Here is a story about George that was written in 2004. slam.canoe.ca/.../pf-677993.html
22, 2008
By JOHN KERNAGHAN
The Hamilton Spectator
Hamilton’s oldest Olympian, a jack of all trades in sports, passed away Saturday.
George Larson was 94.
Larson starred in the pool, on the football field and in the wrestling ring as well as enjoying a long career with the city police force.
He said he was a walking advertisement for the legacy of sports facilities.
Larson learned to swim at Jimmy Thomson Memorial Pool, which was built for the 1930 British Empire Games, and soon turned a nickle-a-swim habit into a place on the 1932 Los Angeles Games,
Sorry to hear your hero has passed. Perhaps he is busy talking with your coaches!
I'd like to hear more stories about him, if you want to tell. The name is not familiar to me, but he sounds like a larger than life guy.
All best,
VB
When ever I visited Hamilton I would go to the Jimmy Thompson Pool and visit with him there, during the noon hour swim. He could still swim a really nice 100 although slow. Last time I was there he brought in cookies for the staff at the pool. He was 92 that trip.
George had a few other brothers.
Charlie was a diver, a great swimmer and was the goalie on our Canadian Championship waterpolo team.
Lloyd was a swimmer and also played on our waterpolo team.
Herby his youngest brother was a swimmer and traveled the wrestling circuit. Was a substitute on the waterpolo team (winger)
Our Canadian Championship waterpolo team had the three Larson brothers Lloyd left Winger, Charlie our goalie and Herby a sub. Our family - I was center my brother Thurlow was the Rover. My brother Bob was our right Winger. Our defense was Teddy StAubin and Len Whiteman. George travelled with us to most of our waterpolo games.
We all travelled together and put on swim shows on, all over the province of Ontario to promote swimming and diving in little towns.
When I was walking the beat on James Street North as a cop, I had a brawl with four drunk guys in front of a bar. It was George, he was a detective who came to help me get the guys into the back of the Black Marriah (that is what we called the lock up van). He came by after I had three of the guys under control and he got the fourth one into cuffs and loaded in to the Police Van.
Just a little fill in here
George was a great swimmer. When I broke the Canadian record for the 100 free it was his record I broke.
He set the Canadian record of 51.4 seconds for the 100 scy in 1936. He learned to swim in 1930. He swam in the 1932 and the 1936 Olympics.
When I was a cop I arrested a fellow who threw a beer bottle over the fence of an outdoor skating rink. I took him to the police station and it turned out that the beer bottle hit George Larson's daughter on the head. George went and had a little talk with the fellow there. I guess if all came out at that time George would have been charged with Police Brutality. He beat the crap out of the guy.
