100 freestyle start at the 1961 AAU National Championships, Yale University
by Rich Burns, MISHOF Honoree
If you’ve paid any attention to the NCAA Swimming Championships the last few weeks, or watched the Olympic Trails last summer, you’ve been treated to extraordinary athletic competitions. While swimming has always been in a state of evolution, it seems like the last few years have produced results that no one could have predicted. As often as you’ve heard, “they can’t go any faster,” they always do. I am most amazed at the parity in the sport. The 50 free in the recent men’s NCAAs saw 19 swimmers who clocked 18+ seconds. The winner squeaked by with 17.9.
Having been at this sport for 68 years, I’ve had a front-row seat for this progression. Explanations can be attributed to many factors – rule changes, training techniques, equipment advances, and technology. I find myself engaged in lots of conversations about the way swimming used to be. I recently revisited these two videos from the 1961 AAU National Championships. Watching them will, in no uncertain terms, depict the magnitude of then and now. The 100-yard freestyle features Pacific’s own Steve Clark. Steve was a senior in high school and won the race in the first swim under 47 (46.8 – no hundredths back then) despite no underwater turns, no tech suits, no goggles, crude lane lines, antiquated facilities, touching the wall on turns … you get the picture. Look at the turbulence at the end of the race. At that event with my high school team, I watched as the crowd gave Steve a 5-minute standing ovation.
The 220-yard butterfly (yes, they actually finished in the middle of the pool) includes Fred Schmidt, my best friend from 5th grade, and Mike Troy, my roommate for a year at IU. Both were Olympic gold medalists, Mike in 1960 and Fred in 1964. I think you’ll agree that swimming has come a long way.
Steve Clark at the 1961 AAU National Championships, Yale University
Steve Clark winning the 100 free at the 1961 AAU National Championships, Yale University