Fred Tisue

Frederick "Fred" Ernest Tisue (born October 17, 1938) is an American water polo player who competed for the University of Southern California and participated in water polo at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, where the U.S. placed seventh, and he tied for the most total goals scored during the tournament. After graduating from USC in 1960, he competed a DDS degree from Iowa State University in 1964, married, served as a Naval officer, and then practiced Dentistry in Torrance, California for over thirty years. After the 1954 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) water polo playoffs in early December 1954, where Downey High won a section championship, Tisue earned All-Coast League Honors. By 1956, as a multi-sport athlete, he held the short course record for the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:40.00. Ability in the butterfly or breast stroke was beneficial to play in water polo, as it allowed players to move forward quickly in fast breaks, while leaving their hands close to the surface for ball handling.

An outstanding swimmer, at the Olympic trials for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Tisue entered the 200 metre butterfly finishing sixth, though his placement was not high enough to be selected for the team.

University of Southern California Enrolling around 1956, and completing his degree in 1960, Tisue attended the University of Southern California where he competed in water polo under Coach Neal Kohlhase and swam under Head Coach Peter Daland while continuing to specialize in breaststroke. One of the leaders of the USC swim team by 1959 was Olympian Murray Rose.

1960 Olympic trials In July, 1960, Tisue qualified for the U.S. Olympic water polo team headed for Melbourne, while playing for the Lynwood Swim Club under Head Coach Neal Kohlhase at the Los Angeles Swim Stadium. The Lynwood Club went undefeated in trial competitions, defeating the Los Angeles Swim Stadium team, and the El Segundo Swim Club teams. 1960 Olympic team mate Bob Horn would later have a very successful career as a water polo coach at UCLA and serve as a U.S. Olympic water polo coach.

By the mid-60's Tisue served as a Dentist in the U.S. Navy.

Dental career By 1967, Tisue worked as a Dentist in California's South Bay. Holder of a DDS Degree, Tisue continued practicing Dentistry, in Torrance, California through around 2005, and had served as a President of the Western Dental Society's local committee for peer review. He continued his practice on Crenshaw Avenue in Torrance for over 30 years.

Continuing to excel in multiple swim strokes in later years, at 54 Tisue had a time of 1:03.56 in the 100 Individual Medley swimming for California's South Bay Masters in 1991. Remaining active at 80, while a resident of Eden, Utah, in 2019, Tisue completed the Dwight Crum two-mile open water Pier to Pier race from California's Hermosa Beach to Manhattan Beach. A loyal open water enthusiast, Tisue had completed the race annually for over fifty years, since the event began in 1963.