Wally O'Connor

Wally O'Connor

Personal information
Full name	James Wallace O'Connor
National team	United States
Born	(1903-08-25)August 25, 1903 Madera, California, U.S.
Died	October 11, 1950(1950-10-11) (aged 47) West Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle, water polo
Club	Venice Swimming Association Los Angeles Athletic Club
College team	Stanford University 1927[1]
Coach	Ernst Brandsten
Medal record Representing the United States Olympic Games Men's swimming 1924 Paris 4x200 m freestyle Men's water polo 1924 Paris Team competition 1932 Los Angeles Team competition

James Wallace O'Connor (August 25, 1903 – October 11, 1950) was an American competition swimmer and water polo player for Stanford University who played internationally for the United States at four Olympiads: at the 1924, 1928, 1932 and 1936. He won a gold medal in the 1924 Paris Olympics for swimming in the world record setting U.S. 4x200 freestyle relay, and took home a bronze medal for Water Polo in both the 1924 and 1932 Olympics. He is rated by many sports historians as the greatest American Water Polo player of all time.^[2]

O'Connor was born in Madera, California on August 25, 1903. He attended Venice High School, and swam for their team from 1916-1919.^[3]

He swam and played Water Polo for Stanford University from 1920-1923, under Head Coach Ernst Brandsten. He captained Stanford's Water Polo team in 1923 and was the only Stanford athlete to ever participate in four Olympics. He helped lead Stanford to Pacific Athletic Conference-8 championships in all four years of his participation, in 1920, 1921, 1922, and 1923.^[3][1][4]

From 1923-1936, he swam and played Water Polo for the Venice Swim Association, and the Los Angeles and Illinois Athletic Clubs.^[3][2] He first served as Captain of the Venice Swimming Association team from 1929-1931,and then was as Captain of the Los Angeles Athletic Club Water Polo Team in 1931, 33, 34, 35, and 36.^[3] O'Connor swam on a National Championship relay for Hall of Fame coach Bill Bachrach’s Illinois Athletic Club.^[4]

In team sport at the 1924 Summer Olympics, O'Connor won a gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay,^[5] together with teammates Ralph Breyer, Harrison Glancy and Johnny Weissmuller. Playing with the 1924 U.S. national water polo team O'Connor also won a bronze medal, playing one match.^[2]

At the 1928 Summer Olympics bronze medal match, O'Connor and the U.S. Water Polo team lost to France. He played two matches and scored one goal.^[2]

At the 1932 Summer Olympics the U.S. Water Polo team won a bronze medal. He played all four matches.^[2]

At the 1936 Summer Olympics the U.S. Water Polo team won one match and lost two matches in the preliminary group of the tournament. He played all three matches. He was honored as the national flag bearer at the opening ceremonies. He made a fifth Olympic team in 1940, but the war in Europe prevented those Games from being held.^[6][3]

In 1976, he was among the first 25 Charter Members inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame. He was also elected to the Citizens Savings Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame, and the prestigious International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1966.^[3][7]

• List of athletes with Olympic medals in different disciplines
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
• List of Olympic medalists in water polo (men)
• List of players who have appeared in multiple men's Olympic water polo tournaments
• List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
• List of Stanford University people
• World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay

• Wally O'Connor at World Aquatics
• Wally O'Connor at the International Swimming Hall of Fame
• Wally O'Connor at the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame
• Wally O'Connor at Olympics.com
• Wally O'Connor at Olympedia