Herb Vollmer

Columbia University Graduating in 1918, Volmer swam and played water polo while attending Columbia University, where he was trained and managed by Hall of Fame Coach Edward T. Kennedy, who coached both water polo and swimming at Columbia from 1910-1955. Highly accomplished in the swimming community, Kennedy managed the U.S. men's Olympic swim teams in both 1936 and 1952, was an NCAA rules committee chairperson, and helped found the International Swimming Hall of Fame. A highly accomplished swimmer during his era, Vollmer captured six consecutive titles in intercollegiate competition in both the 100 and 200 yard freestyle events. As a freshman, Vollmer captured every freestyle record spanning the distance from 440 to 100 yards. In 1916, he helped establish outdoor freestyle world records in the 150 and 220 yard distances, as well as the longer 500. A multi-sport athlete, Volmer played football, often as a right tackle, and ran track at Columbia.

In an important achievement in his swimming career on February 17, 1916, he established what were then recorded as three world indoor swimming records on his way to winning the New York Metropolitan 220-yard swimming championship held at the New York Athletic Club. He set a new record for the 220-yard swim of 2:24.8, and a new record for the 200 meters, an established Olympic event, of 2:23.8.

In WWI, Vollmer served as a U.S. Naval Lieutenant, first entering the service around May, 1917. For a period through 1918, while commissioned as an Ensign, he served as an instructor at the Pelham Bay School, a WWI error training center for seaman and officers, where he was able to continue his own training at facilities in Long Island Sound, and compete for his naval station, before returning to competitive swimming in civilian life. and was managed and trained by Hall of Fame Coach Otto Wahle, a former Olympic medalist. A 1904 gold medalist in both swimming and water polo, Joe Ruddy also served as a coach at the NYAC in both sports, while also competing in water polo in his earlier coaching years. In a summary of his accomplishments with water polo teams, he was part of the AAU Sr. National Championship Team for indoor competition in the years 1922, 1929, 1931, 1935-36, and in 1920 for the AAU indoor Jr. National Championship Team. In the New York area, in 1924, and 1927, he was part of the AAU Sr. Metropolitan Championship Team.

1920-1924 Olympics

In 1920 he was a member of the American team in the water polo competition at the Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium where the American team was trained and managed by Vollmer's former coach at the New York Athletic Club, Otto Wahle. The U.S. team placed fourth, with the British team taking the gold, the home team Belgium taking the silver, and Sweden taking the bronze medal. Vollmer played in three matches.

Vollmer continued to compete with the New York Athletic Club water polo team that in 1929 captured the American Athletic Union title. Still active with the New York Athletic Club through the age of 41, from 1931-1936 he played on five NYAA Club teams that won AAU indoor championships.

In 1976, he was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame, and held the more distinctive honor of being admitted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame as a Pioneer swimmer in 1990.

In his professional career, Vollmer became a successful broker of real estate, and grew prosperous.

Vollmer died on November 8, 1961 in New York at the age of 66, and was buried in All Faiths Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens, New York.