that before he died, French would receive the commendation he deserved, but since it wasn’t he told his children to carry on with his dying wish.
Then in April of 2021, an online post about French from the International Swimming Hall of Fame caught the attention of Rear Admiral Charles Brown, the Navy public affairs officer who said the Navy will see if “it can do more to recognize Petty Officer French.”
In Washington, Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon said that he believed French deserved the Congressional Medal of Honor.
In January of 2024, the United States Navy announced that it will name a ship after Charles Jackson French. The announcement was made by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro during a keynote address at the Surface Navy’s 36th National Symposium in Arlington, Virginia. The U.S.S. Charles J. French will be an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer.
In fairness and with impartiality a destroyer should be named after French if not the medal of honor set the record straight !!! America home of the free and the brave. Show that the content of a person’s character and not the color of their skin. That is why the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is the greatest nation in the world *****
Global High Diving World Cup Returns to Fort Lauderdale~ Set for same weekend as 2026 Honoree Ceremony
Global High Diving Season Set: World Cup Returns to Fort Lauderdale and Porto Flavia in 2026Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to host a triple slate of World Cups and two Junior Championships as the sport expands its global footprint. With the World Aquatics High Diving World Cup 2026 calendar set, the sport that demands clean entries will see the series return to the United States in May, followed by Italy in July.World Aquatics sets the High Diving World Cup calendar for 2026 with series stops in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (USA) and Porto Flavia in Iglesias, Sardinia (ITA). In addition to welcoming back the sport’s premier annual competition, Fort Lauderdale will also host the second edition of the World Aquatics High Diving Junior Championships in 2026, followed again by the junior event in 2028.2026 High Diving Calendar 15–17 May – World Aquatics High Diving World Cup, Fort Lauderdale (USA)15–17 May – World Aquatics High Diving Junior Championships, Fort Lauderdale (USA)11–12 July – World Aquatics High Diving World Cup, Porto Flavia (ITA) Multi-Year Hosting Agreements Strengthen Long-Term StabilityMost recently, World Aquatics reached an agreement with organisers in Fort Lauderdale to hold three consecutive High Diving World Cup events from 2026 to 2028, along with the High Diving Junior Championships in 2026 and 2028. Fort Lauderdale, home to the International Swimming Hall of Fame, has long been a cornerstone of elite aquatic sports. Recently, the city completed a $47 million renovation of the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, which now features one of the world’s highest permanent high diving platforms. In 2023, the venue hosted the World Aquatics High Diving World Cup for the first time, solidifying its role as a key location for the sport’s growth. When the World Cup returns to the United States next season, it will do so with a compelling new storyline: the competition venue is home to defending world champion and reigning World Cup winner, James Lichtenstein, where he trains year-round. The 31-year-old American secured both his world title and World Cup crown in 2025 with clutch, come-from-behind final dives utilising his signature high-difficulty back quint, marking a breakthrough moment for high diving in the United States. “Hosting the World Cup and the Junior Championships in Fort Lauderdale is a huge moment for high diving in the United States,” said Lichtenstein. “This community helped shape my career, and to see the sport return here with this level of visibility means a lot. This tower is the best place in the world to train and compete, and I’m excited that young athletes will get to experience it. This is something I’m genuinely looking forward to.” USA Diving President Lee Michaud also proudly welcomed the announcement of Fort Lauderdale as host. “Fort Lauderdale has truly become a home for high diving, and we are excited to welcome the world back in 2026,” said Michaud. “The Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center provides an environment where athletes can perform at their best, enhanced by the vibrant energy of the city and its coastline. We look forward to supporting another successful World Cup and are eager to see the next generation of young athletes take the stage during the Junior Championships.” Competition Format and Participation: Athletes will compete from the 27m (men) and 20m (women) platforms in Fort Lauderdale over a four-dive, two-day competition period.Emerging Elite: Fort Lauderdale to Host Junior Championships in 2026 and 2028: Following the inaugural World Aquatics High Diving Junior Championships, held in Brasilia (BRA) in 2024, the youth categories will return with even greater momentum. All junior athletes (age groups 15-16 and 17-19) will compete from the 15m tower. Overseeing the junior high diving development programme is 2013 world champion and current World Aquatics High Diving Chair Orlando Duque, one of the sport’s most respected figures. “Working with these young high divers has been incredibly inspiring,” said Duque. “The sport resonates naturally with younger athletes, and we’re seeing a level of skill and confidence that continues to rise each season. The senior athletes show what is possible today, while the juniors are already pushing toward what will be possible in the future from 27m and 20m.”“Today’s announcement is an important step forward for the sport,” added Duque. “The 2026 World Cup season offers a clear pathway toward the World Aquatics Championships – Budapest 2027, while also giving junior athletes more opportunities to learn from their heroes. Having certainty that Fort Lauderdale will host in both 2026 and 2028 is a major advantage as we continue building toward our long-term objectives — including the ambition of seeing high diving on the programme at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.”High Diving History at World Aquatics: Since its debut at the 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona, high diving has continued to grow in both scale and profile. The sport returned to the global championship stage for the seventh time at the World Aquatics Championships – Singapore 2025.Strong Storytelling and Media Opportunities in High Diving | “Expanding Opportunities at Every Level”“High diving is continuing to grow as a global sport, and the announcements for the 2026 season showcase our commitment to expanding opportunities for athletes at all levels,” said World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam. “By strengthening the World Cup circuit and establishing recurring Junior Championships, we are creating a clear development pathway from youth to elite competition.“Fort Lauderdale and Porto Flavia each offer world-class, cost-effective facilities, including the only two permanent high diving towers in the world. This allows us to maximise the use of existing infrastructure while delivering competitions of the highest standard.“These events also enhance the sport’s global visibility, providing athletes and federations with strong storytelling and media opportunities in key markets,” the World Aquatics president added. “Most importantly, the stability of a multi-year calendar creates a stronger platform for partners and broadcasters, positioning high diving as a property with significant long-term value.”
