Swimming Memorabilia

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. Depends on how many actually survive...

When The Ohio State University built their new facility, the old one Larkins Hall was bulldozed to make room for a new Student Rec Center. Before the building was raised, OSU was selling everything from the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center in Larkins Hall. I ran into OSU Coach Bill Wadley and asked him what was left from the sale. He let me know that really all that was left were the blocks to lanes #2-6. I asked why anyone would want the slow lane of #1, and to put me down for block #3. Well, I purchased it and installed it on the deck of my backyard pool next to the diving board. . Brian that is REALLY cool. Alison

I found the second flag, and there was the signature of camper and '68 US Olympian Suzy Jones-Roy. Campers and staff included one Ransom Arthur Award winner (Nancy Ridout, Camp Director), two soon-to-be winners (campers Sandi Rousseau and Betsy Durrant), one Coach of the Year (Scott Rabalais), and the future USMS Online Registration guy (Dan Wegner). Other signatures include campers Tom Emison, Bill Winters, Robert Carr, Sharon Wencel, Lee Mac Donald, Robert Goldbloom, Kathy Garnier, and Susanne Simpson; and staff members Mark Stoker, Janet Renner, Don Mehl, and myself. In looking at the two flags, it was interesting to see where people signed their names. Suzy Jones-Roy signed her name inside the blue Olympic ring, with "Suzy Jones-" on one line, and "Roy" just below the "Jones". Jorge Gonzalez was outside the rings. Tracy Grilli, in true Red Sox spirit, was out in left field and fellow New Englander Barb Handler was deep in right field. The first flag, with: one Olympian's name on the flag - Jorge Gonzalez, a 1968 Olympian who swam for Puerto Rico and has participated in USMS competition. Other names include campers Tracy Grilli, Danielle Ogier, Heidi Kissel, Karl Wiedamann, Judy Tibma, Danilo Vicioso, Jon Klein, Richard Garrett, Jack Groselle, Barb Bos, and Barb Handler; and staff members Nancy Ridout, Kerry O’Brien, Scott Rabalais, Janet Renner, Mark Stoker and myself. ...was done in Sharpie marker, which bled a little when using on thin nylon fabric. The second flag was signed in ballpoint pen. Both flags are marked at the left binding "EMERSON USA 36USC 380" I signed my name in the green ring on the first flag, my first camp, when I was an assistant coach; and in the black ring on the second flag the following year, when I was head coach. And I don't believe we had a flag signing for my third camp in 2004, when I went as an athlete. If there was such a flag, names would include campers Nadine Day, A.J. Block, Laura Winslow, Kim Crouch, Mary Sweat, Sue Halfacre, Keith Hoffman, Brant Allen, Matt Kanzler, Adam Craun, Paul Trevisan and myself; and staff members Nancy Ridout, Bob Bruce, Scott Williams, Randy Nutt, and Steve, the human pretzel-maker. I should pick up a flag and track everybody down. It was a priceless experience, and the group had incredible chemistry and lots of fun. I do have a book of unused tickets to the 1980 US Olympic swimming Trials that got cancelled my guess is most people who had them tossed them or lost them If I had those, I'd offer them to ISHOF. This type of item should be considered an important cross-collectible for those interested in swimming, sports, Olympics and politics.

That IS cool! OK, so I have to admit I've been keeping a secret the last couple days... On Tuesday, I purchased an extraordinary item on eBay: Item #170162362766 - four personal scrapbooks that belonged to Aileen Riggin, listed by a seller in Zurich, Switzerland. It was a "Buy it Now" auction, and after I picked myself up off the floor, I clicked "Buy it Now" immediately. ...have already discussed with Bruce Wigo... :drink::wine:

I need to look through my belongings and see what swimming memorabilia I have, I should have been a much better autograph hound with all the great swimmers who came to austin over the years I do have a book of unused tickets to the 1980 US Olympic swimming Trials that got cancelled my guess is most people who had them tossed them or lost them Many years ago my wife and I were eating at a restuarant in Austin and Mary Lou Retton walked in, (she went to UT) we left before she did and walked past her convertable corvette, we were tempted to snag the pillows she had in her seat to boost her up high enough to see over the dash board, but we left them there and missed out on having a great living room conversation piece. 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 have three pictures to post of the Aileen Riggin scrapbooks. Here is the first.

Here is the second picture of the Alieen Riggin scrapbooks.

...and here is the third picture of the Aileen Riggin scrapbooks...

Let's see, I've got multiple copies of Mark Spitz's signature, Lenny Krayzleburg, too. And probably a bunch more Olympians. I'd have to wade through lots of boxes in my storage container to find most of them (they're SPMA registrations!). They are staying right where they are. I got Gary Hall, Jr to sign a copy of his first ever Masters World Record application. The Hy-tek system at Mission Viejo nationals printed out two copies (one because it was a USMS record, the other because it was a USMS record). Since I only needed to submit one I got him to autograph the other and got my picture taken with him. He had set some SCY records before that meet, but this was his first World record.

That's cool, Julie! Before I forget, I wanted to mention that ISHOF currently has a special photo exhibit and story about Aileen Riggin on its web site. Story: www.ishof.org/.../aileen_riggin.pdf Photo Exhibit: www.ishof.org/.../riggin_exhibit.htm For those who don't know about Aileen, she's worthy of a good, long web surf. I was fortunate to have met her twice, and flirted with her once.