Biography.guide
Home › People › Water polo player › James R. Smith
Portrait of James R. Smith

James R. Smith

1904 – 1986

American water polo player and coach

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About James R. Smith

Lived 1904 – 1986 (aged 81–82). James R. Smith was an American water polo player and coach.

Service to swimming community Smith wrote articles for the Associated Press, Swimming World Magazine and Water Polo Scoreboard. He authored several books on aquatic coaching and the mechanics of play. His 1936 book, Playing and Coaching Water Polo, broke ground as one of the earlies texts on the sport, and he later authored "Water Polo in the Olympics". He served as a member of the U.S. Olympic Water Polo Committee from 1948 to 1956, and the National AAU Water Polo Committee from 1948 to 1976. He developed a water polo ball made with an inflatable bladder and a rubber fabric cover, which improved performance, adding spectator interest to the game.

In 1990, the United States Water Polo Award was established in memory of Jimmie Smith and his contributions to the sport of water polo. The award is given annually to an individual or group, recognizing outstanding contributions to water polo in the United States. The trophy is exhibited at the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
1904
Birth century
Died
1986
Nationality
Also known as
Jimmy Smith, James Roy Smith

People in James R. Smith's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped James R. Smith's

Frequently asked questions

Who was James R. Smith?

American water polo player and coach

When was James R. Smith born?

James R. Smith was born in 1904.

When did James R. Smith die?

James R. Smith died in 1986.

What was James R. Smith's occupation?

James R. Smith was a water polo player and coach.

What nationality was James R. Smith?

James R. Smith was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: James R. Smith

· Wikidata: Q6141730

· DBpedia: James R. Smith

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James R. Smith. https://biography.guide/james-r-smith/

MLA: "James R. Smith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-r-smith/.

Chicago: "James R. Smith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-r-smith/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:21 UTC