ISHOF Announces 2026 Specialty Awards
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this year’s recipients of the ISHOF Specialty Awards. The ISHOF Specialty Awards are presented annually to individuals for outstanding contributions to aquatics. This year’s awards will be presented on Friday evening, May 15, 2026 in conjunction with the ISHOF Aquatic Awards, presented by AquaCal and MISHOF (Masters) Honoree Induction Ceremonies in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Ticket and Hotel information is provided below.
This year’s 2026 ISHOF Specialty Award Recipients:
Pool Nation Podcast (USA) – 2026 Every Child A Swimmer Award
Katie Ledecky (USA) “Just Add Water ~ My Swimming Life” – co-recipient of the 2026 Buck Dawson Author’s Award
Micki King (USA) and Elaine K. Howley (USA) “Break of A Lifetime” – co-recipients of the 2026 Buck Dawson Author’s Award
Beth Scalone (USA) – 2026 John K. Williams, Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award
Ted Robinson (USA) – 2026 Al Schoenfield Media Award
~The 2026 Every Child A Swimmer Award~
Pool Nation Podcast:
The Pool Nation Podcast Team are true innovators and unifiers within the pool and spa industry and far beyond using their platform to bring people together, elevate voices, and spark meaningful change. Through authentic conversations and bold industry leadership, they have created a space where collaboration thrives and purpose leads. Their selfless commitment to raising awareness around drowning prevention and water safety is both powerful and deeply impactful, extending far beyond the microphone and into communities across the country. Leading with heart, the Pool Nation Podcast team is driven by a genuine desire to help others, give back, and use their influence to protect lives. By amplifying the mission of Every Child a Swimmer, they have helped give a voice to lifesaving work and inspired action throughout the industry. Their passion, generosity, and unwavering sense of purpose continue to make the pool industry safer, stronger, and more united.
About G. Harold Martin: Back in 1908, G. Harold Martin almost drowned in the Ohio River. Over the next two decades he nearly drowned two more times. From these experiences evolved a mission to make “Every Child A Swimmer.” His civic involvement led to the building of Fort Lauderdale’s first municipal pool in 1927. Kiwanian sponsored free swim lessons at the pool and eventually influenced the decision by ISHOF to be in Fort Lauderdale. An active Kiwanian his entire adult life, he was instrumental in making the Key Club an integral club within Kiwanis International and the adoption of Every Child A Swimmer as a Kiwanian project. It has since been taken over by ISHOF and become the spiritual mission.
~The 2026 Buck Dawson Author’s Award~
Katie Ledecky ~ co-recipient of the 2026 Buck Dawson Author’s AwardJust Add Water charts Ledecky’s life in swimming. It details her start in Bethesda, Maryland, where she played sharks and minnows and first discovered the joy of the pool; her early foray into the Olympics at the tender age of fifteen where, as the youngest member of the American team, she stunned everyone by winning her first gold medal; her time balancing competition and her education at Stanford University; how she developed a champion’s mindset that has allowed her to persevere through so many meets, even under intense pressure; and how she has maintained her dominance in a sport where success depends on milliseconds. You learn how every element of her life—from the support of her family to the tutelage of her coaches, from her childhood spent in summer league swimming to the bright lights of Olympic pools in London, Rio, and Tokyo—set her up to become the champion she is today.
Micki King and Elaine K. Howley ~ co-recipients 2026 Buck Dawson Author’s Award
In 1968, 24-year-old Maxine “Micki” King stood atop diving’s biggest stage poised to claim the gold medal in the women’s 3-meter event. She’d led for the entirety of the competition, but on the 9th of 10 dives, disaster struck and she finished in 4th place.
But destiny – and diving – was far from done with King, who went on to claim that gold in the 1972 Munich Games while pioneering a new leadership model for women in sports, the military, and public life.
In this inspiring recitation of her journey from suburban Michigan to the White House and beyond, King shares her tale of breaking boundaries and supporting athletes’ rights across the full spectrum of Olympic sports.
While King’s story is all because of diving, it isn’t just about diving; it’s about persistence, principle, and paving the way for others to achieve their fullest potential.
About Buck Dawson: Dawson was a veteran of WWII who served as assistant and publicist for Generals Gavin and Ridgeway in the 82nd Airborne. From the time he was chosen to lead ISHOF in 1962, until his death in 2008, Buck traveled the world armed with Hall of Fame brochures, books, and bumper stickers.
~The 2026 John K. Williams, Jr. Adapted Aquatics Award~
Beth Scalone (USA) — 2026 John K. Williams, Jr. Adapted Aquatics Award
Beth is a licensed physical therapist specializing in orthopedic and aquatic therapy. As the owner of North County Water & Sports Therapy Center it is her goal to provide quality one on one care to a variety of patients.
Beth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and private practice owner with over 30 years of experience in aquatic and orthopedic physical therapy.She has a passion for problem solving and guiding her patients and clients back to doing the things they love. She has had the good fortune to share her experience with other aquatic therapists around the world. Beth finds that “treating and teaching keeps her curious, expands her knowledge and energizes her soul”.
~The 2026 Al Schoenfield Media Award~
Ted Robinson (USA) — 2026 Al Schoenfield Media Award
Ted Robinson is a three-time Emmy award-winning sports broadcaster with a 45-year career spanning television and radio across global, professional and collegiate sports.
