Swim-Master Synopsis
SWIM-MASTER, by June Krauser, October 1997
Back in 1970 when Ransom J. Arthur, MD and John Spannuth were getting Masters Swimming started, John kept pestering me to get in the program! I kept saying 'no' as I couldn't see myself in one of those tank suits. Well, John and I took a group of AAU swimmers to Vienna and Bratislava - Brian Job, John Kinsella, Mike Stamm, Gary Hall, Lynn Colella, Sue Atwood, Kim Brecht and Wendy Fordyce - in July of 1970. During that trip, John told me that he was going to be the new AAU Aquatics Director, that he was going to present the Masters Swimming Program to the AAU Swimming Committees (Men & Women), and that he wanted me to produce a newsletter for the new Masters Committee. I had been doing a newsletter for the Florida Gold Coast for many years and John thought I would be good for Masters Swimming. While sitting on the airplane on the way home from Europe, John and I came up with the name of the publication - SWIM- MASTER. I told him I would start working out in 1971 and see if I could still swim. I was invited to the organizational meeting of Masters Swimming where we established the Objectives and the Goals of the Masters Swimming Program. These were presented to the AAU Joint Swimming Committee at their annual meeting and adopted. We became the AAU Masters Swimming Committee, a sub committee of the AAU Joint Swimming Committee. At that time, all rules became effective the 1st of the next year - and so we became the official committee on January 1, 1972. Buck Dawson held the FIRST official SSU Masters Swimming Meet at 6 PM on Jan. 1, 1972 at the Swimming Hall of Fame Pool. AAU President, Jack Kelly, started the meet off with an exhibition 100 meter freestyle and presented medals to the winners. ASCA President, Bob Ousley was the referee. Because it was New Year's day, only 35 entered, yet every event was sprinkled with former Olympic swimmers, National champions, World and American record holders. And so, SWIM-MASTER was born. (I also have copies of all of the Rule Books and of the results of the first two National Championships held at Amarillo, Texas in 1970 & 1971.)
FIRST ISSUE: Called, "THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE A.,A.U. MASTERS SWIMMING COMMITTEE", was only four pages produced in December, 1971, describing the program, where to get registered and how to subscribe to our publication. It was going to be produced at a price to cover printing and postage - not for profit.
VOL I - 1972: There were 6 issues published and an EXTRA. The number of pages ranged from 4-double sided to 10-double sided. It might be good here to mention that the most interesting items for the swimmers were the meet results from around the country! These, people still miss to this day. And remember, no computers back then. I typed and set up every page! The EXTRA issue contained all of our new rules passed at the convention in December and the Top 10 Times for 1972, SCY and LCM. It is interesting for me to look at my times that first year as I was in the 45-49 age group and set 8 SCY records and 4 LCM records. A COMPLETE SET OF SWIM-MASTER PUBLICATIONS CAN BE FOUND IN THE LIBRARY OF THE ISHOF AND I HAVE A COMPLETE SET.
VOL II - 1973: I started the year with 800 subscriptions! Articles, meet results and pictures! You find a lot of pictures of swimmers that are still swimming today like Dan & Edie Gruender, Ray & Zada Taft, Anne McGuire, Herb Kern, D. J. Murray, Anne Grams, Walt Pfeiffer, Mike Garibaldi, Gail Roper, Ted Haartz, June Krauser Ridout and we even have a picture of Rep. Gerald R. Ford, nominated for vice-president taking a morning dip at his home with the temp. in the 40's. Again this year there were 6 issues published with results of Nationals, 1972 All-Americans and records.
VOL III - 1974: SWIM-MASTER is still THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE AAU MASTERS SWIMMING COMMITTEE. Here we have the 1973 Top Ten Times and because of the demand, I went to 9 issues a year which is as many as I ever did for the rest of the 20 years. Top Ten Times, 1973 All Americans, pictures, Championship Results, some International news, meet results, etc., appear in this year's issues. Also, there is an article explaining how the Masters Swimming Committee is now a Standing Sports Supervising committee of the AAU. This was a rule change that I proposed at the 1973 convention so that Masters could run their own program without the Joint Swimming Committee appointing their chairman, etc. This gave Masters Swimming autonomy! I was elected chairman in 1973. Again our Official Rules were printed in SWIM-MASTER. They also could be found in the AAU Rule Book.
VOL IV - 1975: During this year we changed the title to read OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE MASTERS SWIMMING COMMITTEE. Same contents as previous issues.
VOL V - 1976: More articles, pictures, meet results, All-Americans, records, Top Ten Times and even the results of Masters Diving! And there was always a Calendar on the back page. These were still done by hand - no computer - I had to type the labels, put them on along with the stamp. They were still being sent First Class.
