Category: History
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‘The Swimmer’ gets deluxe DVD treatment
The Frank and Eleanor Perry film version of the John Cheever story “The Swimmer†was a resounding flop in 1968, but over the years it has acquired a cult following. The movie has always been of particular interest in Connecticut because the Perrys and star Burt Lancaster spent the summer of 1966 filming in and…
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Duke of Hawaii: A Swimmer and Surfer Who Straddled Two Cultures
Duke Kahanamoku, who won a total of five swimming medals in Olympics from 1912 to 1924, probably did more than anyone else to bring the sport of surfing from his native Hawaiian islands to the United States mainland. Almost in reverse, he also played a substantial part in the Americanization of old Hawaii. Born in…
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BLN2014 Travel Journal Day 4: Walkabout
So I went to town, needing a thing or two for my camera. Jumped off the tram at Alexander Platz and walked to Potsdamer Platz via the Reichstag, and then back partly along the traces of the former Wall to the hotel at Landsberger Allé. It was a long walk.
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For Michael Phelps, there’s no place like home
Sitting on the deck at his beloved Meadowbrook, Michael Phelps glances toward the pool where he was once afraid to put his face in the water. “This is me,” he said, a slight smile curling off his lips. “This is home.” This is where Phelps put in most of the work to become the most…
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The Ripple Effect – How a Small Oz Town Produced 5 Surf Champions
Five thousand. That’s the population of Coolangatta, Australia. Yet someway, somehow, this tiny town has produced more surfing world champions than anywhere else in the world. A lot of that has to do with the local wave. You may have heard of it – it’s called the Superbank. But in The Ripple Effect, we learn…
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Iconic Eastbourne Pier goes up in flames in UK
A “devastating” fire has destroyed part of Eastbourne Pier after an arcade caught light at the popular seaside resort. Up to 80 firefighters battled the blaze from the coast, the beach and from underneath the Victorian structure to bring it under control. Police evacuated scores of tourists and beachgoers from the attraction, while lifeboats were…
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SW MSS: Adolph Kiefer, Swimming’s Greatest Contributor
In addition to being a 1936 Olympic gold medalist, Kiefer’s contributions to the sport of swimming go beyond his abilities in the pool. He talks about developing a manual for teaching soldiers how to swim, and starting his company of swim products. These accomplishments are just some of the reasons why Swimming World continues to…
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Behold a young Jason Statham competing at the 1990 Commonwealth Games
You might know him from such films as Snatch, The Italian Job and The Expendables, but back in the day, Jason Statham was a member of Britain’s National Diving Squad for twelve years. Here below competing for England at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, and being treated rather harshly (but maybe fairly, what do I know) by the…
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