He has provided commentary on the last 15 Olympic Games, more than 60 professional Grand Slam tennis championships and as a lead play-by-play announcer for teams in the NFL, MLB and NBA.
His Olympic career has been highlighted by calling the diving competition in the last 6 Summer Games as well as the last 6 US Olympic Diving Trials with partner Cynthia Potter. In the first Summer Games he covered, Ted received a late assignment to cover Synchronized Swimming with partner Tracie Ruiz. In 2003, NBC/USA Swimming opened the door to aquatics with the chance to call the inaugural Duel in the Pool. Ted, partnered with Rowdy Gaines, went on to call the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, the 2010 US National Championships, 2 Pan Pacific Championships and multiple years of USA Swimming Pro events, including Katie Ledecky’s first professional meet (Charlotte 2012.)
About Al Schoenfield: He was the Editor and Publisher of Swimming World Magazine (1960-1977) and served on various international committees of swimming, including the FINA Technical Swimming Committee (1980-1984). Schoenfield’s life was a commitment to swimming, and he participated in its administrative structure and spread its stories through his magazines and promotions. Al died in 2005, but his legacy will forever endure to all who have benefited from his lifetime of service to swimming.
About ISHOF
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) museum opened its doors to the public in December of 1968 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That same year, the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) – the governing body for Olympic aquatic sports – designated the ISHOF museum as the “Official Repository for Aquatic History”. Today, ISHOF’s vision is to be the global focal point for recording and sharing the history of aquatics, promoting swimming as an essential life-skill, and developing educational programs and events related to water sports.
For ISHOF Aquatic & Specialty Awards and Masters Induction Ceremony (Friday, May 15, 2026) Buy Tickets Here: AWARDSMASTERSTICKETS
For Saturday 61st Annual Honoree Induction,(Saturday, May 16, 2026) Buy Tickets Here: INDUCTIONTICKETS
HOST HOTEL:Embassy Suites 17 th St, 1100 S.E. 17 th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316,Phone: 954.527.2700 / Hotel Nightly Rate: $219.Hotel Link:– Use this link to make hotel reservations:
https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/fllsoes-ish-10f70a89-8b00- 47df-8135-fb36ee4694dd/
Nearly 10 Years After Retirement, Michael Phelps Still Highly Ranked in Variety of Events
by John Lohn – Editor-in-Chief
27 January 2026
10 Years After Retirement, Michael Phelps Still Highly Ranked in Variety of Events
Nearly a decade has passed since Michael Phelps bid farewell to the sport. His exclamation point was the 28th medal of his Olympic career at the Rio de Janeiro Games, gold claimed by the United States in the 400-meter medley relay. In the days since, Phelps has played a prominent role in the mental-health space, and has occasionally contributed insights as a member of NBC’s broadcast booth during major championships.
The last of his world records was erased in 2023 when Leon Marchand, also coached by Bob Bowman, took down Phelps’ global standard in the 400 individual medley at the World Champs in Fukuoka. Yet, Phelps’ name continues to dot the all-time world and American rankings. While Phelps was celebrated during his spectacular career, time has allowed for even greater appreciation of the G.O.A.T.
Despite the passing of time, Phelps remains a historical top-five performer in five events and a top-seven all-time American racer in seven disciplines. Those are impressive numbers, particularly with continued evolutions in training and new talent consistently emerging.
From a global perspective, Phelps is still ranked No. 2 in a pair events. His title-winning times from the 200 freestyle (1:42.96) and 400 IM (4:03.84) at the 2008 Olympics Games have endured, while he still sits third in the 200 butterfly (1:51.51) and 200 IM (1:54.16). Phelps can be found at No. 4 in the 100 butterfly (49.82) and he is 18th in the 200 backstroke, thanks to a 1:54.65 outing at the 2007 U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.
Shifting to his American-ranking status, Phelps can add three events in which he still sits in the top-25. The best of those events is the 100 freestyle, where Phelps briefly held the American record. At the Beijing Games, Phelps led off the victorious 400 freestyle relay with an effort of 47.51. That race, of course, was punctuated by Jason Lezak’s legendary anchor that enabled the United States to clip France at the finish.
World Rankings
200 Freestyle (1:42.96) – Second200 Backstroke (1:54.65) – 18th100 Butterfly (49.82) – Fourth200 Butterfly (1:51.51) – Third200 Medley (1:54.16) – Third400 Medley (4:03.84) – Second
American Rankings
100 Freestyle (47.51) – Seventh200 Freestyle (1:42.96) – First400 Freestyle (3:46.73) – 25th100 Backstroke (53.01) – 16th200 Backstroke (1:54.65) – Seventh200 Breaststroke (2:11.30) – 32nd100 Butterfly (49.82) – Second200 Butterfly (1:51.51) – First200 Medley (1:54.16) – Second400 Medley (4:03.84) – First
After the Applause ~ February 2026 ~Terry Schroeder (USA) Water Polo
Terry Schroeder (USA) Honor Water Polo Player, Class of 2002
Terry Schoeder was inducted into ISHOF as an Honor Water Polo Player in 2002 for his stellar career in the sport. Very rarely will you find an Olympic athlete in one of the roughest Olympic sports who has the easy demeanor and control of emotions as Terry Schorder. Selected captain of three Olympic water polo teams, at 6 feet 3 inches, 210 pounds, he became one of the best players in Olympic history to play the two-meter position, the quarterback of the offense. For over 15 years and four Olympic Games, Schroeder was the USA team leader and one of the most revered players in international competition.
