Fact of the Day
1998-10-09

Weissmuller Tops Swim Poll
On February 7th, 1950, Johnny Weissmuller of Chicago' Illinois Athletic Club was voted "The Greatest Swimmer of the First 50 Years of the 20th Century" in an Associated Press National Poll in which both young and old experts participated. Weissmuller won 132 votes, 30 more than the combined votes of all the others on the list.

In second place was Japan's Hironoshin Furuhashi, a recent newcomer to the world scene, who finished 112 votes behind Weissmuller. In third place with 11 votes was fellow Chicagoan, Adolph Kiefer, 1936 Olympic backstroke champion, with Hawaii's great Duke Kahanamoku in fourth place with 10 votes.