 | Steve Clark during his Yale days with coach Phil Moriarty. |
During the recent reunions, an alumnus brought back tangible proof that the Yale men's swimming program is one of the most decorated sports in the rich history of athletics -- capturing 60 individual NCAA Championships and four team national titles, while producing Bulldog swimmers that have won 19 Olympic medals.
One of those Olympians, Steve Clark '65, donated one of his gold medals from the 1964 Olympics to Yale Athletics during a ceremony held on June 4 in the Kiphuth Trophy Room of Payne Whitney Gymnasium.
"The gold is still shiny but the ribbons are as faded as I am," said Clark, who added that he was very humbled by the request to make an event out of his gift during his 40th reunion weekend. "I don't want to live on past athletic glory. That's not the way I was raised, and that's not why I am giving the medal to Yale. There are a lot of people in our class who did great things. This is more of a tribute to my coach at Yale, Phil Moriarty, who has been a father figure to me."
Clark swam the preliminaries of the 400 medley and 800 freestyle relays for the 1960 U.S. team at Rome as a high school student but did not earn a medal under the rules of that time.
In the Tokyo Olympiad, Clark won three gold medals as a member of the 400-meter freestyle and 800-freestyle relays and the 400-medley relay, each of those teams achieving world records. In addition, as the lead swimmer for the 400 free relay, Clark tied the 100-meter world record time of 52.9.
"I am extremely pleased that he has decided to do this," said the head coach of Yale Men's and Women's swimming, Frank Keefe. "He is one of the greatest swimmers of all time, and we are very fortunate to have the support from someone like Steve. This is the Heisman Trophy of swimming."
Tom Beckett, director of Yale Athletics, noted: "We are thrilled to receive this generous gift from Steve Clark and are very excited to display his great piece of Olympic history. He was one of the most prolific collegiate and Olympic swimmers ever and one of the finest leaders to wear the Blue and White."
During his collegiate career, the Los Altos, California native won five individual NCAA titles, was part of a relay national title and captained the 1964-1965 Yale team.
Clark is the first man in the world to swim faster than 48, 47 and 46 seconds for 100 yards and 21 seconds for 50 yards.
At the 1965 AAU Championships held at Yale, Clark lowered the 100-yard American record to 45.6. He received a standing ovation from over 2,000 fans as Moriarty awarded him his AAU Championship medal in the final race of his senior year.
Clark, a lawyer, was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an honor swimmer in 1966. He is a Masters swimmer with San Francisco's Olympic Club.
"After I led off the relay at the Olympics with the world record time, the starter walked over and handed me the shell from the gun which I still have," said Clark from his office at CSI Capital Management in San Francisco, a financial advisory firm for professional athletes. "A lot of my success in swimming could be attributed to the fact I had some of the greatest coaches in the world, including Phil Moriarty. Phil, and Yale, helped me become more than just a swimmer."
-- By Steven Conn, Sports Publicity
T H I S
Swimmer donates Olympic gold to alma mater
W E E K ' SS T O R I E S
Yale committed to offering overseas opportunities to all undergraduates
Project funded by Class of 1957 is adding music education . . .
International festival marks 10th year of arts & ideas
Student writer's works cast light on injustices
COMMENCEMENT 2005
Yale celebrates its newest graduates with pomp
Baccalaureate Address
Honorary Degrees
Commencement 2005 Photo Gallery
ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPSOutgoing SOM dean named to Trippe chair
Andrews to hold Koopmans post
Glazer appointed to Hunter chair
Hayes designated as Weis Professor
Morris to assume Fisher chair
Study: More students expelled in preschool than in later years
Team sheds light on RNA quality-control system
Music linked to decreased need for sedation
Biologists successfully extract and analyze DNA from extinct lemurs
Law deanship endowed with Goldman family gift
Harvey Goldblatt is reappointed as Pierson master
Radio interview leads Ruff to a 'magical' discovery
Head coach post endowed in honor of late Yale tennis star
Swimmer donates Olympic gold to alma mater
Tsunami-causing earthquake yields new data about Earth's core
Children develop cynicism at an early age, says study
'Lost' papers of journalist noted for her stories on Russian Revolution . . .
All hail Hale!
New risk assessment program will provide early genetic screening
Works by young playwrights to be staged as part of Drama School project
Internationally renowned tenor joins the faculty as voice teacher
Workshop explores chronic disease prevention
MacMicking named a Searle Scholar for infection research
Elimelech garners Clarke Prize for water research
Congresswoman to speak at benefit gala for cancer research
Student Awards and Fellowships
Search committee named for School of Music dean
Memorial to honor Dr. Alvin Novick
Campus Notes
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