Joe Bottom
Encyclopedia
Joseph Stuart Bottom (born April 18, 1955 in Santa Clara
, California
) is an American, Hall of Fame swimmer and one time world record holder in 50 meter freestyle, 100 meter butterfly and 4×100 meter freestyle relay.
Born in Santa Clara, Bottom was a member of the Santa Clara Swim Club under noted swim coach George Haines
. He attended Santa Clara High School
, where he contributed to the Panthers numerous California Interscholastic Federation
— Central Coast Section championships and set several Section records from 1971–73.
Bottom attended the University of Southern California
, where he was an All-American swimmer for four years (1974–77); he graduated in 1977 with a BSEE
and was a member of Eta Kappa Nu
and Tau Beta Pi
. In 1977, he was the first swimmer ever to crack 20 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle, at 19.70. He held USC's record for 50 yard freestyle until the 2006-2007 season, and has the third fastest 100 yard freestyle and sixth-fastest 100-yard butterfly times in school history. He won five NCAA individual and 4 relay titles with the Trojans. He was the captain of the 1977 Trojans swim team. Known for an easygoing personality, Bottom was a fierce competitor during meets.
At the 1976 Summer Olympics
in Montreal
, Bottom won the Silver medal in the 100 meter Butterfly
and came in sixth in the 100 meter freestyle
. He also won a Gold medal as a member of the 4x100 metre medley relay team, swimming in the qualifying round. At the prime of his career, he was unable to compete at the 1980 Summer Olympics
in Moscow due to the U.S. Boycott.
During the inaugural, 1973 World Aquatics Championships
in Belgrade
, Bottom took Silver in the 100 meter butterfly and Gold in both the 4×100-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter medley events. At the 1978 World Championships
in Berlin he took Gold at the 100 meter butterfly as well as the 4×100-meter medley. He won nine U.S. National Championships between 1974 and 1980.
On August 27, 1977, at the GDR-US dual meet in East Berlin
, Bottom broke Mark Spitz
's 5–year world record on the 100 meter butterfly
with a time of 54.18. The night before the record-setting race, Bottom suffered from insomnia
and took a sleeping pill only to oversleep and miss his usual pre-race warmup swim. He was also a part of the team that set the world record in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay
on September 1, 1974.
In 2007, Bottom was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
in 2006.
Bottom currently resides in Chico, California
, where he is a management consultant and serving as Senior Manager in Accenture
's Marketing Sciences Practice within the Retail Products Industry. His younger brother, Mike Bottom
, also swam at USC where he was a three time All-American (1975–77); Mike is currently one the world's top sprint coaches.
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) is an American, Hall of Fame swimmer and one time world record holder in 50 meter freestyle, 100 meter butterfly and 4×100 meter freestyle relay.
Born in Santa Clara, Bottom was a member of the Santa Clara Swim Club under noted swim coach George Haines
George Haines
George Frederick Haines was a swimmer and swimming coach who coached at the Santa Clara Swim Club, Stanford University and UCLA. He also coached for seven U.S. Olympic swim teams...
. He attended Santa Clara High School
Santa Clara High School (Santa Clara, California)
Santa Clara High SchoolAddress3000 Benton St.Santa Clara, CA 95051Founded1872School typePublicPrincipalDave GrissomEnrollment1788 FacultyApprox. 101Campus surroundingsSuburbanMascotBruinsSchool ColorsNoble Blue and Gold...
, where he contributed to the Panthers numerous California Interscholastic Federation
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
— Central Coast Section championships and set several Section records from 1971–73.
Bottom attended the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he was an All-American swimmer for four years (1974–77); he graduated in 1977 with a BSEE
BSEE
BSEE may stand for:* Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, an undergraduate degree.* Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, an agency of the U.S. Department of Interior....
and was a member of Eta Kappa Nu
Eta Kappa Nu
Eta Kappa Nu is the electrical and computer engineering honor society of the IEEE, founded in October 1904 by Maurice L. Carr at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The organization currently has around 200 student chapters and about 3,000,000 members and is headquartered in Chicago,...
and Tau Beta Pi
Tau Beta Pi
The Tau Beta Pi Association is the oldest engineering honor society in the United States and the second oldest collegiate honor society in America. It honors engineering students who have shown a history of academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity...
