Wally O'Connor

A four-time Olympian, Wally O’Connor is rated as the greatest U.S. water polo player of all time. Although he was a water polo specialist, his Olympic gold came as a swimmer when the U.S. won the relay in 1924 with a new world record. O’Connor was, in fact, an outstanding swimmer and won the 220y and 440y freestyle for Stanford at the 1926 NCAA championships. Most of his water polo was played for the Los Angeles AC, and at his fourth Olympics in Berlin, Wally O’Connor accompanied the U.S. flag bearer at the opening ceremonies as a member of the color guard. O’Connor made a fifth Olympic team in 1940, but the war in Europe prevented those Games from being held. He lived in Venice, California, where he worked as captain of the lifeguards. In 1966 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.