Eugene Rogers

Eugene Roy Rogers (February 17, 1924 – December 30, 2017) was an American competition swimmer who represented the United States at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London.[1] He swam for the gold medal-winning U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay.[1][2]

Eugene Rogers
Personal information
Full nameEugene Roy Rogers
Nickname(s)"Gene"
National team United States
Born(1924-02-17)February 17, 1924
New York City, U.S.
DiedDecember 30, 2017(2017-12-30) (aged 93)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubNew York Athletic Club
College teamColumbia University

At the US Olympic trials of the 1948 4x200-meter freestyle relay, several swimmers who had already qualified in other events slowed down in their heats or swam fast in the prelims and scratched themselves for the final to allow more swimmers to qualify for the US Olympic Team.[3]

Ultimately, coach Robert Kiphuth did hold a time trial shortly after the actual trials[4] with eleven of the swimmers. This time trial had Jimmy McLane as first overall with a time of 2:11.0, Bill Smith and Wally Wolf in 2:11.2, and Wally Ris in 2:12.4. This quartet was used for the Olympic final. The next four-Eugene Rogers in 2:14.2, Edwin Gilbert in 2:15.4, Robert Gibe in 2:15.6, and William Dudley in 2:15.9, were used in the Olympic prelims.[5] The next three swimmers-Joe Verdeur who came in 2:16.3, Alan Ford in 2;16.4 and George Hoogerhyde in 2:17.4 were not used in any capacity in the 4x200 freestyle relay.

Rogers did not receive a medal, however, because under the Olympic swimming rules in effect in 1948, only those relay swimmers who competed in the event final were medal-eligible. He was inducted into The Columbia University Athletics Hall of Fame.[6] He died in 2017 at the age of 93.[7]

See also

References
  1. Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Eugene Rogers. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  2. Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, United States Swimming at the 1948 London Summer Games. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  3. New York Times 25 July 1948 Page S3
  4. New York Times 28 July 1948 Page 29
  5. Page 128 1948 US Olympic Book
  6. gocolumbialions.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Eugene Rogers. Retrieved January 25, 2018
  7. Nationwide Gravesite Locator, Department of Veterans Affairs


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