Before USMS, Paul Hutinger
documentation compiled by Paul Hutinger , July 18, 2000
BEFORE MASTERS SWIMMING by Paul Hutinger
Masters swimming needed a positive attitude to overcome archaic AAU attitudes that ruled amateur sports. In the 1930’s, life guards couldn’t compete in AAU meets, during the time they worked, for they were considered “professionals.” The AAU was ultra conservative against changes in swimming rules as reflected in swim suits. Males, were required to wear full suits to compete in AAU meets until the early 1940’s. These attitudes about sports filtered down from the Greek Olympics and the English aristocracy of the 1800’s.
The Navy had a program for fitness and competition. The earliest program began at end of WWII. The Navy and other services held competitions in Hawaii, sanctioned by AAU. Hutinger competed with Bill Smith, Harry Holiday, Peter Fick, Duke Kahanamoko (exhibition only), Howard Johnson (Yale Captain, 1940) and others in 1945 and 1946. These AAU competitions, included service men, older than age group and college swimmers. These meets initiated a change in attitude that a competitive swim program for older adults was possible.
Before the incorporation of Masters swimming, many swimmers in the US trained regularly for fitness, encouraged by leaders such as T. K. Cureton, Professor at the University of Illinois. Another group, including Paul Hutinger, current US and world record holder, and Perry Rockwell, former US record holder and All American, trained regularly at noon, at Indiana University in Bloomington, in the summers in the late 1960’s.
ASCA (American Swim Coaches Association) sponsored Masters swimming before the AAU (Amateur Athletes Union) began to sponsor, in 1972. The AAU was ruled by mostly men that did not want change. The coaches association, ASCA, had just been organized with coaches like Spannuth and Counsilman, who offered a new outlook for Masters swimming. They competed at the first LCM meet at Indiana University in Aug. 1972.
Politically,
Ransom Arthur
, an outsider, was needed to influence the AAU
to accept a fitness and competitive swimming program for older adults.
He had the expertise as a medical doctor, Commander in the Navy and a
psychiatrist to influence the AAU to approve his ideas. The Masters
Track and Field program (50 and older) was active in CA and influenced
his promotion of Masters swimming. He was an excellent breast stroker
and held several Masters records.
In early Masters swimming meetings, we discussed at length the fact that coaches, paid or not, would be eligible for the Masters swimming program. In a democratic society, Masters would be open to all swimmers, including former Olympians, who may be coaching. The influence of ASCA and the foresight of Ransom Arthur set the foundation for the all-inclusinve Masters program that we presently enjoy.