He became USA Water Polo’s only four-time Olympian. His 1980 team was dismissed due to the Olympic boycott, so he refocused and became the captain of both the 1984 and 1988 teams where Team USA won silver medals in Los Angeles and Seoul. He retired in 1988 but made a comeback in 1990 where he was elected team captain for a third time and placed fourth in Barcelona in 1992. In 2008, Schroeder coached Team USA Water Polo to a silver medal. Terry is one of a few individuals to have won medals both playing and coaching water polo.
In 1984, he received the distinct honor of being selected to pose nude as a model for sculptor Robert Graham. The result was a nine-foot bronze statue that stood at the entrance to the LA Coliseum which served as the 1984 Olympic Stadium. The headless sculpture was to be representative of all Olympic athletes. It still stands today and will now welcome athletes and visitors at the LA28 Games.
Terry was the Head Coach of Water Polo at Pepperdine University, his alma mater, for 39 years, a role he began in 1986. He retired, two years ago but stays involved as senior advisor, helping as needed.
That same year, 1986, Schroeder graduated Cum Laude as a Doctor of Chiropractic, a third-generation family tradition. Terry’s grandfather, father, brother, sister, brother-in-law, wife, cousins and other relatives totaling 59 family members are all chiropractors.
Terry and his beautiful wife Lori, live in Westlake Village, California and have two grown daughters. Terry keeps in touch with local Olympians in the Los Angeles area, and hopes to volunteer with LA28 at some point, if they need his help and expertise.
Announcing the 2026 ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce the recipients of this year’s annual ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal (formerly the Paragon Awards 1996-2022). The ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal are presented annually to individuals or organizations for outstanding contributions to aquatics. This year’s recipients include David Szanto (HUN) for Competitive Swimming, Drew Johansen (USA) for Diving, Mary Black (SCO) for Artistic/Synchronized Swimming; Leanne Barnes (AUS) for Water Polo and The New Jersey Swim Safety Alliance (USA) for Water Safety. This year’s awards will be held Friday evening on May 15, 2026, during the 61st Annual ISHOF Honoree Induction weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Make your plans now to attend the weekend of activities, Friday and Saturday, May 15-16, 2026!
The annual awards are a spectacular event that celebrates the unsung heroes who make competitive and recreational aquatics possible. These are the people who save lives, promote water safety and further aquatic education around the world. We are proud to recognize these important individuals at the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
About this year’s award recipients:
David Szanto (HUN) – Competitive Swimming
David Szanto has been involved with swimming dating back from the time he was an athlete. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Hungarian Swimming Federation (Magyar Uszo Szovetseg). He also holds the role of COO for various major organizing committees, including those of the 2022 FINA World Championships and the upcoming Budapest 2027 World Aquatics Championships, to be held next Summer.
He has been a central figure in bringing major international swimming events to Hungary, serving as head of the local organizing committee, bringing multiple World Aquatic World Cups (2021, 2023) and the 2024 World Swimming Championships (25m).
Drew Johansen (USA) – Competitive Diving
Drew Johansen is only the third Coach to lead one of the most storied programs in the country: Diving at Indiana University. Johansen took over the IU program in 2013. He has been Head Coach for the U.S. Diving Team for the 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. Prior to the appointments, Johansen spent ten years as a U.S. National Team Coach. Under Johansen’s direction, the United States took home one gold, five silver and four bronze medals, putting the U.S. team as the number two medal producer in the world.
Mary Black (SCO) – Artistic Swimming
96 year old Mary Black has spent a lifetime involved in synchronized swimming. She began by attending courses at the Crystal Palace in London and soon after, synchro was born in Scotland. Mary represented Scotland, performing overseas, including a demonstration at the 1970 Commonwealth Games.
By 1974 Mary was Chair of the International Synchronized Swimming Coaching Panel. Next, she became an international judge, where she served at numerous national and international synchro events, including the Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games, as well as many regional and national synchro championships. The pinnacle was when Mary was selected as event referee at four Olympic Games (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996).
Mary was a member of the FINA Technical Synchronized Swimming Committee almost continuously from 1984 to 1996. She was also the first woman to become President of the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association and the first person, male or female, to serve two terms.
Mary, along with husband Bill, developed the Judges’ Evaluation criteria document which evolved into the Synchronized Swimming Operating Manual used at all international competitions.
Leanne Barnes (AUS) – Water Polo
Leeann Barnes is all things Water Polo. She played on the Victorian State Team from 1975, leading to selection on the Australian National Team from 1978 to 1982. Next, she Barnes stepped into the vacated national coach role at the 1982 World Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador, followed by the manager role with the Australian National team from 1983 to 1992. Barnes then joined the international committee pursuing the inclusion of women’s water polo onto the Olympic program, working tirelessly from 1982 until the success of that campaign in 1997. Leanne then stepped into leadership roles with the Australian women’s program from 1986 until 2008.
Barnes has been recognized in the Australian Honours system with the Order of Australia Medal OAM, in 2019, for services to water polo and women’s sport; and in 2021, with the Public Service Medal PSM, for services to local government and community, particularly in emergency management and resilience.
The New Jersey Swim Safety Alliance –Aquatic Safety
The New Jersey Swim Safety Alliance is a collaborative coalition dedicated to advancing water safety and preventing drowning across communities throughout New Jersey. Through strong partnerships with swim schools, public agencies, healthcare leaders, and community organizations, the Alliance works to expand access to swim education and promote evidence-based safety practices. Their efforts focus on innovative programs, public awareness, and policy solutions that help keep children and families safe around water. United by a shared mission, the Alliance believes collaboration is the most powerful tool in creating lasting, community-wide impact.
Together, they are building safer environments and saving lives through prevention, education, and action.
