Joe Cash
Encyclopedia
George Joseph Cash better known as Joe Cash, was a World Championship water skier and renowned instructor. He was post-humously inducted into the WaterSkiing Hall of Fame in 1987, along with Mike Suyderhoud.
show, while simultaneously piling up tournament trophies.
Nationals. In 1959, he again raised the mark by 10 feet to 142 in Fort Myers, FL.
Cash injured his knee during a jump at the 1959 Nationals in Laconia, NH, ending his jumping career, though Cash would continue to compete in the slalom and the trick. His increased focus on those events seemed to pay off with Masters slalom titles in 1960 and 1962 and a second place finish in trick at the Masters in 1963, close behind Al Tyll, acknowledged as the world's best in his specialty who won four consecutive National Championships in the trick from 1962 through 1965. Cash won the Masters trick title in 1964.
Joe Cash is also known for inventing the deepwater start, a technique in Barefoot skiing
in which the skier begins in the water with no skis. He accomplished this in 1958.
Bo Callaway immediately instituted a slalom trophy in Cash's memory to be awarded each year for the best slalom performance in the Masters. Guillermo Garcia, a friend whose son Cash had trained at their country place on Lake Tequesquitengo near Mexico City, named the Joe Cash Memorial Invitational Tournament in his honor, which quickly became a popular midwinter competition at the Mexican resort.
Biography
Joe Cash was born on May 25, 1937 to James and Clara Cash in Shelbyville, TN. His family moved to Sarasota, FL in 1946, which happened to be a popular spot for waterskiing. He did not begin waterskiing until his parents bought him his first pair of skis for his 17th birthday, but within three years, he was competing in national and world championships. He was clearly a "natural." Cash got his first job when he joined the ski show at Sunshine Springs and Gardens near Sarasota. He moved on to become a star performer in the Cypress GardensCypress Gardens
Cypress Gardens was an American theme park near Winter Haven, Florida, that operated from 1936 to 2009.-History:Billed as Florida's first commercial tourist theme park, Cypress Gardens opened on January 2, 1936 as a botanical garden planted by Dick Pope Sr. and his wife Julie...
show, while simultaneously piling up tournament trophies.
Professional career
Cash was known in his time as the only skier in the history of the sport to set records in all three disciplines - slalom, jump, and trick - though at the time, only records in the jump were officially recognized. Cash tied the record for the jump with a 126-footer at the 1957 Nationals in San Diego. He set the record at 129 feet in 1958 at Delray Beach, FL, and raised the mark weeks later to 136 feet at the Callaway GardensCallaway Gardens
Callaway Gardens is a resort complex located in Pine Mountain, Georgia, just outside of Columbus, Georgia. The resort draws over 750,000 visitors annually....
Nationals. In 1959, he again raised the mark by 10 feet to 142 in Fort Myers, FL.
Cash injured his knee during a jump at the 1959 Nationals in Laconia, NH, ending his jumping career, though Cash would continue to compete in the slalom and the trick. His increased focus on those events seemed to pay off with Masters slalom titles in 1960 and 1962 and a second place finish in trick at the Masters in 1963, close behind Al Tyll, acknowledged as the world's best in his specialty who won four consecutive National Championships in the trick from 1962 through 1965. Cash won the Masters trick title in 1964.
Joe Cash is also known for inventing the deepwater start, a technique in Barefoot skiing
Barefoot skiing
Barefoot skiing is water skiing behind a motorboat without the use of water skis, commonly referred to as "barefooting". Barefooting requires the skier to travel at higher speeds than conventional water skiing...
in which the skier begins in the water with no skis. He accomplished this in 1958.
Coaching
Even in the middle of his own championship career at a very young age, Cash taught a number of future champion skiiers at his world renowned school in Sarasota. Young skiiers came from across the globe seeking his tutelage from Italy, Germany, France, Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, and Argentina, and from across the United States. Three of the six members of the 1963 U.S. Team - Billy Spencer, Jeannette Brown, and Dicksie Ann Hoyt - were students of Cash. Spencer and Brown won the overall titles at the World Championships that year in Vichy, France.Death
On July 13, 1967, Joe Cash was making last-minute preparations to leave for Callaway Gardens and the Masters tournament, in which a number of his students were competing. He had been to every Masters since becoming the Overall Champion at the inaugural event in 1959, either as a contestant or spectator. On his way, his car collided with a train in Sarasota, ending his life. He was 30 years old.Bo Callaway immediately instituted a slalom trophy in Cash's memory to be awarded each year for the best slalom performance in the Masters. Guillermo Garcia, a friend whose son Cash had trained at their country place on Lake Tequesquitengo near Mexico City, named the Joe Cash Memorial Invitational Tournament in his honor, which quickly became a popular midwinter competition at the Mexican resort.
Tournament results
- 1957 National Jump Champion
- 1957 World Slalom ChampionWorld water skiing champions- List of Tournament World champions - Men & Women :- List of Ski Racing World Champions:- List of Cable Ski World champions - Men & Women :-1980s:1982*Willa Cook, Deleon Springs, Florida, *Ralph Samuelson, deceased, *Richard Pope, deceased,...
- 1957 World Jump Runner-up
- 1957 World Overall ChampionWorld water skiing champions- List of Tournament World champions - Men & Women :- List of Ski Racing World Champions:- List of Cable Ski World champions - Men & Women :-1980s:1982*Willa Cook, Deleon Springs, Florida, *Ralph Samuelson, deceased, *Richard Pope, deceased,...
- 1958 National Jump Champion
- 1959 Masters Overall Champion
- 1960 Masters Slalom Champion
- 1962 Masters Slalom Champion
- 1963 Masters Trick Runner-up
- 1964 Masters Trick Champion
See also
- Waterskiing
- Barefoot skiingBarefoot skiingBarefoot skiing is water skiing behind a motorboat without the use of water skis, commonly referred to as "barefooting". Barefooting requires the skier to travel at higher speeds than conventional water skiing...
- World water skiing championsWorld water skiing champions- List of Tournament World champions - Men & Women :- List of Ski Racing World Champions:- List of Cable Ski World champions - Men & Women :-1980s:1982*Willa Cook, Deleon Springs, Florida, *Ralph Samuelson, deceased, *Richard Pope, deceased,...
- Masters Waterski and Wakeboard Tournament
- List of Water Skiing Hall of Fame Inductees
- USA Water SkiUSA Water SkiUSA Water Ski is a non-profit water skiing association headquartered in Polk County, Florida consisting of the following organizations:*American Water Ski Association*American Barefoot Club*American Kneelboard Association...
- United States Waterskiing TeamUnited States Waterskiing TeamThe United States Waterskiing Team competes internationally in water skiing tournaments and other events. Recently the team celebrated winning the Gold Cup. Members of the team have informally been known as "The Yellow Shirts". The team is known for its demanding training regimen and has been quite...