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{{Short description|American swimmer (1933–2020)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox swimmer
{{Infobox swimmer
| name = William Yorzyk
| name = William Yorzyk
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| alt =
| alt =
| caption = Yorzyk in 1956
| caption = Yorzyk in 1956
| fullname = William Albert Yorzyk, Jr.
| fullname = William Albert Yorzyk Jr.
| nicknames = "Bill"
| nicknames = "Bill"
| national_team = {{USA}}
| national_team = {{USA}}
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| club = New Haven Swim Club
| club = New Haven Swim Club
| collegeteam = [[Springfield College (Massachusetts)|Springfield College]]
| collegeteam = [[Springfield College (Massachusetts)|Springfield College]]
| coach = [[Charles Silvia]]<br>(Springfield College)
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1933|5|29|mf=yes}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|5|29|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Northampton, Massachusetts]]
| birth_place = [[Northampton, Massachusetts]], U.S.
| death_date =
| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|9|2|1933|5|29}}
| death_place =
| death_place =
| height = {{convert|5|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|5|ft|10|in|m|abbr=on}}
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}}
}}


'''William Albert Yorzyk, Jr.''' (born May 29, 1933) is an American former competition [[swimming (sport)|swimmer]], Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.
'''William Albert "Bill" Yorzyk Jr.''' (May 29, 1933 – September 2, 2020) was an American competition [[swimming (sport)|swimmer]], Olympic champion, and one-time world record-holder.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/passages-william-bill-yorzyk-1956-olympic-champion-in-200-butterfly/|title=Passages: William 'Bill' Yorzyk, 1956 Olympic Champion in 200 Butterfly|date=3 September 2020}}</ref>


== Swimming for Springfield College==
⚫
Yorzyk represented the United States at the [[1956 Summer Olympics]] in Melbourne, Australia.<ref name=sroprofile>Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, [https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/yo/bill-yorzyk-1.html Bill Yorzyk]. Retrieved March 21, 2013.</ref> He was the first swimmer to win the gold medal in the new [[Swimming at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre butterfly|200-meter butterfly]] event, finishing with a time of 2:19.3 in the final.<ref name=sroprofile/><ref>Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games, [https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1956/SWI/mens-200-metres-butterfly-final.html Men's 200 metres Butterfly Final]. Retrieved March 21, 2013.</ref>
As a 16-year-old entering Freshman at [[Springfield College|Springfield College, Massachusetts]], Yorzyk was so unfamiliar with swimming that when the college assessed his ability in the sport, he was declared a "water risk". Failing to make the football team, but wanting to pursue a sport, Yorzyk spent a lot of time in the pool trying to improve his swimming skills in hope of acquiring survival skills and possibly making the team.<ref name=":2">Barney, David E., and Robert K. Barney. "[https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&u=googlescholar&id=GALE%7CA176818711&v=2.1&it=r&sid=AONE&asid=535b6e53 A long night's journey into day: the Odyssey of the butterfly stroke in international swimming.]" ''Proceedings: International Symposium for Olympic Research'', Oct. 2006, pp. 65+. ''Gale Academic OneFile'', link.gale.com/apps/doc/A176818711/AONE?u=googlescholar&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=535b6e53. Accessed 12 Dec. 2023.</ref> While practicing swimming at Springfield's modest 20-yard McCurdy Natatorium, Yorzyk caught the eye of Springfield's Hall of Fame Coach [[Charles Silvia]], who saw potential in Yorzyk, who showed great grit and determination, despite being a beginner. Yorzyk recalled "I lived at the pool, swam between classes, and became totally waterlogged".<ref name=":2" />


