Jimmy McLane

James Price McLane Jr. (September 13, 1930 – December 13, 2020) was an American competition swimmer who competed for Yale University, a three-time Olympic champion, and a world record-holder. In 1945-48, in his peak years as a swimming competitor, as an exceptional middle distance swimmer, he captured two Olympic gold medals, and thirteen championships on the national level, winning another gold medal in the 4x200 meter freestyle relay at the 1952 Olympics.

McLane was born September 13, 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At the age of 13, he won the four-mile swim at the national AAU outdoor long-distance championships while a swimmer for the Firestone Club. As a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, which he attended on a swimming scholarship, he set national high school records in the 200-yard freestyle, 220-yard freestyle, and 440-yard freestyle.

1948 London Olympics At the 1948 U.S. Olympic trials for the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, several swimmers who had already qualified for the Olympics in other events slowed down in their heats or swam fast in the prelims and scratched themselves for the final to allow more swimmers to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team. McLane was one of the two swimmers who swam and scratched themselves from the trials final after having the fastest time in the prelims. Ultimately, coach Robert Kiphuth held a time trial shortly after the actual trials with eleven of the swimmers. This time trial had McLane as first overall with a time of 2:11.0, Bill Smith and Wally Wolf in 2:11.2, and Wally Ris in 2:12.4. The next four-Eugene Rogers in 2:14.2, Edwin Gilbert in 2:15.4, Robert Gibe in 2:15.6, and William Dudley in 2:15.9, were used in the Olympic prelims.

Representing the United States at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England as a 17-year-old, McLane won a gold medal in the men's 1500-meter freestyle, with a time of 19:18.5, finishing almost 13 seconds ahead of Australian and fellow Yale swimmer John Marshall (19:31.3). He also earned a silver medal for his second-place finish in the men's 400-meter freestyle (4:43.4), finishing behind fellow American Bill Smith (4:41.0).

He won another gold medal at the 1948 Olympics, along with teammates Wally Ris, Wally Wolf, and Bill Smith, as a member of the U.S.'s 4 × 200-meter freestyle relay, which set a new world record of 8:46.0 in the event final.

1952 Helsinki Olympics Four years later at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, McLane won another gold medal by swimming the anchor leg for the U.S. team in the 4 × 200-meter freestyle relay, together with relay teammates Wayne Moore, Bill Woolsey, and Ford Konno. The Americans set a new Olympic record of 8:31.1 in the final. In individual competition, he finished fourth in the men's 1,500-meter freestyle (18:51.5), and seventh in the men's 400-meter freestyle (4:40.3).

During the Korean War era, McLane served with a branch of Army Intelligence in greater New York, and during his years of service, swam and trained with the U.S. Army for two years.

Post-swimming life He retired from swimming after winning three gold medals at the 1955 Pan American Games.