Leo Goodwin

Leo Joseph "Bud" Goodwin (November 13, 1883 – May 25, 1957) was an American swimmer, diver, and water polo player who competed for the New York Athletic Club. He participated for the U.S. in the 1904 and 1908 Summer Olympics and won two gold and two bronze medals in events that encompassed all three disciplines.

Goodwin was born on November 13, 1883, in New York City, and like many outstanding swimmers in the area, swam for the New York Athletic Club, than managed by Hall of Fame Coach, Gus Sundstrom. Goodwin's training and competition were abruptly interrupted when he nearly lost his arm from blood poisoning at age 22. Dr. Dave Hennen, a swimmer from his club and surgeon, dissected his entire forearm while cleaning it from poison, then re-assembled the veins, muscles and ligaments. Goodwin quickly recovered, but was unfit for the 1906 Intercalated Games scheduled to be held in Athens.

1912 Stockholm At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, he was entered in three events, but did not swim.

At the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition Goodwin set an outdoor record by swimming 3.5 miles in 1 hour and 38 minutes in San Francisco Bay. He won by 200 yards. He later received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest peacetime award in the United States, for rescuing people from drowning at Newport News, Virginia. He retired from active competitions in 1922, but continued swimming through his seventies.

Honors Goodwin was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest U.S. peacetime award, for rescuing people from drowning at Newport News, Virginia. The award is not to be confused with the Congressional Medal of Honor which is usually awarded only to active members of the Military.

In 1971 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer".

He died at St. Vincents Hospital in New York on May 25, 1957. He was survived by a son, Tommy Goodwin who was a New York State golf championship five times.