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?
Parents
Former Member
Talking of ropes………
In the 1950’s we swam 220 and 440 yards in 33 1/3 yard pools. The final ‘touch’ was a spindly rope strung mid-air across the pool somewhere along its length. The timers and judges peered across this rope to determine when a body part crossed this virtual wall to determine the winner and time.
In the same era, in my backward part of the world, “swimming in circles” did not exist in training. If there were too many kids not to have your own (very narrow, unroped) lane, we did repeats in waves. I remember doing umpteen x 100 yards in 60 seconds with 60 seconds rest. While you had your rest, the other ‘wave’ was doing their 100.
Our first nylon suits were from Australia in about 1960. The make was “Sterling”, if I remember correctly. They were almost exactly the same as current nylon suits and would pass unnoticed today.
I remember shaving down for a meet in 1962.
Ian.
Talking of ropes………
In the 1950’s we swam 220 and 440 yards in 33 1/3 yard pools. The final ‘touch’ was a spindly rope strung mid-air across the pool somewhere along its length. The timers and judges peered across this rope to determine when a body part crossed this virtual wall to determine the winner and time.
In the same era, in my backward part of the world, “swimming in circles” did not exist in training. If there were too many kids not to have your own (very narrow, unroped) lane, we did repeats in waves. I remember doing umpteen x 100 yards in 60 seconds with 60 seconds rest. While you had your rest, the other ‘wave’ was doing their 100.
Our first nylon suits were from Australia in about 1960. The make was “Sterling”, if I remember correctly. They were almost exactly the same as current nylon suits and would pass unnoticed today.
I remember shaving down for a meet in 1962.
Ian.
