Mike McDermott

Michael James McDermott (January 18, 1893 – October 19, 1970) was an American breaststroke swimmer and water polo player who competed in both the 1912 and 1920 Summer Olympics. A noted athlete, he was the U.S. indoor 200-yard breaststroke champion for nine successive years, and between 1914-17 played on four National Water Polo Championship teams with the Illinois Athletic Club. He served as a Director of the Illinois Athletic Club through the 1950s, and founded and operated M.J. McDermott and Company, a successful Chicago-based construction and general contracting firm.

Swimming, water polo career A swimming Champion in breaststroke by 17, McDermott first officially broke the world record for the 100-yard breaststroke on October 12, 1910, with a time of 1:11.6 which was registered by the National AAU committee. He had formerly broken the American record the prior year with a 1:16.8. By 1913, he swam for the Illinois Athletic Club, where for a significant portion of his swimming and water polo career he was coached by the IAC's swimming and water polo coach William Bachrach. Bachrach was an accomplished coach of Olympic swimmers and Water Polo teams, and was admitted to Halls of Fame in both swimming and Water Polo.

From 1910-1918, McDermott was a US indoor 200-yard breaststroke champion for nine successive years, a streak which is considered one of the longest for swimmers who won national championships. A member of an exceptional number of championship teams in swimming and water polo, he placed first in 32 national championships in the two sports. On December 31, 1916, McDermott held the unofficial record for the 100-yard breast-stroke outdoor swim of 1:10.8, and 2:45.2 for the outdoor 200-yard breast-stroke swim.

Representing the IAC under Coach Bachrach at the Illinois State Tournament in August 1914, McDermott tied for second in individual points and won the 200-yard breaststroke event with a time of 2:57.8. The IAC dominated the tournament winning every swimming event, and won the team championship soundly defeating the Chicago Athletic Association.

1912, 1920 Olympics At the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden he was disqualified in the 200-meter breaststroke event as well as in the 400-meter breaststroke competition. In the 200 metre breastroke he was timed at 3:18.2 in the third heat in which he received a disqualification. In the 200 metre breaststroke, he swam a 7:07.0 in the second preliminary heat and was disqualified.

Reaching the rank of Lieutenant, McDermott spent 11 months as a Naval aviator flying a dirigible in France with the American Expeditionary Force during World War I. Somewhat familiar with flying, he had been taken flying by French pilots in Europe after the Stockhom Olympics in 1912.

Honors In 1955 McDermott was named to the prestigious Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame for his swimming accomplishments. He was honored by the Illinois Athletic Club on several occasions. inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 1976.