===Swimming achievements===
⚫
Yorzyk continued to swim competitively while he attended medical school at the [[University of Toronto]]. He won the U.S. AAU indoor championship in the 220-yard butterfly in 1958. He was awarded the university's Bickle Prize as its outstanding student-athlete in 1958 and 1959.<ref name=ishofprofile>International Swimming Hall of Fame, Honorees, [http://www.ishof.org/william-yorzyk-(usa).html William Yorzyk (USA)]. Retrieved April 5, 2015.</ref>
Later in his [[Freshman|freshman year]], Yorzyk won the Freshman Numerals competition at Springfield, and by the end of his [[Sophomore|sophomore year]], he had [[All-America|NCAA All-America]] status in the 1500 yard and 440 yard [[Freestyle swimming|freestyle]] events. In his senior year, Yorzyk achieved All-America status in the 1500 yard and 440 yard freestyle events again, and in the 200 yard [[breaststroke]] event using the butterfly-breaststroke technique.<ref name=":2" /> After the 1954 [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] Championships, Yorzyk and [[Charles Silvia|Silvia]] traveled to the 1954 National [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] Indoor Swimming Championships in [[Yale University|Yale]], where they witnessed the [[butterfly stroke]] for the first time, swum by [[Buddy Baarcke]]. Yorzyk recalled "As soon as I saw [Baarcke's] swim I knew I could swim that stroke", "We came home from Yale and started work on the [[Butterfly stroke|fly]]. It came easily for me, and we were off and away. '[[Charles Silvia|Red]]' had me swim in every water carnival he could find, and I ended up with a total of 23 American records at all distances.".<ref name=":2" /> Yorzyk was also the first to use the every other stroke breathing style exclusively.<ref name=":2" /> At the [[Swimming at the 1955 Pan American Games|1955 Pan-American Games]], Yorzyk won a bronze medal in the 200m butterfly.<ref>{{Cite web |website=[[International Swimming Hall of Fame]] |title=Olympic Medalists |url=http://www.ishof.org/library/pdf/medalists.pdf |access-date=2023-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925223500/http://www.ishof.org/library/pdf/medalists.pdf |archive-date=2013-09-25 }}</ref>


=== 1956 Olympic Gold medal ===
⚫
Yorzyk was inducted into the [[International Swimming Hall of Fame]] as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1971.<ref name=ishofprofile/>
⚫
Yorzyk represented the [[United States]] at the [[1956 Summer Olympics]] in [[Melbourne, Australia]].<ref name="sroprofile">Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, [https://web.archive.org/web/20200417170212/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/yo/bill-yorzyk-1.html Bill Yorzyk]. Retrieved March 21, 2013.</ref> He was the first swimmer to win the gold medal in the new [[Swimming at the 1956 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre butterfly|200-meter butterfly]] event, finishing with a time of 2:19.3 in the final. At the Olympics, he was coached by his Springfield College Coach, [[Charles Silvia]], who had been selected as the U.S. Olympic Swim Coach for the games at Melbourne.<ref name="sroprofile" /><ref>Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games, [https://web.archive.org/web/20200417165227/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1956/SWI/mens-200-metres-butterfly-final.html [Men's 200 metres Butterfly Final]. Retrieved March 21, 2013.</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=13 December 2023 |title=Olympedia – 200 metres Butterfly, Men |url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/5421 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213074917/https://www.olympedia.org/results/5421 |archive-date=13 December 2023 |access-date=13 December 2023 |website=Olympedia}}</ref>

=== Later achievements in swimming and medicine ===
⚫
Yorzyk continued to swim competitively while he attended medical school at the [[University of Toronto]], where he qualified as an [[Anesthesiology|anesthesiologist]]. He then served as a physician in the [[United States Air Force]] Medical Corps and was commissioned a captain. He won the U.S. [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] indoor championship in the 220-yard butterfly in 1958, and was awarded the [[University of Toronto|university]]'s Bickle Prize as its outstanding student-athlete in 1958 and 1959.<ref name="ishofprofile">{{cite web |url=http://www.ishof.org/william-yorzyk-(usa).html |title= William Yorzyk (USA) |website=ISHOF.org |publisher=[[International Swimming Hall of Fame]] |access-date=April 5, 2015 |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402094635/http://www.ishof.org/william-yorzyk-%28usa%29.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Yorzyk returned to the [[1964 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games in 1964]] as associate physician to the US delegation.<ref name=":0" />

⚫
He was inducted into the [[International Swimming Hall of Fame]] as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1971.<ref name=ishofprofile/>

== Death ==
William Yorzyk died on 2 September 2020, aged 87.<ref>[https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/passages-william-bill-yorzyk-1956-olympic-champion-in-200-butterfly/ Passages: William ‘Bill' Yorzyk, 1956 Olympic Champion in 200 Butterfly]</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
* [[List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame]]
* [[List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)]]
* [[List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)]]
* [[Springfield College (Massachusetts)#Notable alumni and faculty|List of Springfield University alumni]]
* [[Springfield College (Massachusetts)#Notable alumni and faculty|List of Springfield University alumni]]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Yorzyk, William}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yorzyk, William}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:American male butterfly swimmers]]
[[Category:American male butterfly swimmers]]
[[Category:American male freestyle swimmers]]
[[Category:American male freestyle swimmers]]
[[Category:International Swimming Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Northampton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming]]
[[Category:Swimmers from Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Olympic swimmers of the United States]]
[[Category:Springfield Pride men's swimmers]]
[[Category:People from Northampton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:University of Toronto alumni]]
[[Category:Springfield Pride swimmers]]
[[Category:Physicians from Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1955 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:American anesthesiologists]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Massachusetts]]
[[Category:United States Air Force Medical Corps officers]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1956 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1956 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming]]
[[Category:Pan American Games medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1955 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1955 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in swimming]]
[[Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in swimming]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]

