Dick Blick

Richard Adolph Blick (born July 29, 1940) is an American former competition swimmer, 1960 Olympic champion in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, and former world record-holder. He competed for North Central College under International Hall of Fame Coach Dr. Hal Henning Jr. After his swimming career ended in 1962, he earned a Masters in Physical Education from Indiana University, and had a long career in High School education as a coach, math teacher, and principal in California. Blick attended Bakersfield High School, where he played football, basketball, and helped lead the Bakersfield High swim team to two league titles. Along with a few other team members, he got an edge on the competition in his Senior year by finding a motel pool to train at in the winter, as the Bakersfield area had no heated outdoor pools. At the 1961 National Outdoor swimming championships in Los Angeles, he went under the standing record in the 200 freestyle, swimming a 2:01.5, though it placed him in third behind University of Southern California swimmer and two-time Olympian Murray Rose who set the new record. Rose would swim for the Australian 4x200 meter relay team in 1960 and earn the bronze medal, competing against Blick's American team in the event.

In international swimming competition, Blick was a member of the U.S. Pan American team from 1959-1961. Prior to his Olympic gold medal, Blick competed in the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago, helping the US win gold in the 4x200 free relay.

1960 Olympic gold medal Blick qualified for the 1960 Olympics at the U.S. Trials in Detroit in August. At the trials on August 5, 1960, he finished second to George Harrison's of Stanford's time of 2:03.1 in the finals of the 200-meter freestyle. Blick's time was a 2:04.2, outstanding for 1960. For a brief period, Blick would be rated as the top swimmer in the world in the 200-meter freestyle event. Jeff Farrell finished third with a 2:04.6, despite suffering from an appendicitis around six days earlier.

After having qualified at the trials, Blick competed at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, where he won a gold medal as a member of the first-place U.S. team in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay. The American team set a new World Record time of 8:10.2, beating the Japanese team by 3 seconds, who were closely followed by the Australians. Swimming anchor for the U.S. team, Jeff Farrell, considered one of the fastest 200 metre swimmers in the world, performed up to expectations, despite his fairly recent appendicitis. George Harrison, who finished first in the 200-meter trials in Detroit, swam first.

Educator and coach After completing his degree at North Central, Blick received a Masters’ in Physical Education from Indiana University in 1962, and decided to retire from competitive swimming. Beginning his career in education around 1963 after moving to California, he coached swimming and taught at Foothill High School, Bakersfield High School, Lynbrook High School, San Jose High School, and Pioneer High Schools. His wife Shirley taught Elementary School.

As a coaching highlight, in 1976 he coached the San Jose Area's Lynbrook High School swim team to a perfect season, and was subsequently named California Coaches Association Coach of the Year. From 1964-1977, he coached 25 Prep All-Americans, in both swimming and water polo.

He is now retired and living in Nebraska with his wife, the former Shirley L. Youngberg, whom he married in June, 1962 while they were both Seniors at North Central College.

Honors In 1977, he was elected to the Bakerfield area's Bob Elias Kern County Sports Hall of Fame, and in 1976 was a California Coaches Association Coach of the Year. An exceptional collegiate swimmer, in 2004 he was inducted into the North Central College Sports Hall of Fame.