An Early History Of Masters Swimming In New Jersey
Masters Swimming in the United States began in 1970, thanks to
Ransom Arthur
,
with the first U.S. Masters National Championships in Amarillo,
Texas. The advent of Masters Swimming started a "flurry" of activities in
New Jersey "Y's", clubs and pools around the state. The first known
Masters competition in New Jersey was sponsored by Joe Twaits, on April
8, 1972, at the Garden State Swim Club in Berkeley Heights. Events were
contested in 10 year age groups, rather than five, and there was only a
handful of men, and even fewer women, representing Jersey groups, such as
Garden State Swim Club, Princeton Aquatic Association Masters, Westfield
Y, and possibly others.
Seeing the growing interest in Masters swimming in the state, Tink Bolster and Jim Pendergrass , members of Princeton Aquatic Association Masters, sponsored the first big swimming meet in New Jersey, the East Coast Masters Invitational (ECMI). Sanctioned by the N.J.A.A.U., the meet was held in Princeton University's Dillon Pool May 4 and 5, 1973. Several New Jersey "neighbors" had already formed Masters swim teams and competed in this meet as a group. There were the District of Columbia Masters (the eventual winners), the Connecticut Masters, the New York Athletic Club, not to mention the Gotham AA, the Dolphins, Wilmington (Del.) Aquatic Club, Princeton Aquatic Association Masters, Somerset Valley Y, and Garden State Swim Club. The 13 short course events recognized in Masters Swimming by the AAU in 1973 were all conducted for men and women in age groups beginning "25-29" up through "65 and up". The events were: 50, 100, 200, 500, 1650 yards Freestyle; 100 and 200 yards Backstroke and Breaststroke; 50 and 100 yards Butterfly; 100 and 200 yards individual Medley. The relays were 200 yards Freestyle Mixed and the 200 yards Freestyle and 200 yards Medley for men and women in age groups 25+, 35+ and 45+. In time, outdoor meets were contested in meter pools.
Many who swam in that first meet are still swimming and some names have
familiar ring in Jersey swimming circles. Among the men were:
Lou Abel
,
Bob Coyle, Phil Goode,
Harry Hamilton
, Alan Hausman, Bill Kogen, Austin
Newman, Jim Pendergrass, Bill Reichle,
Clarence Ross
(age 73, competing
in the top category "65 and Up"), Dick Sanborn,
Oscar Sigrist
, Al Stein,
Fred Stickel,
Dan Sullivan
, Sandy Thatcher, Bob Walden, and Sid Weinberg.
Women competing included: Joyce Bloom,
Tink Bolster
, Esther Cornish,
Marilyn DiFilippo, Ms. Frey, Doris Horensky, Lynn Joesten, Jan Moeller,
and
Peg Pickens
.
This meet also attracted some "big name" swimmers from elsewhere - Alfonso Allen , Nancy Clark , Carol Clay, Pat Clinton, Jim Edwards , Ed Emes, John Flanagan , Jim Forbes, the Galuzzi brothers, Don and Len, Jack Goeghegan, Ted Maartz, Jane Hardy, Helen Offenhauser , Edward Parke, Jean Pieretti, Ed Reed, Nancy Whedbee, as well as Dr. Burwell "Bumpy" Jones of Sarasota, Florida, who at age 40, swam the 1650 in 18:51.1 - and - perhaps most exciting of all - Clarence L. "Buster" Crabbe 65, late of "Tarzan" and "Flash Gordon" fame.
The success of this meet further fostered Masters swimming in the state with the formation of the Jersey Masters Swim Team, the "brainchild" of Al Stein and Alan Hausman. These two did all the preliminary work of registering, sanctioning, recruiting, and brought their idea to fruition in the fall of 1973. All local groups were encouraged to continue swimming at their own pools but to register with Jersey Masters on a statewide basis. Stein and Hausman published the first Jersey Masters Newsletter; the "home pool" was the Garden State Swim Club and Joe Twaits became Masters chairman. Officers the first year of operation were Clarence Ross (President), Tink Bolster (Vice-President), and Alan Hausman (Secretary-Treasurer). Fred Stickel set up the by-laws and arranged the monthly meeting at the West Essex YMCA in Livingston.
Jersey swimmers went on to score the most team points for JMST at the East Coast Masters Invitational in May 1974 and again in 1975. With 34 swimmers, JMST captured 4th place overall in the short course National Championships in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in mid-May 1974. Not bad for a new team!
Interest in Masters swimming kept growing. The local Princeton Area Masters group ran the EMCI in 1974 and 1975, and it continued to be an outstanding meet, which attracted top swimmers from all over the U.S. More swimmers got "into the swim". More and more clubs began to hold meets. The Lawrenceville School meet became a regular on the Jersey schedule. More events were added to those already on board - the 50 yard Back and Breast, 200 yard Fly, the 400 yard I.M., and the 55+ Relays. Jersey Masters began to participate regularly in both short and long course Nationals, in Long Distance Championships and the Hawaiian Postal Relays. Jersey also began to have many "Top Ten" swimmers, a number of National Record Holders, and several All-Americans (Clarence Ross consistently) every year.
Jersey Masters took over the running of the ECMI at Princeton in 1976, 1977 and 1978, before turning it over to Bridgewater, a new 50 mtrs. X 25 yards facility with 10 short course lanes. By this time, Masters Swimming in New Jersey had come a long way!
Tink Bolster
See related article - "Princeton Area Masters-1972 To The Present"