Latest revision as of 17:28, 19 October 2024

William Yorzyk
Yorzyk in 1956
Personal information
Full nameWilliam Albert Yorzyk Jr.
Nickname"Bill"
National team United States
Born(1933-05-29)May 29, 1933
Northampton, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedSeptember 2, 2020(2020-09-02) (aged 87)
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight163 lb (74 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesButterfly, freestyle
ClubNew Haven Swim Club
College teamSpringfield College
CoachCharles Silvia
(Springfield College)
Medal record
Representing the United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1956 Melbourne 200 m butterfly
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1955 Mexico City 4×200 m freestyle
Bronze medal – third place 1955 Mexico City 200 m butterfly

William Albert "Bill" Yorzyk Jr. (May 29, 1933 – September 2, 2020) was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and one-time world record-holder.[1]

Swimming for Springfield College

[edit]

As a 16-year-old entering Freshman at Springfield College, Massachusetts, Yorzyk was so unfamiliar with swimming that when the college assessed his ability in the sport, he was declared a "water risk". Failing to make the football team, but wanting to pursue a sport, Yorzyk spent a lot of time in the pool trying to improve his swimming skills in hope of acquiring survival skills and possibly making the team.[2] While practicing swimming at Springfield's modest 20-yard McCurdy Natatorium, Yorzyk caught the eye of Springfield's Hall of Fame Coach Charles Silvia, who saw potential in Yorzyk, who showed great grit and determination, despite being a beginner. Yorzyk recalled "I lived at the pool, swam between classes, and became totally waterlogged".[2]

Swimming achievements

[edit]

Later in his freshman year, Yorzyk won the Freshman Numerals competition at Springfield, and by the end of his sophomore year, he had NCAA All-America status in the 1500 yard and 440 yard freestyle events. In his senior year, Yorzyk achieved All-America status in the 1500 yard and 440 yard freestyle events again, and in the 200 yard breaststroke event using the butterfly-breaststroke technique.[2] After the 1954 NCAA Championships, Yorzyk and Silvia traveled to the 1954 National AAU Indoor Swimming Championships in Yale, where they witnessed the butterfly stroke for the first time, swum by Buddy Baarcke. Yorzyk recalled "As soon as I saw [Baarcke's] swim I knew I could swim that stroke", "We came home from Yale and started work on the fly. It came easily for me, and we were off and away. 'Red' had me swim in every water carnival he could find, and I ended up with a total of 23 American records at all distances.".[2] Yorzyk was also the first to use the every other stroke breathing style exclusively.[2] At the 1955 Pan-American Games, Yorzyk won a bronze medal in the 200m butterfly.[3]

1956 Olympic Gold medal

[edit]

Yorzyk represented the United States at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.[4] He was the first swimmer to win the gold medal in the new 200-meter butterfly event, finishing with a time of 2:19.3 in the final. At the Olympics, he was coached by his Springfield College Coach, Charles Silvia, who had been selected as the U.S. Olympic Swim Coach for the games at Melbourne.[4][5][6]

Later achievements in swimming and medicine

[edit]

Yorzyk continued to swim competitively while he attended medical school at the University of Toronto, where he qualified as an anesthesiologist. He then served as a physician in the United States Air Force Medical Corps and was commissioned a captain. He won the U.S. AAU indoor championship in the 220-yard butterfly in 1958, and was awarded the university's Bickle Prize as its outstanding student-athlete in 1958 and 1959.[7]

Yorzyk returned to the Olympic Games in 1964 as associate physician to the US delegation.[6]

He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1971.[7]

Death

[edit]

William Yorzyk died on 2 September 2020, aged 87.[8]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Yorzyk.
  1. ^ "Passages: William 'Bill' Yorzyk, 1956 Olympic Champion in 200 Butterfly". September 3, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e Barney, David E., and Robert K. Barney. "A long night's journey into day: the Odyssey of the butterfly stroke in international swimming." Proceedings: International Symposium for Olympic Research, Oct. 2006, pp. 65+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A176818711/AONE?u=googlescholar&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=535b6e53. Accessed 12 Dec. 2023.
  3. ^ "Olympic Medalists" (PDF). International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 25, 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Bill Yorzyk. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  5. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games, [Men's 200 metres Butterfly Final. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Olympedia – 200 metres Butterfly, Men". Olympedia. December 13, 2023. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "William Yorzyk (USA)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  8. ^ Passages: William ‘Bill' Yorzyk, 1956 Olympic Champion in 200 Butterfly
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