VOL VI - 1977: In these early years, Ransom Arthur and Paul Hutinger wrote many articles for SWIM-MASTER. Some might be of interest today. As I look through these issues, it amazes me that I did so much typing! I typed articles, meet results, records, etc. I find a nice article about Jack Geoghegan at age 35 and with dark hair! Today, Jack is vice- president of USMS. And our President, Nancy Ridout wrote a good article on shoulder pain. Bill McAlister contributed articles on Masters Diving. Bill still dives today. There's a cute picture of Bill Earley with his four month old son, both holding their breaths underwater.
VOL VII - 1978: Here we have an article on Masters Swimming in Australia. We have a picture of Masters Chairmen (now called President) past and present (Ransom Arthur, June Krauser, Ted Haartz). Also throughout these issues I find newspaper articles that I reproduced. Saved on the typing. The 1st Senior Age Division Aquatic Competition was held in Canada and was called MASTERS AQUATIC CHAMPIONSHIPS because we couldn't use the word "World". There were eight countries entered - Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, United States and Venezuela. The results I again typed. This is the year that Olympic swimmer Steve Clark got back into the water for Masters competition. Up until this time, many countries had a problem with some of the FINA rules which prohibited Coaches (professionals) from swimming with amateur Masters. FINA changed their rules so that as of 25 February 1979, Federations, which desired, to allow athletes to participate in International Masters Competition. It further provided that an individual who is otherwise an amateur does not lose his amateur status merely by reason of the fact that he swam in a Masters competition in which paid coaches, etc. competed. Lots more of the same stuff! This is the year I went to Bulk mail as there were close to 1000 subscriptions.
VOL VIII - 1979: The 91st Annual AAU Convention was held in Dec. of 1978. The big news is that THE NEW NGBS (NATIONAL GOVERNING BODY) WILL BE FORMED AFTER THE OLYMPICS IN 1980. Nice picture of my mother in the third issue after she broke a national record. I wrote quite an article on CONDITIONING. It included sending out a questionnaire to 500 swimmers and compiling results with different workouts and average yardage per age group. This year I instituted the first 1978'S WORLD BEST. I only had response from Australia, Canada and West Germany and so the first World Top Five times was established. I find an article on the History of Masters Swimming. This is the year that Jim Counsilman swam the English Channel.
VOL IX - 1980: I find results of Masters Synchronized Swimming in the first issue of this year. All the pictures that appear in these Volumes were either taken by me or sent to me. Meet results were starting to get too numerous to print them all. Jack Kelly became President of the ISHOF. UNITED STATES AQUATIC SPORTS - the name of the corporation which will actually hold the franchise for Aquatic Sports after August 1, 1980. Record charts were still being typed. I held my fourth National Championship SC meet at the SHOF pool. 1979 World Swimming Rankings appear. Found a picture of a Ladies Swimming Competition dated Sept. 1, 1883!
VOL X - 1981: - Since the Athletic Act of 1978, 'swimming' was in a turmoil. USAS was formed and encompassed swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo. Masters Swimming was also in the process of change - it became incorporated like the other Aquatic Sports and became United States Masters Swimming, Inc. However, the program remained the same - encouraging people to swim on a regular basis - CONTINUE VIGOROUS SWIMMING FOR HEALTH, FUN AND SPORT! Each local USS/AAU association was encouraged to form a local Masters Swimming Committee (LMSC) and get a registration chairman. As of this time in history, Masters Swimming Inc. WAS NOT under USAS with the other four Aquatic Sports. Neither was LDS. We were sort of under the AAU. Penn Mutual was a sponsor of AAU Masters Sports. It seems that some of our meets were being done by computer and still some by hand. Besides pictures, meet results, Top Ten, All-Americans, we again find a page on Masters Diving.
VOL XI - 1982: This was our new beginning. We were now incorporated as United States Masters Swimming, Inc. Our Technical Rules and Code of Regulations were printed in volume 1. Also printed was a directory with a name, address and phone number for a contact in each LMSC. USA NATIONAL PUBLICATION FOR MASTERS SWIMMING was the title of SWIM-MASTER. I sure did a lot of typing, cutting and pasting.
VOL XII - 1983: We start the year off with the 1982 All-American Team. This list seems to increase each year. Also, we have a listing of WORLD RECORDS as of July 31, 1982 as compiled by AUSSI. We had been operating with four zones and this year we adopted new zone alignments for seven zones. The year 1983 saw me run my last National Championship meet! With 1208 swimmers, making out all those cards, seeding the meet, typing the heat sheet and then typing the results - this was just too much without a computer program. I have not run a meet since. Again I wrote a little history of our program. At our annual convention it was reported that we had 249 clubs and 13,073 registered swimmers. MSI was formed this year. Effective Jan. 1, 1986 the 20-24 age group will be added. Age determined as of the LAST day of the meet. (Until now it was the first day of the meet like the kids.)
