Chet Jastremski
Encyclopedia
Chester Andrew Jastremski (born January 12, 1941 in Toledo, Ohio
) is a former American Olympic swimmer who won the bronze medal
in the 200 meter Breaststroke at the 1964 Tokyo Games. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
in 1977. He also swam with the Indiana Hoosiers swim team. He received his MD from Indiana University
in 1968.
He was featured on the January 29, 1962 cover of Sports Illustrated
.
Dr. Chet Jastremski was on the 1976 U.S. Olympic Medical Team. He served as a family practice physician for 35 years before rheumatoid arthritis
led him to retire. He practiced medicine in Bloomington, Indiana and frequently visited the Indiana University swim team throughout the years.
Chet and his coach, Doc Counsilman, invented the whip kick to replace the frog kick
in the breaststroke
. The whip kick minimized drag and accentuated Chet's very powerful shoulders and upper arms. Over the years, the original whip kick (done from the knee to feet) morphed into the breast stroke kick that uses the entire leg.
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
) is a former American Olympic swimmer who won the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
in the 200 meter Breaststroke at the 1964 Tokyo Games. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
in 1977. He also swam with the Indiana Hoosiers swim team. He received his MD from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in 1968.
He was featured on the January 29, 1962 cover of Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
.
Dr. Chet Jastremski was on the 1976 U.S. Olympic Medical Team. He served as a family practice physician for 35 years before rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
led him to retire. He practiced medicine in Bloomington, Indiana and frequently visited the Indiana University swim team throughout the years.
Chet and his coach, Doc Counsilman, invented the whip kick to replace the frog kick
Frog kick
The frog kick is a swimming action sometimes used by scuba divers when they are swimming near a soft silty seabed or lakebed which they do not want to stir up damaging the visibility. It is like the swimming action of a frog or the leg part of the breaststroke...
in the breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
. The whip kick minimized drag and accentuated Chet's very powerful shoulders and upper arms. Over the years, the original whip kick (done from the knee to feet) morphed into the breast stroke kick that uses the entire leg.