AquaCal® has been the leading swimming pool heat pump manufacturer since 1981, offering a full range of units to meet any heating need. AquaCal® can maintain anything from small above ground pools up to very large commercial facilities. (Currently heating and chilling the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Aquatic Center pools) The chillers, as well as the heat and cool units, can be used to create cold plunge pools for therapy too. Whatever your pool heating/cooling needs, AquaCal® can help!
For more information call Meg Keller-Marvin at 570.594.4367
#ISHOF #Aquaticawards #AquaCal #Swimming #Fortlauderdale #Diving #Waterpolo #Artisticswimming #EverychildAswimmer #swimlessons #WorldAquatics
ISHOF Honoree Eddie Reese Receives CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
by Matthew De George – Senior Writer
20 January 2026
The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) proudly announced on Tuesday that Eddie Reese has been selected as the recipient of the CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the highest honors bestowed by the association.
Reese, who retired from coaching in 2024, was chosen by the CSCAA Executive Board from an exceptional group of nominees in recognition of a career that reshaped collegiate swimming and diving and left an enduring legacy on the sport.
A Florida native and former standout swimmer at the University of Florida, Reese dedicated his life to swimming — first as a student-athlete and ultimately as one of the most influential coaches in the history of collegiate athletics. Over the course of more than 45 seasons at the University of Texas, Reese built one of the most dominant and respected programs the sport has ever known.
Under his leadership, the Longhorns captured 15 NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming & Diving National Championships and more than 40 conference titles, establishing Texas as a perennial standard-bearer in collegiate swimming. Remarkably, Reese became the only coach in NCAA swimming history to win a national championship in five different decades, a distinction that underscores both the longevity and sustained excellence of his career.
Farewell to a Legend: For One Final Time, Eddie Reese Leads Texas Into NCAA Champs
Throughout his tenure, Reese coached hundreds of All-Americans and guided more than 40 Olympians who went on to win over 50 Olympic medals, including numerous gold medals. His influence extended far beyond championship results, as he mentored generations of swimmers who competed on the world’s biggest stages and developed countless coaches who now lead programs across the collegiate and international landscape.
Beyond the accolades, Reese’s legacy is defined by his leadership, mentorship, and humanity. Revered by athletes and colleagues alike, he cultivated environments rooted in trust, accountability, and care — developing not only elite competitors, but leaders whose impact continues well beyond the pool deck.
“There are simply not enough words to capture the impact Eddie Reese has had on our sport,” said Samantha Barany, Executive Director of the CSCAA. “His accomplishments speak for themselves, but it is his approach, his demeanor, loyalty, and kindness that have left a lasting mark on collegiate swimming and diving. Our sport is better because of the time Eddie dedicated to it. On behalf of the CSCAA membership, we are honored and proud to celebrate a legacy that makes him the clear and deserving choice for this recognition.”
The CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals whose careers reflect sustained excellence, leadership, and a profound commitment to advancing collegiate swimming and diving. Reese’s body of work — as a coach, mentor, and steward of the sport, embodies those values in every respect.
Reese will be formally recognized on May 4 in Chicago as part of the CSCAA Awards Celebration, where the association will honor a distinguished class of individuals whose contributions have shaped the past, present, and future of collegiate swimming and diving.
CSCAA Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
2025 – Anne Goodman James, Colorado College
2024 – Dennis Dale, University of Minnesota
2023 – Jack Bauerle – University of Georgia
2022 – Terry Ganley, University of Minnesota
2020 – Rick Walker, Southern Illinois
2019 – Nancy Bigelow, Tufts University
2018 – John Patnott, Hope College & Jon Lederhouse, Wheaton College
2017 – Bev Ball, McMurray University
2016 – George Kennedy, Johns Hopkins
2014 – Jon Urbanchek, Michigan
2013 – Skip Kenney, Stanford
2012 – Jim Steen, Kenyon College
2011 – Susan Teeter, Princeton
2010 – Nort Thornton, California & Peter Daland, Southern California
2009 – Richard Quick, Auburn
ISHOF announces Masters Hall of Fame Class of 2026
ISHOF is proud to announce the Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame (MISHOF) Class of Honorees for 2026. The Class of 2026 includes four Masters Swimmers, and one Masters Water Polo Player. We will also be inducting one Masters Swimmer and one Masters Artistic Swimmer from last year who were unable to attend.
MISHOF’s Class of Honorees includes swimmers, Ellen Reynolds (USA), Kirsten Cameron (NZL), Eiji Nomura (JPN), Toshio Tajima (JPN) and Hiroshi Matsumoto (JPN), Artistic Swimmer, Joyce Corner* (CAN), and Water Polo Player, Georgy “Mishi” Mshvenieradze. “It’s quite a remarkable group”, said Bruce Wigo, ISHOF Historian, and former CEO; “We look forward to welcoming them all to Fort Lauderdale this May and celebrating them all during our Honoree weekend!”
Kirsten CAMERON (NZE) Masters Swimmer
Kirsten is still relatively new to Masters Swimming. She did not even begin swimming competitively until she was 30 years old. She joined a Masters Club in Wellington, New Zealand, and that was the beginning of her swimming career. Yet, at 52, she already has 24 Masters World Records and 1033 World Points. A New Zealander, who began competing in the 30-34 age group, she is currently swimming in the 50-54 age group.
Kirsten left New Zealand and is currently living and swimming in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Prior to that, she was in Great Britain, in the area of Leeds initially, then Newcastle-Upon-Tyne and has also swum for a Melbourne swim club. She enjoys open water swimming and was part of a group of masters swimmers who attempted to break the English Channel relay record. She has also competed on the Open Water World Cup Circuit. Since COVID saw her return to open water, most recently she has focused on longer events which have included completing Ulswater, Lake Zurich, Capri-Napoli and the challenging Vidosternsimmit and is planning to swim Lake Malawi.
