Does anyone remember:
When were flip turns in free style invented/introduced in competitive swimming?
When did goggles become 'standard equipment' for swimmers?
Thanks!
In the 50s & early 60s, they had some sort of smelly, milky looking substance in a gutter at the pool access you had to dip your feet in on the way in! Probably a health department regulation left over from pre-antibiotic days, before they discovered germs! I think the pool was lined with white ceramic tiles.
In those days, before I had contact lenses, I couldn't see a thing underwater. If I tried to race, it wasn't unusual for me to suddenly pull a right turn right into the wall! Contacts opened up a new underwater world for me at 21.
The flesh colored nose clips with the neck strap were sometimes used, although I never tried one.
The way they trained life guards in the 60s didn't have much to do with safety and prevention as today. One of the requirements, they would grease down a 200lb guy with petrolium jelly and he would jump in the deep well. You had to get to him as he lunged at you and put a cross chest bear hug on him. Both arms locked around him while he thrashed around and pulled you under like a mad tuna! If you were able to hang on for a couple minutes you passed! There were no rescue tubes then either. :chug: Good luck with your writting.
In the 50s & early 60s, they had some sort of smelly, milky looking substance in a gutter at the pool access you had to dip your feet in on the way in! Probably a health department regulation left over from pre-antibiotic days, before they discovered germs! I think the pool was lined with white ceramic tiles.
In those days, before I had contact lenses, I couldn't see a thing underwater. If I tried to race, it wasn't unusual for me to suddenly pull a right turn right into the wall! Contacts opened up a new underwater world for me at 21.
The flesh colored nose clips with the neck strap were sometimes used, although I never tried one.
The way they trained life guards in the 60s didn't have much to do with safety and prevention as today. One of the requirements, they would grease down a 200lb guy with petrolium jelly and he would jump in the deep well. You had to get to him as he lunged at you and put a cross chest bear hug on him. Both arms locked around him while he thrashed around and pulled you under like a mad tuna! If you were able to hang on for a couple minutes you passed! There were no rescue tubes then either. :chug: Good luck with your writting.
