This new thread occurred to me while reading posts comparing Spitz to Phelps, as well as reflecting upon mortality considering heart attacks etc. In swimming we immortalize individuals or teams for various feats or contributions, but do little to preserve a feeling for subsequent generations of enthusiasts about what it was like to train and compete 'back in the day'. Just what day am I talking about? Exactly: there have been many 'days' or more properly 'eras' that can be narrowly characterized by differences in equipment, distances swum and trained, coaching methods or more widely by larger factors: world war, global depression, racial segregation, inequality of the sexes. All of these can contribute to very different experiences than what are common today to the younger swimmer; hence, 'what was it like'. I visualize a thread that continues to be added to as new people read it and remember their own experiences. As well, experience can vary with national origin, not just era. There have already been posts on this topic scattered in various threads, please feel free to copy or quote material from them to here.
Please remember that this is not about how fast a particular swimmer was, but about the conditions that defined competitive swimming of that day.
We also have a priceless resource out there: aging swimmers in their 80's or 90's who may be less likely to read or hear of this thread; why not ask them for some of their memories or impressions and pass them on to us, while we still can?
No goggles: At one of my first nationals (Ft Lauderdale, mid 70's), my husband and I shared a bottle of wine for dinner so that I could burn the end of the cork to blacken under my eyes for backstroke. It probably did no good, but the wine was good.
Suits: I have looked through an old scrapbook, but can't find a really clear picture of my first racing suits. They were nylon with a skirt all the way around that was attached at the waist. A few years later we got new ones that just had the "modesty panel" - a small piece across the front.
I did find a picture of some of my team in our practice suits. The YMCA used to provide those terrible cotton suits - red (faded to pink) or green - for their "open plunge." When the YWCA quit providing suits, they gave their supply to my coach. He had what seemed like an unending supply. Now I realize that the heavy cottom suits were great as drag suits. When we went to a meet and wore the nylon ones, they felt so light - even with the full skirt!
No goggles: At one of my first nationals (Ft Lauderdale, mid 70's), my husband and I shared a bottle of wine for dinner so that I could burn the end of the cork to blacken under my eyes for backstroke. It probably did no good, but the wine was good.
Suits: I have looked through an old scrapbook, but can't find a really clear picture of my first racing suits. They were nylon with a skirt all the way around that was attached at the waist. A few years later we got new ones that just had the "modesty panel" - a small piece across the front.
I did find a picture of some of my team in our practice suits. The YMCA used to provide those terrible cotton suits - red (faded to pink) or green - for their "open plunge." When the YWCA quit providing suits, they gave their supply to my coach. He had what seemed like an unending supply. Now I realize that the heavy cottom suits were great as drag suits. When we went to a meet and wore the nylon ones, they felt so light - even with the full skirt!