She has been in the Top Ten 18 times, and in world rankings, she has a total of 70 Number 1, 11 Number 2, and 9 Number 3 in the freestyle events. Kirsten has attended three FINA World Championships, Stanford, 2006, Perth, 2008, and Gothenburg, 2010, swimming all freestyle events while winning all gold, 10 medals in total, breaking world records while doing it.
Eiji NOMURA (JPN) Masters Swimmer
Eiji Nomura of Japan began his Masters career swimming in the 30-34 age group. During his Masters career, he has competed in five age groups ranging from the 30-34 through the 50-54 age group. He has broken 22 FINA Masters World Records in the butterfly, freestyle, and I.M. events. He has 889 points and has been in the Top Ten 18 times.
In World Rankings, he has a combined total, long and short course, of 61 – Number 1, 21 – Number 2 and 18- 3 Number 3 in the butterfly, freestyle and I.M.
Nomura also holds many Japanese records, including the fastest 25m butterfly (Masters SC 40-44 men), 100m butterfly (Masters LC 40-44 men), 200m freestyle (Masters LC 45-49 men), 50m freestyle (Masters SC 45-49).
He has not competed in any FINA Masters World Championships, accumulating all of his 889 world points by breaking world records and setting world rankings.
Ellen REYNOLDS (USA) Masters Swimmer
Ellen Reynolds, new to the women’s 60-64 age group in 2024, has set an unprecedented 26 Masters World records this year between long course and short course meters, solidifying her legacy as an extraordinary Masters swimmer. She’s also been a part of five world-record-setting relays as a member of Team Redbird Masters.
Her records span a remarkable range, from the shortest sprints, like the 50 backstroke and fly, to the grueling 1500-meter freestyle, showcasing her versatility. Despite her impressive achievements, Ellen remains humble and focused on enjoying the sport.
One of the more interesting stats is that Ellen holds a world record in every event except the 50 free, 50 breast, 100 breast, and 200 fly. And she didn’t just break these world records—she demolished them by large margins.
Just as impressive, Ellen has balanced a demanding career as a pediatric surgeon with her swimming for many years, but has just retired in September after 25 years in the field. Her work ethic as a surgeon often influenced her approach to swimming. This year, Ellen isn’t just grateful for her fast swimming. She said, “I’d like to say thank you to all of the volunteers running the swim meets. I couldn’t have done it without them!”
Toshio TAJIMA (JPN) Masters Swimmer
Toshio Tajima is a Japanese Masters swimmer who competes in the breaststroke and butterfly events. He has broken a total of 21 world records; Some of his records were broken up to 14 years ago and seven of them are still standing.
He has competed in seven different age groups beginning in the 60-64 age group through 90-94 and he has been in the Top Ten 32 times. He has been in the world rankings since 1985 with a combined total of 45 – Number 1, 22 – Number 2 and 11 Number 3 in the butterfly and breaststroke events.
Tajima competed in six FINA Masters World Championships: 1986, Tokyo; 1988, Brisbane; 1990, Rio; 1998, Casablanca; 2000, Munich; and 2002 Christchurch, winning 2 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.
Mr. Tajima stopped competing in 2019, where he was swimming in the 90-94 age group.
Georgy “Mishi” MSHVENIERADZE (RUS) Masters Water Polo Player
Georgy Kahaber Mshvenieradze is a 65-year old Soviet water polo player, born in Tbilisi, the Capital of Georgia. His father, Peter, was the captain of the USSR water polo polo team throughout the 1950’s and appeared in three Olympic Games. “Mishi”, as he is known by his friends, and his brother Nugzar followed their father into the sport. In the 1980’s, Mishi was the top 2-meter offensive player in the world. He won the team gold medal in the 1980 Olympic Games and bronze in the 1988 Olympic Games.
Mishi was known for his strength on the 2-meter line, his ability to score under heavy contact, his positional and tactical intelligence and his natural leadership ~ a combination that defined the center forward role in the 1980’s and remains a benchmark for modern coaches and players.
Mishi has been active in Masters water polo since 2000, and his team has won seven gold medals and one silver in FINA/World Aquatics World Masters Championships competition.
He and his team, Moscu 04 also won gold in 2009 at the Copa de Espana Masters event in the 40+ age group, competing in Tenerife, Spain. Mishi has competed for three different clubs, while competing in Masters: WP Moscu04, Dynamo Masters, and Europa Sporting Roma.
Joyce CORNER (CAN) 2025 Masters Synchronized Swimmer
Canadian, Joyce Corner attended her first FINA World Championships in 1992 in Indianapolis, where she and her teammates came away with a bronze medal in the trio 65+ event. Four years later, Corner walked away with her first World title in the duet. She continued attending Masters World Championships, mostly bringing home gold medals. In all, she won ten World Championship gold, five silver, and one bronze.
In the mid-2000’s Corner formed a new club, the New Wave Synchro Masters, where she coached and competed as a member in her last two appearances at Worlds in 2004 and 2008.
Joyce has been involved in just about all areas of synchronized swimming. She was on the Canadian Synchronized Swimming Committee for countless years and represented Canada in Masters FINA meets when present. She was the Canadian representative to the FINA Masters Synchronized Swimming Committee which helped develop the requirements when FINA transitioned from a figure competition to a technical program.
She was a FINA-rated “A” international judge, and she has judged Pan American Games, World Aquatics Championships, the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988, as well as many other events in Canada and around the world.
Joyce Corner will always be remembered for all her many contributions to Masters Synchronized Swimming as an athlete, judge, official, administrator, coach, lecturer, and much, much more.
