AQUATIC HAWAII IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES By Edwin North McClellan The tum ult over the Olympic Games of 1952 has faded away. At Helsinki, Fin­ land, swimmers of Hawaii surpassed the performances of the swimmers of any of the forty-eight States; but I rate our 1952-Hawaiian-Team behind 1920 and 1924 in that order. The ten World-Champions from Hawaii, who have won first-place Olympic gold-medals, form a very exclusive and distinguished group—Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, Warren Kealoha, Pua Kealoha (relay), Mariechen Wehselau (relay), Clarence “Buster” Crabbe, Bill Smith, Thelma Kalama (relay), Ford Konno, Yo- shinobu Oyakawa, and Bill Woolsey (relay). All these ten swimmers, as well as others of Hawaii who have scored points in the Olympics, have been nominated as members of the Hawaiian-Aquatic-Hall-of-Fame. In the Forecast, October, 1950, 1 wrote that George "D ad” Center "is among the ‘first ten in the Hawaiian-Hall-of- Fame,’ ” and that Dad “shares with Duke Kahanamoku the honor of being the Outrigger Canoe Club’s ‘most honored member.’ ” The Outrigger Canoe Club, its aquatic athletes, coaches and other members, have performed a fine share of the work as Hawaii achieved its Olympic victories; but the Club and members have much important work in the coming four years. Hawaii looks forward with hop'’ to Melbourne of 1956 and backward to Athens in 1896 and all the other Olymp^ Games between, for inspiration. 1B96— ATHENS, GREECE vin, Tinker, W. Cooper, Willie Roth, The Republic of Hawaii under Presi­ George Crozier, W . L. Lyle, Jess Woods, dent Sanford Ballard Dole (later Presi­ Pete Baron, George Cooke, W ill Dixon, dent of the Outrigger Canoe Club) sent and diver George Freeth, might have no aquatic athletes to the initial modern scored points for Uncle Sam. Olympiad at Athens in 1896, although 190S— LONDON, ENGLAND Hawaii possibly had potential point- No aquatic athletes of Hawaii com­ winners in Kimokeo, Kapule and others peted in these Olympics; but Hawaii was including, reportedly, Chris Wiedemann awakening. The Outrigger Canoe Club on the Coast. Hawaii was voluntarily an­ was created on May 1, 1908, and many nexed to the USA in 1898. of its members had much to do with stir­ 1900— PARIS, FRANCE ring up Olympic interest. Swim-relay Dan Renear, Kimokeo, Kuaiwa, Pua, races in the harbor between the Myrtles James McCandless and other swimmers, and the Healanis produced name-swim- were available in Hawaii but no effort mers. After the Healani Team had won was made by the Territory of Hawaii to a relay race from the Myrtle team, a send them to Paris in 1900. second was held across the Naval SlipA 1904— ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI the Harbor on July 10, 1909. The wk_ American swimmers and divers, among ning Myrtle Team was: Thompson, Paty, them Charles M. Daniels, finally won Padekin, Davis, W illie Roth and Dad gold-medals in the Olympic Games; but Hawaiian swimmers Ernest Kopke, K i­ Vol. 11 No. 10 mokeo, Tom Hustace, W ill Lyle and others did not compete at St. Louis. Dan Renear and George Freeth (diver) were reported on the Coast. 1906— ATHENS, GREECE (SPECIAL AND UNOFFICIAL) These Special Olympic Games were staged to boost interest in the London E C A S T Games of 1908. Hawaii sent no swim­ Issued by the mers or divers to Athens even though BOARD OF DIRECTORS Duke Paoa Kahanamoku (not yet six­ E. W. STENBERG .................... Editor teen) , Ernest Kopke, Tom Hustace, Law­ Bus. Phone 3-7911 Res. Phone 9-3664 rence Cunha, Carl Oss, Kerr, James Gir- FRED M O SHER . Advertising . Bus. Phone 9-4606 [4 ] Center. The defeated Healani swim­ mers were: Carl Oss, Lawrence Cunha, FORECAST BACK ISSUES WANTED William H. D. King, Robert K. Fuller, Our little OCC house publication the Joe Kamakau and Duke Paoa Kahana­ Forecast is very much in demand. In moku, not yet 19. (Picture in Forecast, fact so much so, that we have had several September, 1952, p. 12). Dad Center requests from libraries in Hawaii for started the final leg with quite a lead complete sets of all issues in order that over Duke but barely won from the swift- they may be bound and preserved for swimming DPK. "This is the first time future generations. that it really dawned on me that I could You can help fill these requests if you swim really fast,” Duke told me not long will. While the Club has many of the ago. “Dad just beat me by a ‘touch’ and past issues there are some missing and it was then that they started talking if you have any or all of these numbers it about me being a real swimmer.” More will be appreciated if you will turn them than once Dad Center has told me that in to the Club marked “for the Editor of “we found Duke in this relay race. Duke Forecast.” won from me by a ‘touch’ and we knew Issues particularly wanted are: June then that we had a champion swimmer.” 