Joe Verdeur

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameJoseph Thomas "Joe"•Verdeur
Used nameJoe•Verdeur
Born7 March 1926 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)
Died6 August 1991 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania (USA)
AffiliationsLa Salle Explorers, Philadelphia (USA)
NOC United States
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 0
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

Between 1948 and 1950, Joe Verdeur set 12 world records in butterfly events, and at the AAU championships he won 19 titles in the breaststroke and IM. While attending La Salle College, Verdeur was a four-time NCAA champion and worked his way through school as a night stoker at the famous Turner’s Building. After graduation, the Kirk Douglas look-alike had aspirations of adding his name to the role of Olympic champions who have played Tarzan in the movies, but his dreams of Hollywood fame were not to be fulfilled.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1948 Summer Olympics Swimming (Aquatics) USA Joe Verdeur
200 metres Breaststroke, Men (Olympic) 1 Gold

Special Notes