Accomplishments
- One of the greatest swimmers of all time.
- Known internationally for his acting career as Tarzan.
- Windber is listed as his birthplace, and the local community recognizes him as a native son.
- Won the AAU 50-yard and 220-yard titles in 1920.
- Won the national outdoor 100-yard and 440-yard crowns in 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1927 and 1928.
- Won the 880-yard event in 1925 and 1927.
- Twice participated in the Olympics.
- Won five Olympic gold medals and one bronze.
- Set records in 1924 in Paris for the 100 and 400 freestyle and swam the first leg of the record-breaking 800 relay team.
- Retained his 100-meter title four years later at Amsterdam with another record and anchored a record-setting relay team.
- Won 52 U.S. National Championships and set 67 world records.
- Turned professional in 1929 in possession of every world freestyle record.
- Appeared in 12 Tarzan films and was the most famous of the actors who played the role because of his character’s distinctive, ululating Tarzan yell, which became a part of American pop culture.
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