40 years of swimming world: August

Swimming World and Junior Swimmer, Aug 1999 by Whitten, Phillip

Swimming World has been the "Bible" of competitive swimming,chronicling triumphs and foibles of the sport, its leading personalities, its technical advances and its most controversial issues, Each month during 1999-our 40th year of publication-Swimming World looks back at some of the personalities, events and issues making news in the past.

August 1960

The Pre-Olympic issue of Junior Swimmer featured reports by Matt Mann and Gus Stager on prospects for the American team in Rome. Mann foresaw that the men's competition would feature a battle between the U.S. and Australia, but that "nobody will run away with it." Stager was more optimistic about U.S. chances, writing that "we have an opportunity to score in almost every event."

Carolyn House, Los Angeles Athletic Club, and Bill Shrout, Flushing (N.Y.) Y, were our Junior Swimmers of the Month; "Pat" Patterson of Houston Dads' Club was the Coach of the Month.

Santa Clara had a field day at the women's AAU Nationals. Chris von Saltza set three American records, her 4:46.9 in the 400 meter free ranking second only to Australia's Ilsa Konrads' global mark of 4:45.5. "Little" Donna DeVarona, 13, broke the world record in the 400 IM (5:36.5), which did not become an Olympic event until 1964. Lynn Burke set world marks in the 100 (1:10.1) and 200 meter backstroke (2:33.5). House set an American record in the 1500, cracking the 20-minute barrier with her 19:45.0.

A New Trier (Ill.) team of Jack Kiefer, Dale Kiefer, Fred Schmidt and Bill Burson set a NAG record in the 400 meter medley relay (4:42.2). The team was coached by Ray Essick, who went on to become the executive director of U.S. Swimming.

35 Years Ago: August 1964

As the Tokyo Olympics loomed nearer, American women set six world and three American records at the National AAU Championships at Foothill College in Los Altos, Calif. Patty Caretto, just 13 years old and a "100-pound-slip-of-awisp-miss," swam the 1500 free in the "amazing time" of 18:30.5, shattering Carolyn House's world mark. En route she set another WR for the 800 (9:47.5). Yale coach Bob Kiphuth called the swim "one of the greatest of all times."

Sharon Stouder won the 200 fly in 2:26.4, a WR, and the 100 free in 1:00.4, an American record. Her coach, Don Gambril, predicted she was ready to break the one-minute mark in the 100 and challenge Australia's Dawn Fraser for the Olympic title.

Marilyn Ramenofsky lowered her own world record in the 400 free to 4:41.7. Also setting American records were Jeanne Hallock, 200 free (2:13.3); Claudia Kolb, 200 breast (2:49.8); and Donna DeVarona, 200 IM (2:29.9) and 400 IM (5:17.7). Santa Clara won all three relays, setting a world record in the 400 free (4:08.5) and American records in the 800 free (9:08.8) and 400 medley (4:40.3).

Santa Clara's Don Schollander flung a pre-Olympic challenge at the Aussies when he set world records in the 200 (1:57.6) and 400 free (4:12.7). A last-minute entrant in the 100, the Yale-bound teenager clocked 54.0, equalling the American record.

Australia's Murray Rose came ohso-close to cracking 17 minutes in the 1500, his 17:01.6 a new world record. Sixteen-year-old Dick Roth set world marks in both medleys: 2:15.5 and 4:48.6. Walt Richardson notched an AR in the 100 fly (57.5) as did Santa Clara's 400 free relay (3:39.4).

Steve Krause, Cascade S.C., was the hottest age grouper in the nation. The 14-year-old, who was setting NAG records just about every time he hit the water, was third in the 1500 at nationals with a 17:09.3.

30 Years Ago: August 1969

A new wave had taken over men's swimming, symbolized by the young men on our cover: Gary Hall, Mark Spitz and East Germany's Roland Matthes, all of whom set world records at the Santa Clara International Invitational before a crowd of 10,000 spectators.

Hall set his world record in the 400 IM (4:38.7), just 20 minutes after finishing third in the 200 back behind Matthes' WR (2:07.4). Spitz distinguished himself by tying two world records and a third American mark; the global ties came in the 100 fly (55.6) and 200 free (1:54.3), while the AR tie came in the 100 free (52.6). Debbie Meyer was the outstanding woman, winning the 400 and 1500 free and the 400 IM.

Coach Don Gambril described an amazing new invention, the "Aqua Scope," which allows coaches to view their swimmers' strokes underwater. Wrote Gambril, "The 'Aqua Scope' is the greatest coaching aid to come along in the last few years. It ranks with the Exer-Genie and pace clocks."

South Africa's Karen Muir, unable to swim at the Olympic Games due to her country's policy of apartheid, slashed the WR for the 100 meter backstroke, clocking 1:05.6. She also owned the 200 mark (2:23.8).

In AAU competition around the U.S.: Bill Tingley won four events at the Swim 'n Sun Invitational in Nashville; at the 10th annual Portage Park meet in Chicago, John Kinsella was a four-time winner in the senior division; in Honolulu, Wendy Moore dominated the 13-14 girls division, stroking to eight victories at the 21st annual Keo Nakama meet; while in Madera, Calif., John Hencken set two NAG records for 13-14 boys and tied another. The Berkeley Y ace stroked 1:10.4 and 2:30.2 for the 100 and 200 meter breast before tying the 200 IM mark (2:20.1).