A History of Oregon Masters Swimming: 1973
1973 opened with a meet at MAC on March 24, 1973. Among the participants was
Don Schollander
(26) swimming the 200Fr in 1:57.4,
Mike Burton
(25) swam the
1650 at 19:31.8. Steve Engel and
Karl Von Tagen
went at it in the 500, with
Steve touching first in 5:57.2 vs. Karl at 5:57.5, both were 29 then. Skip
Roggenbihl (39) and
Jim Bigler
(37) tied in the 100 Fr at 1:03.7. Fred
Sprenger (41) definitely a pioneer, won the 1650 at 25:02.2
Tom Foley
(38), a
real pioneer for PNA, swam the backstroke and 100 IM.
Joyce Bahler
(42) from
MAC, another pioneer, swam the 200 Breast in 4:07.8.
Maxine Carlson
(53) from
PNA, a pioneer, swam the breast with a 200 at 4:16.2.
Hazel Bressie
(64) the
MAC, an OMS pioneer, made her first appearance in the 50 Free, Back and
Breast at 1:37.1, 1:40.5, and 2:16.8.
Some journeyed to Auburn, WA for a SCY Meet on March 31 and April 1. Jim
Bigler,
Alice Zabudsky
, and Skip Roggenbihl. Alice at 28, gave us a 33.6 for
the 50 fly, while Skip at 39, won the 100IM in 1:15.0. Jim at 37 was not to
be outdone with a 1:03.6 for the 100 Free.
This meet was followed by a get together at Tualatin Hills on May 6th. Steve
Johnson (25), Eugene, makes his debut in Masters with a 200 Free in 1:57.4.
Rod Harmon (46) swam the 100 Breast in 1:24.0. Max Strauss (63) from Junction
City, turned 100 Breast in 1:44.0
Jon Stout
t (26) swims the 100 Back in
1:05.6. Emanual Sang (42) swims the 50 Breast in 46.2. Mike Merrill (25) from
Eugene, swims the 1650 in 19:09.8. Jerry Little (37) of Milwaukie, swam the
200 Breast in 2:48.9. Rudy Schaffter (63) of Vancouver, WA gave us a 100
Free in 1:32.3. Glenna MacKensie (47) of Hillsboro swam the 200 Free in
3:54.6. Gloria Hicks (49) from Tualatin Hills gave us a 52.1 for the 50
Breast. Carol Lomax (39) from Lake Oswego with a 100 Fr in 1:24.2. Roz Davis
(26) Clatskanie negotiated the 50 Back in 38.3, also Joyce Wymetalek (32) at
1:03.0 and Roxie Patterson (41) from Tualatin Hills a 50 Back in 43.5.
Tualatin Hills hosted the last meet of 1973 on Sept 23rd. Teddy Gill (42) a
200 Free in 3:33.0. Alan Jones, Marine Corps (26) swam the 1650 in 29:46.3.
Ron Bohlman (30) swam the 100 IM in 1:02.2. Ken Zell gave us a 200 Fr in
2:28.2 and a 200 Back in 2:44.0. Paula Boer (25-34) won the 50 Breast at
46.9. George Burgess (42) swam the 50 Breast in 38.7. Carolyn Krugel (25-29)
turned in a 1:46.9 for the 100 IM. Relays : 25 & Up Men -
Replogle, Boer, Zell, and Duffy a 2:31.0 for the 200 Fr. Ladies Medley 200 -
25 and Up: Zabudsky, Hoopes, Krugel, and Andrus in at 2:43.3
1973 also saw the appearance of our first roster, this included people from
all over the Northwest. People still swimming for OMS are listed below :
Virginia Arvidson Joyce Bahler Jim Bigler
Steve Johnson
Donlan Jones Sheridan Jones
Ralph Mohr
Ron Nakata
Dick Slawson
Fred Sprenger
Jon Stout
Don Van Rossen
Karl Von Tagen
Earl Walter
We sprinted past the history of U.S. Masters, leaving it in 1972. Before
going further your historian would like to give credit where credit is due.
All of my references to U.S. Masters are taken from "Master Swim History,"
compiled by Ham Anderson and his wife,
Mildred Anderson
. Comments of 1972 are
in order. Short Course Nationals in 1972 hosted 325 swimmers and were held in
San Mateo. Buster Crabbe entered the program at the encouragement of John
Spannuth. You were allowed to enter as many events as you desired, but only
actually swim 7. Charles Teas from Corpus Christi held the first Diving Meet,
December 1972.
1973 SC Nationals were held in Santa Monica, California. You were allowed to enter seven events and swim seven. LC Nationals were held in Chicago, each meet attracted some 500 swimmers. Relays were changed to 25+,35+ and 45+. Later 55+ and 65+ were added. Both Nationals were held inside. Electric Timing was improved with back up hand held timers. The Masters Convention was held in West Yellowstone, with only 6 Masters representatives. Early officers, still with us are: June Krauser , Ted Haartz , Paul Huttinger and Ray Taft.