1948, November and December 1948 and Forecast, October, 1950, p. 3). January 1949. JRORE SIGNS POINT TO A TEAM FOR 1912 Of course if you have other issues we The first realistic move toward getting will appreciate them as other numbers Hawaiian swimmers in the Olympic are getting short. Thanks for your ko- Games was organizing, under leadership kua. of Outrigger Canoe Club members, the “Hawaiian Association of the AAU,” in the late Spring of 1911 (Forecast, August, OUR WELCOME GUESTS 1952). Shortly after this the Hui Nalu From near and far the OCC has the was formally organized by E. K. “Dude" pleasure of entertaining many guests Miller (President and Captain) and Wil­ each month. Many are prominent in liam H. D. King (Secretary-Treasurer). civic, dramatic, political, business or The Hui Nalu immediately joined the other pursuits. All bring a bit of the rest AAU making its members eligible for a of the world to us. We trust that their proposed first AAU Swimming Meet. visit to the OCC was as pleasant to them The Hui Nalu, at a meeting on August as it was to have had them. Space does 4, 1911, elected “Dude” Miller, Bill King, not allow listing any but those who and R. W. Foster as delegates to the visited from affiliated Clubs. We do wish AAU. them all a heartfelt Aloha and hope for 'VAdmission-Day, August 12, 1911 was an early return to Hawaii nei. Jte date of the first AAU Swimming Meet, in Honolulu Harbor at the Alakea AFFILIATED CLUBS Hilo Yacht Club—H. C. Lottis, Floyd W. McCoy. slip. Guy H. Tuttle (Secretary of the Aero Club of Oregon—Dr. R. M. Erwin, Jr. Old Pueblo Club—Mrs. H. B. Langers. OCC) was President of the AAU at this Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club—Richard Cleve- land, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Sexton III, Dr. and Mrs. time (Forecast, August, 1950, p. 6; Au­ F. Frederic Snyder, Judy Snyder. gust, 1952). The OCC planned to enter Tattersalls C/iifc-Mr. John Hunter, Frank B. Paul. Los Angeles Athletic Club—Mr. and Mn. George Hadley. contestants in this First AAU Meet but San Diego Rowing C/u6~Michael La Bate. Terminal City Club—J. S. Marshall. discovered that their swimming-members Balboa Bay Club—Mr. and Mrs. Vaughn Bowen, Barbara had entered under other colors. Quite Steel, Lewis W. Stunston, Thomas A. Young. Arizona Club—J. G. M. Berry. chagrined were OCC members E. F. Me- New York Athletic Club—Jerome B. Crowley. American C/ub—Lloyd H. Chandler. lanphy, Watson Ballentyne, H. Chap­ Pasadena Athletic Club-Mn. H. W. Cunningham, Elea­ man and others. Duke Kahanamoku nor Sandford. Jonathan C/ufc—Hilding M. Anderson, Nanfred J. Dres­ (.Hui Nalu) wqn the 50, 100, and 220 ser, Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Hoggmen, John H. Pettker, Joan Robinson. yard events. Vincent Genoves (Hui Club Del Afar—Linda Lee Brusse, Mrs. Lee Bruase, Ren Onatte, Lucille Riggs. Nalu) was victorious in the 440, 880 The San Diego Club—Mr. and Mrs. Wendell D. Arnold, yard, and mile races. Lawrence Cunha Mr. and Mrs. Andy Borthwick, Theodore Fintzelbei*, Cmdr. J. Hilt, Harley Knox, Joseph M. Mills, Harold (Healani) finished second in two events Suter, Mrs. Parker Seitz. (Continued on Page 16) Olympic Club—Mr. J. J. Smith. [ 5 ] OLYMPIC GAMES Kruger, John Kealoha (Jr.), Clarence (Continued from Page 5) Lane, Lukela Kaupiko, Richard Hol­ and second to Duke in the final lap of stein, George "Tough Bill" Keaweamahi; the relay. Dad Center (Myrtle) was sec­ divers Robert K. Fuller, St. Clair Tait, ond in the 220. George Freeth (Hea­ Lorrin Potter Thurston, Karl Krebs; lani) won the fancy-diving (202 points) plunge-for-distance C. Dudley Pratt; and from Robert K. Fuller (Healani), 198 women-swimmers Josephine Hopkins, points. Fuller also won the Plunge-for- Lucille M. Legros, Helen M. A. Rosa and Distance. “Duke Kahanamoku was Bernica Lane. known to be a fast sprinter,” reported 1920—ANTWERP, BELGIUM the Advertiser; “but not many people Dad Center, as Manager and Coach, thought that the youth was a world- had a powerful group of swimmers at the beater.” World-records were claimed for Olympic tryouts. Among them were: Duke in the 50 and 100 yard times but Duke Kahanamoku, Warren and Pua they were not allowed. “The course was Kealoha, William W. "Wild Bill” Harris surveyed” on August 14, 1911 and along (Jr.), Ludy Langer, John Kelii, Harold the wharf, commented the Advertiser, it H. “Stubby” Kruger, H. Fred Kahele was "found to be one and one-sixteenth (U.S.