1956 U.S. Olympic women’s team coach Stan Tinkham died on April 9th at the age of 87. He has suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for several years.
Tinkham served as an Olympic coach when he was only 24-years old, one of the youngest in history. He earned the spot while coaching the team at the Walter Reed Army Hospital from 1954 through 1958: a position begun as a 22-year old Army private.
During his tenure there, the teams dominated the U.S. Senior National Championships. At one point, his team was so dominant that during his 5 year stint, his team won every women’s swimming event in at least one season.
The International Swimming Hall of Famer was the coach of, among others, Shelley Mann as part of that Olympic team. Mann won gold in the 100 fly at those Games, which made her the first-ever Olympic butterfly gold medalist after the stroke officially diverged from breaststroke.
Betty Mullen and Mary Jane Sears were also members of that team. Sears won bronze in the 100 fly that year – part of a 1-2-3 sweep for the Americans.
- Read about the Walter Reed Army Hospital team here in an article from a 1955 issue of Sports Illustrated.
After leaving that post, Stan built his own pool, which he named the Northern Virginia Aquatic Club, and coached many more female champions. The club closed in 1988.
My brother, Rocque, swam under Stan on the Walter Reed team with Shelley Mann. I remember tagging along to early morning practices to watch “the big kids” workout. They would swim to exhaustion, unable to lift themselves out of the pool only to start another set of laps at short intervals. I remember the small pool was always crowded with boys and girls and they worked so hard they would actually sweat in the water. No goggles, so they left with bloodshot eyes only to go to school for a full day of classes. And, of course, Shelley was so good she beat the boys every time! :O) Stan was an amazing coach and the team just loved him.
He was my coach at NVAC through the 1960’s. He was a great role model to all of us. His dedication to his swimmers, their parents and his staff was not lost on any of us. He was a real gentleman. He will not be forgotten. R.I.P.
I swam under Stan Tinkham at Walter Red Army Medical Center in the 1950’s. Those were marvelous years on a fabulous team of world record holders. Remember swimming in the hospital pool where the temperature was so hot and chlorine so high that we couldn’t really focus our eyes for hours afterwards. No goggles in those days! He was a marvelous coach.
Stan was just a great guy. First he swam with us at Walter Reed and then he was drafted into taking us to the Nationals in Daytona Beach at 22. We won the championship. Who else said please and thank you when giving you a really hard set? A gentleman and a great representative for swimming. All of us who had the privilege of swimming for him have wonderful stories. Thanks Stan.
So sad! He was a gentleman! My Mom was part of that crew of ladies from the Walter Reed days and I had a few times while visiting my grandparents to swim with Stan. My Mom was a World Record holder under Stan, and has a wonderful crew of friends that dwindle by the year, that get together occasionally from that great swimmer era! Prayers to the Tinkham family from Wanda Werner (Cavanaugh), and her family the Cavanaugh’s.
He defined the term gentleman. It was always about far more than swimming. Thank you, Stan.
Very well-liked and respected Master’s coach in his semi-retirement (at RMSC) in the 90’s. Good man. RIP.
Stan Tinkham was a gentleman, a mentor, an inspiring coach, and an example of right living. He made my life have a deeper meaning in and out of the pool. Thank you, Stan.