Joe Cash

George Joseph Cash (25 May 1937 – 13 July 1967) was an American professional water skier. During his career Cash won four Masters, three U.S. Nationals, and two World Championships.

Biography

Joe Cash was born on May 25, 1937, to James and Clara Cash in Shelbyville, TN. His family moved to Sarasota, FL in 1946, which happened to be a popular spot for waterskiing. He did not begin waterskiing until his parents bought him his first pair of skis for his 17th birthday, but within three years, he was competing in national and world championships. Cash got his first job when he joined the ski show at Sunshine Springs and Gardens near Sarasota. He moved on to become a star performer in the Cypress Gardens show, while simultaneously piling up tournament trophies.

Professional career Cash was known in his time as the only skier in the history of the sport to set records in all three disciplines – slalom, jump, and trick – though at the time, only records in the jump were officially recognized. Cash tied the record for the jump with a 126-footer at the 1957 Nationals in San Diego. He set the record at 129 feet in 1958 at Delray Beach, FL, and raised the mark weeks later to 136 feet at the Callaway Gardens Nationals. In 1959, he again raised the mark by 10 feet to 142 in Fort Myers, FL. Cash won the Masters trick title in 1964.

Joe Cash is also known for inventing the deepwater start, a technique in Barefoot skiing in which the skier begins in the water with no skis. He accomplished this in 1958.

Coaching Even in the middle of his own championship career at a very young age, Cash taught a number of future champion skiers at his school in Sarasota. Three of the six members of the 1963 U.S. Team – Billy Spencer, Jeannette Brown, Dicksie Ann Hoyt, Johnny Blackburn – were students of Cash. Spencer and Brown won the overall titles at the World Championships that year in Vichy, France. 1957 World Jump Runner-up 1957 World Overall Champion 1958 National Jump Champion 1959 Masters Overall Champion 1960 Masters Slalom Champion 1962 Masters Slalom Champion 1963 Masters Trick Runner-up 1964 Masters Trick Champion