1941: Swimming

American swimmers accounted for 53 new men's records and 64 for women in A. A. U. competition, and 33 national standards in N. C. A. A. events during 1941. William Smith, Jr., of Hawaii, a seventeen-year-old lad, shattered 12 world and American free-style records from 220 yards to 800 meters. Now considered the greatest middle distance swimmer in history, he gained the Hawaiian nickname of Malolo, or flying fish. Smith lowered standards for 220 yards in 2:07.7, 440 yards and 400 meters in 4:38.5, 200 meters in 2:10.8, 800 meters in 9:50.9 in a 100-meter pool, and 1,000 yards in 11:14.9 which bettered by 22 seconds the world's free-style record set by Jack Medica in July 1933. Smith's coach is Soichi Sakamoto, who claims that the new human fish will wreck every record during the next three years.

Five world's records are accounted for by other swimmers: Adolph Kiefer, of the Chicago Towers Club, reduced the backstroke marks for 100 yards to 0:57.8, 150 yards to 1:30.4, 200 meters to 2:23, and 400 meters to 5:10.9. Yale, Michigan and Towers Club teams beat the 400-yards relay time of 3:30.7, and Yale reduced the time in two races within ten days, lowering it to 3:28.8. During a dual meet with Brown University, Howie Johnson covered his 100 yards in the anchor leg in 50.8 seconds.

The Middle West and Pacific Coast made rapid strides in water polo. The New York A. C. withdrew from the sport after a half-century of success. The Illinois A. C. of Chicago captured the national indoor polo championship and the Los Angeles A. C. won the national outdoor title.

Among the national title holders for women who broke records were: Miss Nancy Merki, of Portland, Ore., 800 meters in 11:15.9 and 1,500 meters in 22:12.2; Miss Gloria Callum, New York, 100 meters back stroke in 1:17.5; Miss Lorraine Fischer, New York, 100 meters breast stroke in 1:22.9; Miss Patty Aspinwall, 220 yards in 3:07.8; Miss Helen Rains, 300 meters medley in 4:32.9, and the Riviera Club quartet winners of the 800 meters relay in 10:30.7.