. In 1977, he was the first swimmer ever to crack 20 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle, at 19.70. He held USC's record for 50 yard freestyle until the 2006-2007 season, and has the third fastest 100 yard freestyle and sixth-fastest 100-yard butterfly times in school history. He won five NCAA individual and 4 relay titles with the Trojans. He was the captain of the 1977 Trojans swim team. Known for an easygoing personality, Bottom was a fierce competitor during meets.
At the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Bottom won the Silver medal in the 100 meter Butterfly
Swimming at the 1976 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre butterfly
The Men's 100 metre Butterfly event for the 1976 Summer Olympics was held in Montreal.-Final:-Semi finals:-References:*...
and came in sixth in the 100 meter freestyle
Swimming at the 1976 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre freestyle
The men's 100 metre freestyle event at the 1976 Olympic Games took place between July 24 and 25. This swimming event used freestyle swimming, which means that the method of the stroke is not regulated . Nearly all swimmers use the front crawl or a variant of that stroke...
. He also won a Gold medal as a member of the 4x100 metre medley relay team, swimming in the qualifying round. At the prime of his career, he was unable to compete at the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow due to the U.S. Boycott.
During the inaugural, 1973 World Aquatics Championships
1973 World Aquatics Championships
The first FINA World Championships in Aquatics were held in the Tašmajdan Sports Centre in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, from August 31 to September 9, 1973.-Medal table:-Diving:MenWomen-Swimming:MenWomen- Synchronised swimming :Women...
in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, Bottom took Silver in the 100 meter butterfly and Gold in both the 4×100-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter medley events. At the 1978 World Championships
1978 World Aquatics Championships
The 1978 World Aquatics Championships took place in West Berlin, West Germany between August 20 and August 28, 1978.-Medals table:-Diving:MenWomen-Swimming:MenWomen-Synchronised swimming:-Water polo:Men-External links:***...
in Berlin he took Gold at the 100 meter butterfly as well as the 4×100-meter medley. He won nine U.S. National Championships between 1974 and 1980.
On August 27, 1977, at the GDR-US dual meet in East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
, Bottom broke Mark Spitz
Mark Spitz
Mark Andrew Spitz is a retired American swimmer. He won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, an achievement only surpassed by Michael Phelps who won eight golds at the 2008 Olympics....
's 5–year world record on the 100 meter butterfly
World record progression 100 metres butterfly
The first world record in the 100 metres butterfly in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1957, for both men and women...
with a time of 54.18. The night before the record-setting race, Bottom suffered from insomnia
Insomnia
Insomnia is most often defined by an individual's report of sleeping difficulties. While the term is sometimes used in sleep literature to describe a disorder demonstrated by polysomnographic evidence of disturbed sleep, insomnia is often defined as a positive response to either of two questions:...
and took a sleeping pill only to oversleep and miss his usual pre-race warmup swim. He was also a part of the team that set the world record in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay
World record progression 4x100 metres freestyle relay
Below is the world record progression for the 4×100 metres freestyle relay swimming event. Long course swimming records were recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1908...
on September 1, 1974.
In 2007, Bottom was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the 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...
in 2006.
Bottom currently resides in Chico, California
Chico, California
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 86,187 at the 2010 census, up from 59,954 at the time of the 2000 census...
, where he is a management consultant and serving as Senior Manager in Accenture
Accenture
Accenture plc is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company headquartered in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It is the largest consulting firm in the world and is a Fortune Global 500 company. As of September 2011, the company had more than 236,000 employees across...
's Marketing Sciences Practice within the Retail Products Industry. His younger brother, Mike Bottom
Mike Bottom
Mike Bottom is the ninth head coach in the 87-year history of the University of Michigan men’s swimming program and one of the world's most recognized swimming coaches...
, also swam at USC where he was a three time All-American (1975–77); Mike is currently one the world's top sprint coaches.