VOL XIII - 1984: The 1st International Masters Swimming Championships were held in New Zealand in April. 1108 entries, 15 countries. Japan will host the 2nd International Masters Swimming Championships in 1986, Australia in 1988, and Canada in 1990. At our annual convention, we learned that FINA had formed a commission on MASTERS SWIMMING. However, FINA only recognizes Masters 25 yrs and older.
VOL XIV - 1985: I find World Records as of June 1984 - all done by hand! As of Jan. 1, 1985, the 1000/800 frees became official events. Time Standards were used at a meet in Chicago for the first time and reactions were mixed. I am still typing results by hand! Computerized meet results are really nice to read. At the annual convention there were 90+ delegates. The first World Masters Games were held in Canada. Over 1500 swimmers from 29 countries attended.
VOL XV - 1986: At the FINA Bureau meeting held on Nov. 9-10, 1985 FINA officially took jurisdiction of Masters Swimming and will work with MSI approving the title FINA/MSI. It was encouraged that Maters organizations affiliate with the National Federation in each country. At this time, SWIM-MASTER was the official publication of USMS. A trial program for meets held in 25 meter pools in 1985 produced an unofficial Top Ten. World Records as of Feb. 1986 appear. Done by hand from Australia. The first World Masters Swimming Championships were to be held in Japan with 3473 swimmers from 19 countries entered. Billed as the 1st FINA/MSI World Masters Swimming Championships, the first 8 finishers were published.
VOL XVI - 1987: It took 10 pages to print LCM Top Ten plus 4 more for a total of 14 pages. The number of pages varied each issue. The next FINA/MSI World Masters Swimming Championships will be held in Australia in 1988. Long Course World Records as of Jan. 1, 1987 appear in what looks like a hand typed form - guess I did that.. Also, a 1986 World Top Times for LCM is published. So many meet results, so many articles, so much typing! The first FINA Masters Swimming Committee met for the first time in Palo Alto, CA on May 11-14, 1997. The meeting included the discussion of existing regulations and proposals for further development such as the possible inclusion of diving in the Brisbane World Championships in 1988. A preliminary draft of Masters water polo rules was presented. Due to so many more swimmers in our National Championships and lack of space to print all results, only the Top 8 are published. In fact, it looks like I typed them all over. Our rules still appear in the USS Rule Book. FINA Technical Rules will replace USS Rules as of Sept. 1, 1988. Tina Martin was elected our representative to the FINA Masters Committee.
VOL XVII - 1988: Throughout all these issues, you will note that pictures appear as a conglomerate group - then it only needed one plate and was less expensive to print. The 2nd FINA/MSI World Masters Swimming Championships was expanded to include diving and exhibition water polo. The 1987 World Masters Top Ten was made available through MSI. Due to many requests, this year I printed a list of our National SC & LC National Championships, the dates, places, # or swimmers, and where in SWIM-MASTER to find the results, and Top Ten Times and Officers. At this year's convention we had 126 certified delegates. Indianapolis hosted the first two International meets in the USA - the 1989 Pan Pacific Games and the 1992 World Championships. 1989 USMS Rule Book was finally a reality. This was the year that I was elected to the represent USA on the FINA Masters Committee - what a privilege!
VOL XVIII - 1989: Printed the World Records dated Nov. 1st, 1988. Was using 16# paper so could have 12 to 14 pages but no longer available and had to go to 10 pages of 20# paper. Because the results of the World Championships were not in age group order but in event order, there were too many to print and so I made a chart of the first place time and the last place time in each event. Had to use just the first 8 places of Nationals. Printed the first FINALS/USMS All Star Team for 1988. Masters World Records as of May 1ns, 1989. World Masters Games in Denmark with 728 swimmers from 34 countries. The 1988 Speedo Masters Swimming World Rankings were made available. Dr. Ransom J. Arthur died on Oct. 28th.
VOL XIX - 1990: LCM Top Ten. Pictures & meet results. Articles. SCM Top Ten. All Americans. World Records as of May 1st, 1990. Comparison Times for Nationals. (The computerized results were too numerous to print.) SCM World Records as of May 1, 1990. This was the year of the III FINA/MSI World Masters Swimming Championships held in Rio. This year we have USMS Records and World Records printed. SCY Top Ten. 139 delegates at the convention. I announced the retirement of SWIM-MASTER at the end of 1991.
VOL XX - 1991: LAST YEAR! LCM Top Ten. LCM & SCM World Records. At the FINA meeting in January in Perth, Australia, FINA voted to add Masters to the other four Technical Congresses. The 4th World Masters Swimming Championships will be held in Indianapolis in 1992. USMS through the Top Ten Committee will be offering the Top 10 Times and Records on a subscription basis when SWIM-MASTER retires. SC World Records as of May 1, 1991. A reprint of the C.N.C.A. Questions and Answers about the Masters Swimming Program from a closed workshop in 1971. This appeared on pages 162-167 of the AAU 1972 United States Aquatics Handbook. SCY Top Ten. LCM Top Ten. THE END!
