Adolph Kiefer
Encyclopedia
Adolph Gustav "Sonny Boy" Kiefer (born June 27, 1918) was an American swimmer
and the first man in the world to swim 100 yards backstroke under 1 minute. His backstroke records stood for 15 years. He was born in Chicago
.
Kiefer became the first man to break the one-minute mark in the 100-yard backstroke while competing as a sixteen-year old in the Illinois High School Championships of 1935. His 1936 Illinois state championship backstroke time of 58.5 seconds was the Illinois state high school record until 1960.
Twenty-three records after breaking the one-minute backstroke mark, Kiefer represented the United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics
in Berlin
. Kiefer came home an Olympic champion, and began traveling with other medalists on a tour of Europe
, China
, Japan
, and South America
, during which he challenged every great swimmer in the world to an individual race.
In over 2,000 races, Kiefer lost only twice. At the National AAU swimming championship in April 1943, University of Michigan All American swimmer Harry Holiday, Jr.
finally went head-to-head with world-record holder Adolph Kiefer. Holiday beat Kiefer in the 150-yard backstroke at the AAU meet. The defeat was the first for Kiefer in eight years.
In his first two months of varsity competition, Holiday broke two of Adolph Kiefer’s world records, lowering the 100-yard backstroke mark to 57 seconds and the 200-meter standard to 2:22.9. In August 1943, the NCAA also recognized Holiday as the holder of the new world record in the 150-yard backstroke with a mark of 1:31.5.
Shortly thereafter, Adolph Kiefer was asked to audition for the role of Tarzan, but answered the call of arms instead, joining the US Navy to serve as a chief petty officer. He quickly moved through the ranks, becoming a first lieutenant by the war’s end.
When the Navy realized that it was losing more lives to drowning than to enemy bullets, Kiefer was appointed to a committee to set new guidelines for safety and training. During the remainder of his service, Adolph taught more than 33,000 navymen how to survive in the water. In 1946, Kiefer established Adolph Kiefer & Associates in Chicago
, which has been providing swimmers with training and safety equipment ever since. His company was responsible for the development of the Nylon Tank Suit in 1948, a marked improvement over the wool and cotton suits available at the time.
Kiefer subsequently devoted himself to community service, combining swimming and philanthropy in innovative ways. In the 1960s, he worked with Mayor Richard J. Daley
to build swimming pools across the inner city of Chicago, providing the facilities needed for thousands of children to learn to swim. Kiefer participated in SAA events well into his seventies and eighties.
Kiefer is an International Swimming Hall of Fame
honoree.
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and the first man in the world to swim 100 yards backstroke under 1 minute. His backstroke records stood for 15 years. He was born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Kiefer became the first man to break the one-minute mark in the 100-yard backstroke while competing as a sixteen-year old in the Illinois High School Championships of 1935. His 1936 Illinois state championship backstroke time of 58.5 seconds was the Illinois state high school record until 1960.
Twenty-three records after breaking the one-minute backstroke mark, Kiefer represented the United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Kiefer came home an Olympic champion, and began traveling with other medalists on a tour of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, during which he challenged every great swimmer in the world to an individual race.
In over 2,000 races, Kiefer lost only twice. At the National AAU swimming championship in April 1943, University of Michigan All American swimmer Harry Holiday, Jr.
Harry Holiday
Harry Holiday, Jr. was a world record holder in the backstroke at the University of Michigan in the 1940s and the president of steelmaker American Rolling Mill Co. from 1974-1986....
finally went head-to-head with world-record holder Adolph Kiefer. Holiday beat Kiefer in the 150-yard backstroke at the AAU meet. The defeat was the first for Kiefer in eight years.
In his first two months of varsity competition, Holiday broke two of Adolph Kiefer’s world records, lowering the 100-yard backstroke mark to 57 seconds and the 200-meter standard to 2:22.9. In August 1943, the NCAA also recognized Holiday as the holder of the new world record in the 150-yard backstroke with a mark of 1:31.5.
Shortly thereafter, Adolph Kiefer was asked to audition for the role of Tarzan, but answered the call of arms instead, joining the US Navy to serve as a chief petty officer. He quickly moved through the ranks, becoming a first lieutenant by the war’s end.
When the Navy realized that it was losing more lives to drowning than to enemy bullets, Kiefer was appointed to a committee to set new guidelines for safety and training. During the remainder of his service, Adolph taught more than 33,000 navymen how to survive in the water. In 1946, Kiefer established Adolph Kiefer & Associates in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, which has been providing swimmers with training and safety equipment ever since. His company was responsible for the development of the Nylon Tank Suit in 1948, a marked improvement over the wool and cotton suits available at the time.
Kiefer subsequently devoted himself to community service, combining swimming and philanthropy in innovative ways. In the 1960s, he worked with Mayor Richard J. Daley
Richard J. Daley
Richard Joseph Daley served for 21 years as the mayor and undisputed Democratic boss of Chicago and is considered by historians to be the "last of the big city bosses." He played a major role in the history of the Democratic Party, especially with his support of John F...
to build swimming pools across the inner city of Chicago, providing the facilities needed for thousands of children to learn to swim. Kiefer participated in SAA events well into his seventies and eighties.
Kiefer is an International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
honoree.