July 19, 1922 – This was truly a monumental moment in swimming history! American swimmer Johnny Weissmuller became the first person to break the 1-minute mark barrier for the 100-meter freestyle swim. Weissmuller was like a torpedo as he swam the races duration recording a 58.6 second time at a pool in Alameda, California.
The talented athlete set numerous world records along with winning five gold medals in the Olympics for the US. Johnny won the 100m freestyle and the 4 × 200 m relay team event in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris and the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. Weissmuller also won gold in the 400m freestyle, as well as a bronze medal in the water polo competition in Paris.
His Olympic fame and good looks had him cast into films in Hollywood including the 1932 movie of “Tarzan the Apeman” in which he developed the famous Tarzan yell that is still associated with the vine-swinging hero today.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
Marvin “Bad News” Barnes: The Nickname Explains It All
Marvin “Bad News” Barnes was a naturally gifted player who seemed to just be
Mark Morthier’s All-Time NFL List
As part of the NFL’s 100th anniversary, a team of 26 committee members selected
From Okinawa to Wrigley Field: WWII Vets Outflank Halas!
As we celebrate our first anniversary of “When Football Was Football” on the Sports
Super Bowl XIV (Steelers vs. Rams): An Ultimate Recount of the Game
Today we have Super Bowl XIV, which was held on January 20, 1980, in
New York Mets: World Series Appearances
It goes without saying that the New York Mets have not had anywhere near
Jay Berwanger: The NFL’s First-Ever Draft Pick (1936)
One of the most important innovations in the history of the National Football League
Super Bowl XIII (Steelers vs. Cowboys): An Ultimate Recount of the Game
Today we have Super Bowl XIII, which was held on January 21, 1979, in
1973 NFL Playoffs – A Year of Redemption for 3 Teams
Seemingly every year in pro football, or at least every few years, a couple