I thought it might be fun to share our "Brush with fame because of swimming" stories, below you'll find mine, please share yours
When I got married in 1987 my wife and I met went on a Carnival Cruise honeymoon to the bahama's. We were sitting by the pool on the ship, there was a couple beside us, a tall blonde woman and her husband. Debbie and Rick. Ends up she was a competitive swimmer in high school (she said she did the 50 in 23) So we started talking and really hit it off with them. We wound up hanging around them a lot and changed dining tables. Debbie told us that she worked for Doctor Arnold Klein in Beverly Hills and that she knew Michael Jackson. Debbie was smart witty and funny. At the end of the cruise we had such a good time that we exchanged addresses and phone numbers. In August 1987 my wife and I flew out to LA to visit them and see the town. They let us stay in their apartment for the weekend, Rick showed us around town on Friday. We went out to dinner each night. Saturday they loaned us one of their cars and let us drive around town, Beth and I went to Disneyland and Muscle Beach. We had a great time. The last time I spoke with Debbie was in 1991 and she told me that she and Rick had gotten a divorce. Needless to say I was floored when I read an article in 1996 that said Debbie was having Michael Jackson's baby.
I saw Debbie on TV last night and it doesn't look like she's been swimming much lately.
Ande
Former Member
I was attending the Southeastern Zone Meet back in the mid 80's. I was 18 and seeded first in the mile. I had a lifetime best but placed second to some 13 year old in the lane next to me named Jon Olsen. He smoked me bad. As I remember, he turned out to be a pretty good swimmer.
This guy had been a swiimer as a kid.
We all have things that happen in our lives, Chance meetings with even notorious people. When I was a cop on the beat, I was standing at the corner of King and James Streets in Hamilton Ontario. I was in front of the United Cigar Store. A fellow that I had gone to school with came up to me and said "Hi George." I asked how he had been. I had not seen him for a couple of years. I had arrested him in the past for running a house of ill repute. He told me he had just arrived back in town. He told me he had left Calgary 6 months ago and had moved to Charlettown PEI. He told me that after a month in PEI things were getting to hot for him so came back to Hamilton. We said our goodbyes. The next morning when I went on duty I found out that he had been shoot in the back while running down an alley.
The guy who shot him had killed him because he did something to his wife. It was later found out that he was wanted in Calgary and Charlettown for Rape and a murder.
The grade school and high school I attended was full of guys and girls who ended up as Heroin Addicts, drug dealers, and a few murderers.
I did a 2 1/4 mile "Race for Diabetes" across teal lake from Negaunee, MI to Ishpeming, MI two differnt years
The first time I was in shape and the water was warm. When I got out of the water, though, there was no line for me to cross and no one official to let me know I finished or anything. I basically ahd to interupt people in converstaion to ask where to find towels and Gatorade.
The next year that I swam that race, I was not in shape and the water was cold. It's in Michigan's upper peninsula and they know cold there. I think there might have been a little sleet during the race. I finished the 2+ hour "race" barely 48 seconds ahead of the sweeper kayak.
There was guy on the beach who shook my hand. I really liked that. Partly because I knew I was done, but mostly because his hands were warm (probably at least 98 degrees!)
I found out later that man was Mark Spitz. He didn't have black hair, nor a mustache, nor 4 gold medals hanging from his neck, so how was I to know?
I did a 2 1/4 mile "Race for Diabetes" across teal lake from Negaunee, MI to Ishpeming, MI two differnt years
The first time I was in shape and the water was warm. When I got out of the water, though, there was no line for me to cross and no one official to let me know I finished or anything. I basically ahd to interupt people in converstaion to ask where to find towels and Gatorade.
The next year that I swam that race, I was not in shape and the water was cold. It's in Michigan's upper peninsula and they know cold there. I think there might have been a little sleet during the race. I finished the 2+ hour "race" barely 48 seconds ahead of the sweeper kayak.
There was guy on the beach who shook my hand. I really liked that. Partly because I knew I was done, but mostly because his hands were warm (probably at least 98 degrees!)
I found out later that man was Mark Spitz. He didn't have black hair, nor a mustache, nor 4 gold medals hanging from his neck, so how was I to know?
Thanks for the mini-review, and reminder!
The swim this year is July 31, and the special guest is Janet Evans.
Thanks for the mini-review, and reminder!
The swim this year is July 31, and the special guest is Janet Evans.
I might try to hold out for more than a handshake when I get out of that lake. Even if it isn't cold. Even if I'm not DFL.
I was lucky enough to attend the Golden Goggles Award dinner in Los Angeles last year, but the seat they assigned me to was in Siberia. However, shortly after I sat down, Janet Evans sat on one side of me and Brian Goodell on the other. Lucky me.
The swim this year is July 31, and the special guest is Janet Evans.
That reminds me: when she was on a recruiting trip to U of Florida, Janet Evans joined us at our masters practice at in Gainesville. That was pretty cool.
I guess she was less impressed with the college swimmers than with us, since she didn't become a Gator.
The grade school and high school I attended was full of guys and girls who ended up as Heroin Addicts, drug dealers, and a few murderers.
Sounds like my wife. She says all her grade school classmates are either dead or in prison.
I was attending the Southeastern Zone Meet back in the mid 80's. I was 18 and seeded first in the mile. I had a lifetime best but placed second to some 13 year old in the lane next to me named Jon Olsen. He smoked me bad. As I remember, he turned out to be a pretty good swimmer.
LOL...I had the opportunity to swim next to him several times....never got a chance to see much more than feet, and even that was only a few seconds!
