Spitz, Mark (1950—)

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Spitz, Mark (1950—)

The first Olympian ever to win seven gold medals in a single Olympics, U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz became part hero and part controversial athlete during his Olympic career. With his black mustache and movie star looks, Spitz dominated his sport in 1972 and retired to find even greater fame as the first athlete to become a commercial success in corporate America. Even the specter of terrorism at the 1972 Munich games did not lessen his extraordinary appeal. With 11 Olympic medals under his belt and a reported $5 million in endorsements, Spitz enjoyed enormous popularity and success in the 1970s.

Spitz began training at an early age, and by the age of eight he was already swimming in competitions. With his family firmly behind him, the Spitzes relocated to California in search of a better training environment. Spitz received encouragement and training from both his father, Arnold, and three coaches during the course of his career. Coaches Sherm Chavoon, Doc Counsilman, and George Hains, all Hall of Fame members, guided Spitz to success in competition.

Known for his self-confidence, Spitz was not always popular with his teammates but continued to train for both team and individual competitions. By the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, the outspoken Spitz had already made a name for himself as a cocky, self-assured young man. In the days before the games, he boasted that he would take home six gold medals. Unfortunately, his prediction fell far short; he won only two gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal. Disappointed, but not daunted, Spitz returned home to train with the Indiana University swim team in preparation for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany.

By the beginning of the 1972 Olympics, Spitz had matured as both an athlete and as a person. His personal appearances lacked the boasting predictions of 1968, and he appeared more focused on his goal of winning as many medals as possible. His determination paid off. By the end of his second Olympiad, Spitz had won seven gold medals and set seven world records in only eight days, a record that remained unbroken throughout the century. Even amid the terrorism during the Munich games, in which nine members of the Israeli team, a West German police officer, and all five Arab terrorists were killed, Spitz's victories remained a high point for both himself and the U.S. Olympic swim team.

Spitz's popular appeal did not wane following the 1972 Olympics, and he returned home a hero with seven gold medals, endorsement contracts, and even a popular poster underscoring his achievements as the winner of seven gold medals. With a contract from the William Morris Agency, Spitz promoted a range of items from swimwear and pool accessories to milk, razors, and even hair dryers. In addition to his endorsements, Spitz also made numerous television appearances with such stars as Sonny and Cher and Bob Hope.

However, Spitz never really found success in the advertising world. Lacking the agents and the public relations experts employed by athletes in the 1990s, Spitz did not receive the guidance he needed to succeed in product endorsement. He was considered "too quiet" by some and was criticized for his often stiff appearance on camera. But by the standards of the 1990s, the most surprising criticism Spitz received was that he endorsed too many products. After clearing the way for future athletes to carve out lucrative niches in advertising, Spitz left both his swimming career and his endorsements behind for a life out of the spotlight.

By the time he retired from swimming shortly after his 1972 Olympic victories, Spitz, at age 23, had won 11 Olympic medals and had set 26 individual world records and 24 national records. In 1972, he was named World Swimmer of the Year and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an Honor Swimmer in 1977. In the years following Munich, Spitz led a busy life pursuing a wide variety of interests including real estate investments, sailing, speaking engagements, and appearances at swimming events.

In the 1990s Spitz attempted a comeback at the age of 40. His attempt to qualify in the 100-meter butterfly for the 1992 games fell short, and he retired again. But this setback did not alter his love of the sport or his active participation in it. At the 1998 World Championships in Perth, Australia, Spitz proposed the creation of a position dealing with the problem of performance-enhancing drugs used by swimmers. Though no longer a competitor, Spitz retains his love for and interest in the sport through personal appearances at competitions and the enjoyment he still finds in swimming. Though his outstanding career has been punctuated with disappointments in 1968, tragedy in 1972, and a failed comeback in 1992, Mark Spitz remains a national hero and a shining star in the Olympic firmament.

—Kimberley H. Kidd