With causes still unknown to the general public, including the SwimSwam staff, Polish American breaststroker and Indiana University graduate Chet Jastremski passed away today at the age of 73. As a fellow breaststroker, my heart hurts to hear this news.
Born in raised in Toledo, Ohio, Dr. Jastremski inherited and embraced his Polish American heritage from his father as he claimed to receive a great amount of support over seas even though never visiting or never having any association with the country during competition. He was officially inducted into the National Polish-American Hall of Fame in 2007.
He attended IU during the Doc Cousilman era and collaborated with him to revolutionize the breaststroke kick, changing from a wide frog style kick to the small whip kick commonly used today. In 1962, Jastremski premiered on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the World’s Greatest Swimmer. He graduated from Indiana with a medical degree in 1968 and set 12 world records and 21 American records, then served as team doctor on the 1976 Olympic Team in Montreal, Canada.
Though the list of accomplishments of Chet is long, his greatest swimming accomplishments include his inductions into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1997 and 2007 Polish-American Hall of Fame induction, his gold medal at the 1963 Pan American Games in São Paulo, Brazil in the 200 breaststroke (2:35.4), and his bronze medal at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in the 200 breaststroke (2:29.6). He was also the first swimmer to break a minute in the 100 breaststroke.
Chet was a teammate at the Toledo YMCA and Glass City Aquatic Club when I was 11 and he was 15. We became friends and he helped me develop my butterfly so by high school I became state champion. He was kind, encouraging, generous, and a true friend even later when I was swimming for Michigan and he was at IU. Jet, RIP.
Chet was Toledo’s first great swimmer and as a young aspiring fellow breaststroker inspired so many of us to want to follow in his footsteps and swim for Doc. Chet the Jet you will be missed!
As a teammate of Chet’s at Indiana University, it was perfectly clear that Chet was the ultimate example of a great athlete. He was highly competitive but humble in his successes. It was an honor to be his teammate. There will always be only one “Chet the Jet!”
My condolences to his family.
Tom Stock
It was truly an honor to swim for Chet (1986-1990) at Indiana University and learn how to swim the breaststroke. He was very detailed with his constructive criticism. In addition to countless hours working on perfecting the underwater pull, Chet would watch our stroke technique via the underwater window at Royer Pool and from inside the pool! Part of his coaching including watching video footage of Mike Barrowman’s breaststroke. Then, at 1988 Big Ten Championship, after countless hours of training and tweaking, Michigan coach Jim Richardson complimented us both on how “beautiful” my breaststroke was. I’ll never forget that moment and the resulting appreciative smile from Chet, that meant at lot to him I think as a coach, and me.… Read more »
Being a Toledo Ohio swimmer, all people talked about was Chet the Jet. It was a great honor to finally meet Chet when I went to swim for Doc in1968. He treated me as an equal even though I was10 years younger than him. He was a great PERSON!
I remember him as the IU swim team physician. Marge was the team mom and Chet was the team’s “big-brother”…
As teammate from 1958 to 1964 at the Indianapolis Athletic Club, at I.U., on the U.S. Teams to Europe and Japan in 1962 and to Tokyo in 1964, I remember Chet the Jet as not only as one of the greatest swimmers in the world but as a terrific individual and a warm and loyal friend. A part of Chet lives in every one of us making each a better person.
Sad sad news. He was a true pioneer for Breaststroke. I remember asking Doc about “Chet the Jet”, and the great stories he told. He will be missed.