Reflections on Jimmy’s Election to the Helms Hall Swimming Hall of Fame

In my book, Jimmy—Swimmer, Coach, and Dad , I mention that Jimmy had been inducted into the Helms Hall Swimming Hall of Fame in 1963 and the Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame in 1972. Since the book’s publication, I have conducted further research into his election to the Helms Hall Swimming Hall of Fame. I would like to share what I have learned. Jimmy rarely, if ever, talked about his accomplishments. That was the case with this prestigious honor. I remember him telling me about the award and showing it to me. I know he felt honored, but I don’t recall him making much of a deal out of it. Typical of Jimmy, he never displayed the award or talked about it. In fact, after his death in 1975, I found it without its frame in a bedroom bureau drawer. The Helms Athletic Foundation was founded in 1936 to recognize accomplishments in a number of sports including swimming. A panel of experts met annually to make its selections. After the death in 1957 of Paul Helms, one of the two founders, a number of corporate benefactors assumed sponsorship for the foundation until it dissolved in 1982. The Helms Athletic Foundation archives are now located at the LA 84 Foundation in Los Angeles, CA. I contacted the LA 84 Foundation recently, and they were kind enough to locate and send me a copy of the original press release announcing the 1963 award winners. Here is an excerpt from the press release dated June 18, 1963—“Three famed swimmers of recent years, now retired—William Yorzyk, George Breen, and Mike Troy—six distinguished coaches—Arthur Adamson, Frederick Lanoue, James McAdoo, James Reilly, Roman Speegle, and Jack Torney—and noteworthy contributor R. Max Ritter have been chosen for Helms Hall Swimming Hall of Fame honors as the result of 1963 elections. “All will become recipients of Helms Hall Swimming Hall of Fame awards, and each will have his name engraved upon the Swimming Hall of Fame trophy which is lodged in Helms Hall, Los Angeles, international sports shrine.” Also included in the envelope was a roster of all the award recipients through 1963. Jimmy is among an illustrious group of twenty-two coaches, (through 1963). Some of the names I recognized and their accomplishments include— Bob Kiphuth—achieved a record of 528 wins–12 losses at Yale, and coached multiple Olympic teams. Matt Mann—coached Michigan to thirteen national championships, and coached the 1952 men’s Olympic team. Mike Peppe—the legendary coach at Ohio State. Dick Papenguth—the long-time coach at Purdue, and the 1952 women’s Olympic coach. Niels Thorpe—the coach at Minnesota for many years. Jim Reilly—achieved a record of 240 wins and 92 losses at Rutgers, and coached world record holders and Olympians Walter Spence and George Kojac. These men coached world-class swimmers, built national championship teams, and coached Olympic teams. Jimmy, the coach at tiny Swarthmore College, who delighted in coaching student athletes, was not of that ilk, yet his stature in the sport led to this honor. What a tribute to a man known in the world of swimming as Jimmy!