Hiroshi MATSUMOTO (JPN) 2025 Masters Swimmer
Hiroshi Matsumoto, born in 1936, began swimming in high school. There were no pools where he lived, just a pond with hundreds of frogs. And a few snakes.
When he was in his early 20s, he moved to the area in Japan where Mt. Fuji is, to take a job, as a lumberjack. There was a 50-meter pool near his office. For nine years, he swam there almost every day in the summer.
At 27 years old, he married his wife, Katsuko. At the time, she could not swim at all. But later she started swimming with her husband, and eventually she was part of a world record setting mixed relay with Matsumoto.
In his late 50’s, Matsumoto joined Masters Swimming. When he reached his 60’s, he started breaking national records, even though he was diagnosed with cancer, and needed surgery in his mid-60s. In his 70’s, he started breaking world records.
Matsumoto competes mainly in the butterfly and the freestyle events. His favorite stroke is the butterfly, but at 84, he had a terrible accident and tore up his shoulder; the doctors said he might not swim again. He is swimming again and breaking records, but only in the freestyle events.
Matsumoto has broken over 100 national records and 28 world records. He has been in the Top Ten for 27 years and has accumulated 945 world points.
He has attended four FINA/World Aquatic World Championships, winning two gold and three silver: 2002: gold (50m butterfly 65-69); 2006: silver (50m butterfly 70-74); 2008: gold (50m butterfly 70-74); 2023: silver (50m free, 100 free 85-89).
Matsumoto still keeps hope that he is going to swim butterfly again someday.
#ISHOF #Masters
Mike Unger Selected as Ben Franklin Award Recipient
Shared from CSCAA
by Michael Tubb
January 13, 2025 — The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) is proud to announce that Mike Unger, a longtime leader in the swimming community whose work has shaped elite competition, event management, and the global presentation of the sport, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 CSCAA Ben Franklin Award.
Unger, a standout student-athlete, swam and graduated from the University of Wisconsin. He spent three seasons as an assistant swim coach for the Badgers from 1989–92.
The Ben Franklin Award honors pioneering individuals or organizations whose leadership, innovation, and service advance the integrity of the student-athlete experience. Contributions may be technical, social, economic, or demonstrated through sustained leadership that enhances collegiate athletics and the broader sport ecosystem.
“Mike Unger’s career reflects a lifetime of dedicated service to swimming,” said CSCAA Executive Director Samantha Barany. “His vision, leadership, and behind-the-scenes commitment to excellence, across multiple organizations and on the global stage, have elevated competitive swimming and expanded opportunities for athletes, coaches, and administrators alike. He truly embodies the spirit of the Ben Franklin Award.”
Unger’s influence on the sport spans over three decades. During more than 28 years with USA Swimming, he served in numerous senior leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer, Assistant Executive Director, National Events Director, Marketing Director, and National Team Coordinator.
In those roles, Unger oversaw the planning and execution of many of the sport’s most significant events, including the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials, the Golden Goggle Awards, the Duel in the Pool, and the Pan Pacific Championships. His work helped elevate both the athlete and fan experience while setting new standards for event presentation and organizational excellence. He also played an important role in USA Swimming’s international relations, strengthening partnerships across the global swimming community.
“Mike Unger has been the backbone of American swimming for the past thirty years. If something important happens in our sport, he has invariably played a role. He is a great leader and innovator, and he cares deeply about our sport, its coaches, and its athletes,” said Dale Neuburger, an internationally respected sports executive, current Treasurer for World Aquatics and former CSCAA Executive Director (1989-1991).
Since 1996, Unger has been deeply involved in swimming’s television and broadcast presence, working closely with NBC Sports and the U.S. Olympic broadcast network. He contributed to television production for seven Olympic Games: Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo, helping bring the sport to millions of viewers worldwide. His work earned three Emmy Awards as part of NBC’s Olympic production teams.
Since 2021, Unger has continued his service to the international sport community as a Senior Advisor with World Aquatics (formerly FINA), where he supports strategic competition initiatives and long-term sport development on a global scale.
“This award recognizes individuals whose leadership produces lasting benefits for our entire sport,” Barany added. “Mike’s career is defined by quiet leadership, thoughtful innovation, and an unwavering commitment to serving swimming at every level.”
Unger’s contributions have also been recognized broadly across the sport. In 2023, he received the USA Swimming Award, the organization’s highest honor for behind-the-scenes service, and was also named a recipient of an International Swimming Hall of Fame Aquatic Award, further underscoring his enduring impact on the swimming community.
CSCAA members can register for the Annual Meetings and Awards Celebration at here. All registrations include a ticket to the Awards Ceremony at Joe’s Live! Questions can be directed to: all@cscaa.org.
Previous Recipients
2025 – Sid Cassidy, North Carolina State University2024 – Kyle Sockwell, Swimming Twitter2023 – John Urbanchek, University of Michigan2022 – Sage Hopkins, San Jose State University2021 – Tim Welsh, University of Notre Dame2019 – John Benedick, Massachusetts Institute of Technology2018 – Kevin Polansky, Announcer & Supporter2017 – Michael Sutton, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges2016 – Brad Erickson, South Dakota State University2015 – Robert Clauson, Innovator2014 – Bill Boomer, University of Rochester2013 – Whit Babcock, Virginia Polytechnic Institute2012 – Brent Rutemiller, Swimming World Publisher2011 – David Roach, Fordham University2010 – Ernie Maglischo, Author/Innovator2009 – Susan Petersen Lubow, Springfield College2008 – Dr. Myles Brand, NCAA President
About the CSCAA
Founded in 1922, the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) – the first organization of college coaches in America – is a professional organization of college swimming and diving coaches dedicated to serving and providing leadership for the advancement of the sport of swimming & diving at the collegiate level.
Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Gertrude Ederle and Her English Channel Crossing
by Ned Denison
15 January 2026
Now that 2026 has arrived, we can embark on a year-long celebration of Gertrude Ederle, who became the first woman to cross the English Channel a century ago.
One hundred years ago, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman and sixth individual to swim the English Channel. Her 1926 time of 14 hours and 39 minutes crushed the previous speed record of 16 hours and 33 minutes. When Ederle returned to New York City, she enjoyed a ticker-tape parade, celebrated by an estimated two million supporters on August 27, 1926. She was a media darling with nicknames of “Queen of the Waves” and “America’s best girl.”
Ederle broke several barriers with her swim. Prior to her achievement, women were generally not accepted in sport and certainly not in endurance sports. She became a media star for many years. Ederle was deaf from childhood measles – and perhaps one of the first famous sporting heroes with a physical disability. On the technical side, she wore a revolutionary two-piece bathing suit and personally designed wrap-around goggles, which were kept watertight with molten candle wax. Finally, she was born in the USA to a German immigrant butcher and her fame, so soon after World War I, served as a healing moment for both the country and the world.
Ederle’s swimming journey, in the New York City area, benefited from several key initiatives in the sport. The Women’s Swimming Association was fairly new and sanctioned events allowed her succeed at an early age. Swimming had progressed from breaststroke to trudgen to the new freestyle. Her success started in 1917 at age 12, with the 880-yard freestyle. She became the youngest world-record holder in swimming, and in the ensuing years, she set eight more world records and held 29 U.S. national and world records from 100 meters to 500 meters.
Photo Courtesy:
Females were allowed to swim in the Olympics starting in 1912 in Stockholm. Ederle qualified for the 1924 Paris Olympics and won three medals: gold and a world record as the leadoff swimmer on the 400-meter freestyle relay; bronze in the 100-meter and 400-meter freestyle races. Johnny Weismuiller was the only swimmers to top her three medals with four – including one in water polo. The United States Olympic team enjoyed its own ticker-tape parade in New York City, two years before Ederle had her own.
Ederle decided to turn professional in 1925 before her Channel swims, a common decision in the era of commercial sporting promotions. An early event was her 22-mile (35 km) swim from Battery Park (New York) to Sandy Hook in 7 hours and 11 minutes. This record time held for 81 years. That year, the Women’s Swimming Association sponsored two women, Ederle and Helen Wainwright, for English Channel attempts. Ederle joined a select group of swimmers and coaches at the Channel who were planning and training. Her coach was Jabez Wolffe (Great Britain) and her support crew was Ishak Helmy (Egypt) – both later inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. Jabez made at least 22 unsuccessful English Channel attempts between 1906 and 1913 and was the leading expert on the “waters” while Ishak, after several unsuccessful attempts, finally crossed in 1928.
Ederle’s first crossing attempt was on August 18, 1925. In the interest of safety, Wolffe was worried about her condition and ordered Helmy to pull her out of the water during the swim. Perhaps the coach was right to end the swim or possibly her hearing was an issue. There was also an accusation that she had been poisoned. In any event, Ederle vehemently disagreed with the decision to pull her out of the Channel.
She returned the next year, in 1926, with different sponsors and coach/crew. This time, she completed the 21-mile (33 km) swim from France to England. Already famous, the media attention exploded.
Her fame led to a starring role in a movie, “Swim Girl, Swim.” She competed, among a field of 53 females, in the 10-mile (16.1 km) 1928 Canadian National Exhibition. It was the biggest race of the era in cold, eel-infested waters. Ederle placed sixth. In the longer 15-mile (24 km) men’s race, not a single swimmer completed the tough course. As a professional, Ederle exhibited her skills in theatres, vaudeville circuits, and aquacades. Her last known event was a cameo appearance at Billy Rose’s Aquacade at the New York World’s Fair in 1939.
Ederle, who never married, taught deaf children during her post-swimming career. Her influence on the sport was recognized through induction into the inaugural classes of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (1963) and International Swimming Hall of Fame (1965). They continue to immortalize her achievements. She passed away in 2004 at the age of 98 and there are several other reminders of her greatness:
The annual Ederle Swim in New York.
The Gertrude Ederle Recreation Center in New York City.
A park and amphitheatre in Highlands, New Jersey, where the Aquacade was held.
A New York City sidewalk marker on Broadway just north of Beaver Street, on the left when traveling south.
Kingsdown, England plaque in the pub, “Rising Sun.”
Two annual English Channel Awards: The Channel Swimming Association World Record Two-Way Swim; and the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation – For the most meritorious swim of the year by a woman.
Gertrude Ederle also was the first female to set an overall speed record in a major marathon. This paved the way for more women to accomplish a similar feat:
Florence Chadwick and Tina Bischoff – English Channel.
Arianna Bridi – Capri to Naples.
Tamara Bruce – Rottnest Channel.
Karen Burton Reeder – Catalina Channel.
Grace “Gracie” van der Byl and Suzanne Heim-Bowen – several speed records.
Marcia Cleveland – Triple Crown.
Penny Lee Dean, EdD – English and Catalina Channels.
Ida Elionsky – Manhattan Island.
Brenda Fisher, BEM – Morecambe Bay
Irene van der Laan – Two-Way English Channel
Michelle Macy – Oceans Seven
Judith de Nijs – Lac St. Jean
Shelley Taylor-Smith – Manhattan Island and Sydney to Wollongong
The sport of marathon swimming has exploded in the past 20 years. Thousands of women who have completed marathon swims will take special notice of 2026, the centennial anniversary of Gertrude Ederle’s record setting English Channel swim.