Bill Mulliken

William Danforth Mulliken (August 27, 1939 – July 17, 2014) was a Hall of Fame American competition swimmer who attended Miami University in Oxford and was a 1960 Rome Olympic champion in the men's 200-meter breaststroke. He later practiced law in Chicago, and served as a twenty-year President of the Chicago Masters Swim Club.

Illinois state championships Despite lacking strong team training, at the Illinois High School Swimming and Diving Championships, he won state titles in the 100-yard breaststroke of 1:03.9 and the 200-yard freestyle of 1:59.8 for 1956-7 during his time at Champaign High School.

Mulliken represented the United States at the 1959 Pan American Games, where he captured a gold medal winning the 200-meter breaststroke, his signature event, in 2:43.1, though he would improve significantly on his time in the 1960 Olympics. While swimming for Miami, Mulliken became the University's first NCAA and Olympic swimming champion and set 15 school records before graduating. In the 1959 NCAA Swimming Championships, he set both an American and NCAA record time of 2:21.3 in the 200-yard breaststroke. In Mid-American Conference Collegiate competition, during a three year period, he won nine individual titles and captured four new records.

1960 Rome Olympic gold medal Despite being ranked only 17th in the world going into the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, in a performance that exceeded expectations, Mulliken captured a gold medal for winning the men's 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2:37.2, a new Olympic record. Three of his opponents were heavily favored to outperform him; Yoshihiko Osaki of Japan, Georgi Prokopenko of the Soviet Union and Australian world record holder Terry Gathercole. On his third turn in the 50-meter course, coming into the final length, Mulliken realized that with a strong finish he could overtake Osaki, and likely set a new Olympic record.

His unexpected win inspired the U.S. team, as an American had not won the Olympic event since Joe Verdeur at the 1948 Games in London.

Post-swimming career Mullikin graduated Harvard University in 1964 with a law degree. He retired as general counsel and senior vice president of ChemCentral Corp. in 2004. An active alumni, he also chaired the capital campaign for Miami University's Library.

Honors Mulliken became a member of the University of Miami's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1971, and was also a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

After a stroke, Mulliken died in Chicago at 74, on Thursday, July 17. He was survived by his wife, Lorna Filippini-Mulliken, two daughters and a son from his first marriage, siblings and numerous grandchildren. He had suffered two former strokes. An avid swimmer, he had formerly served for 20 years as a past president of Chicago Masters swimming. A memorial service was held at Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home on August 30.