It's been talked about in other threads, but the topic deserves its own thread.
Who collects swimming memorabilia? What's in your collection? Pictures? Autographs? Ribbons? Medals? Here is the place to talk about objects and artifacts you have that relate to the history of the sport of swimming.
OK, I'll start. Since I seem to have a 'bad girl' thing going with a surprise Eleanor Holm autograph, I thought an autographed copy of FHM with Amanda Beard (World's Sexiest Athlete cover) would be an essential. I saw one today on eBay and bought it for $10.49. In my lifetime, it may achieve an auction value greater than that. :cane:
I may have to bring a copy of the Amanda issue of Playboy to the Olympic Trials (in a plain brown wrapper, of course) and hunt her down for an autograph. For lack of a better description, signed copies of FHM and Playboy would make a nice pair.
:kiss1:
I don't really collect much... I throw almost all my old meet programs away.
But when the Fina World Cup was at UMD back in '99, I volunteered doing some web-site work, and got to be on-deck. I bought a bunch of american flag caps, and got autographs from Ed Moses, Lenny Krazelburg, Neil Walker, Tom Dolan, Jenny Thompson, and a "Jeff - All the Best" from Dara Torres, who was just starting her first comeback.
I got Tom Dolan to autograph a couple of extras, one of which I gave to one of my kids one year when I coached, and the other I was saving, but gave to the blue muppet since she was jealous of my Lenny cap :-)
Former Member
Bill,
I've got an old lycra suit with an embroidered Arizona logo on it. I'll let you have it for $5 and throw in a free autograph.
BTW, you may not find Amanda at the Olympic trials, except as a spectator...
Former Member
I've got an old lycra suit with an embroidered Arizona logo on it. I'll let you have it for $5 and throw in a free autograph.
Maybe, if it belonged to Amanda and was clean. Although I wouldn't want an Amanda Beard swimsuit for my own use, I'd probably send it to ISHOF.
Former Member
Maybe, if it belonged to Amanda and was clean. Although I wouldn't want an Amanda Beard swimsuit for my own use, I'd probably send it to ISHOF.
Yeah,
I tried it on and it doesn't fit too well...
Former Member
I once got Amy Van Dyken's autograph for the daughter of a friend.
And I had a latex swim cap autographed by Janie Wagstaff. I learned the hard way that you shouldn't hang a used latex cap on your bulletin board at work. Apparently the light must have affected it. It got all sticky and gummy and I had to throw it away. :cry:
Anna Lea
Former Member
Janie Wagstaff
Now there's a name I haven't heard much since 1992. Kansas City Blazers, right? She went 1:00.84 in the 100 meter back at the US Trials and was favored to win a medal in Barcelona. But she went about a second slower at the Olympics and didn't get an individual medal - although she did get a gold medal on the medley relay. I always wondered why she wasn't as fast in Barcelona, whether it was a change in training, the hot climate, or just the pressure.
Too bad about the cap. I'm paranoid about my Caulkins/Phelps and Meagher/Crocker caps, so I keep them in their original bags, out of the light, away from heat, and never use them for swimming. I've always wondered if there was something more I could do to preserve them.
Former Member
Does anyone know someone who swam at Texas and graduated in 1988 (or went to the 88 Olympics)?
If so, I think I stumbled across the perfect gift - eBay item #300164179399.
Former Member
We've had the opportunity to get some caps signed a time or two by Phelps, Lochte, and the Kirk sisters. We don't keep them around though, my daughter swims with them on a daily basis. The sheer number of Phelps autographed caps out there virtually guarantees that they will never be worth more than the latex they are manufactured from.
We had some early Masters Long Course meets at Starlit in the mid '70s. The building wasn't much, but no rats then. It was a fast pool. The main thing I remember was the overflow gutters were so big that the young kids could hide in them. No backwash from them!
I have a T-shirt from the first ever New Zealand Masters Swim Meet, 1974, in Matamata, more recently famous as the home to Hobbiton in the Lord of the Rings films. It was held in a 100 ft. pool. Still have the results somewhere showing me winning the 33 1/3 yd. Breaststroke!
Somewhere at my parents house I have a bunch of things signed by John Nabor. He taught a clinic on backstroke when I was around 7 or 8 (so 1977 or 78) and signed some stuff for me. Yes, John Nabor taught me backstroke but you wouldn't know it if you saw me now.
I also have an autograph from Dara. It's from 2001.
I currently swim under Joel "Cy" Cyganiewicz who coached Tracey Caulkins. Nothing signed by him but he did some drawings for me (he's a great artist)
Alison