Talk:Mark Spitz/Archive 1

(older comments)
Also, the Russian guy listed at the bottom isn't the only person to hold more records from one olympics than Mark Spitz. Michael Phelps won 6 gold and 2 bronze medals at Athens in 2004. I will edit both pages to reflect that.Kmbell81 13:39, 31 March 2007 (UTC)

Now if there is guys that have more than 8 medals why dont you list them with their medals. Insert non-formatted text here Adrian A.Mendoza

Has Spitz been employed since retiring from swimming? Dynzmoar

According to the Indian University School of Dentistry, Mark Spitz was planning on attending in the fall of 1972, but instead he moved to California. He was quoted in the Chicago Tribune in June, 2004 saying, “I’m probably the most famous dentist who never became a dentist in the world.”


 * According to the ESPN bio link at the bottom of the article, he sold real estate in LA for a while, but now only does promotional appearances. He's listed as a speaker-for-hire on the CorporateSpeakers.com website, and others. -- Ryanjo 14:10, 10 June 2006 (UTC)

Spitz appeared in a week of Doonesbury strips in 1972. Zonker kept having nightmares involving the swimmer sitting on the foot of his bed. Is that worth mentioning as a cultural thing? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.168.55.69 (talk) 15:11, 16 November 2007 (UTC)

Have added a note to the progression record to show that spitz held the 100m Butterfly record jointly with Doug Russell in August- october 1967, this is verified by the swimming hall of fame which has them both listed with an 'e' for equal holders at this time having swum the same time. The ISHOF also list Russell as a world record holder in that event. {Boroughswimmer (talk) 00:30, 14 January 2008 (UTC)}

???
Spitz has sued Dr. Bronner's over this reference.[12]

66.6.145.136 (talk) 22:00, 11 August 2008 (UTC)

Incorrect statement
He remains (as of 2008) the only Olympic athlete to both win a gold medal in every (individual) event he entered in a given year, and to set a new world record in each such event.

This statement is incorrect. In the 1994 Olympics, Johann Olav Koss won gold medals with new world records in the 1500m, 5000m, and 10000m speedskating events. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.57.245.11 (talk) 03:11, 10 August 2008 (UTC)

Yes thats a silly statement. many olympians who win gold have only attended once and win that one. And also its silly to suggest that a sportsman should avoid going in the eg the relay, because they risk their 100% gold record. its a silly way of measuring "greatness", its a meaningless statement, its most likely wrong. 202.126.107.100 (talk) 15:19, 16 August 2008 (UTC)


 * It is neither silly nor incorrect. Spitz remains the winner of the largest number of gold medals with a new world record in each event, and no events with less than gold. Perhaps I didn't word my contribution to the article with sufficient clarity, because someone keeps removing it. I may try one more time. Johann Koss did not win as many medals as Spitz did, so he doesn't contradict my assertion. Furthermore, it is not clear that he did not enter other events and fail to win gold. But even if he did not, he still does not equal Spitz's achievement. Finally, Spitz himself acknowledged that he debated participating in one of the relays precisely because he might risk his perfect record of gold wins. In any case, I agree that evaluating a "greatest Olympic athlete" is a tenuously silly exercise at best, like the "greatest Pianist," but my contribution remains correct, and Phelps's achievement leaves Spitz's intact. 69.203.13.82 (talk) 21:19, 17 August 2008 (UTC) Allen Roth


 * You are missing the point Allen. He is not the only Olympian to win gold/set world record in every event he competed in. That is what you are trying to introduce into the article, but it is not true. Kaiwhakahaere (talk) 21:26, 17 August 2008 (UTC)

Medal count
According to the Michael Phelps article, Spitz doesn't hold the record for most medals won (another guy won 8 medals in one olympics), but rather the record number of gold medals. If so, the text of this article needs to be corrected a bit. Nyh 09:56, 17 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Hair and skin problems from being in cholorinated water so much
I remember reading years ago that Spitz incurred hair and skin problems from being in chlorinated water so much. Can somebody who knows something about this put a little blurb in the main article about this? Did this have something to do with his hanging up swimming for a while after winning his medals? I came here to read up on what problems swimmers incur because of being chlorinated water so much and found nothing. Thanks in advance. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.143.159.186 (talk) 07:25, 14 August 2008 (UTC)

Sure, but what does it actually mean?
What is being said in the "Medal Stand Incident" section which says: " Following the 200-meter freestyle race in 1972, while on the medal stand, Spitz arrived barefoot, carrying his shoes. He dropped them to the side while "The Star Spangled Banner" played. Then he reached down to pick up his shoes and waved them to the cheering crowd. The Soviets accused him of blatant commercialism. Maintaining the gesture was innocent, the shoes were old and he wasn't paid, Spitz was cleared by an IOC committee." It doesn't actually say why the Soviets were annoyed. We shouldn't have to guess. Kaiwhakahaere (talk) 04:03, 16 August 2008 (UTC)

Think for a few more seconds on it... I didnt need to. They were suggesting it was product placement advertising.. that he was paid to wave the shoes around by the brand. (but the fact the shoes were old means that they were unflattering and how could viewers see the brand name anyway )  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.126.107.100 (talk) 15:16, 16 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Is that so. Think about this for a few seconds. If the section is not amended to say what you have just claimed (with reference), then I will delete it because it is demonstrably incomplete. The most important component of effective communication is to actually tell the reader what you are trying to say, to not leave them needing to guess. Hold the bus -- I am removing it anyway because it is a blatant copyvio from the reference. --Kaiwhakahaere (talk) 22:17, 16 August 2008 (UTC)

Confusing & Missing Information
The article is missing any reference to the attempt Mark Spitz made to return to the Olympics in 1992 in Barcelona. He tried out. It was a big deal at the time, but I don't think he made it. I don't remember, but someone might want to fact check it. Thanks! :) ProfessorBurgess (talk) 13:40, 17 August 2008 (UTC)Professor Burgess

Also, the first paragraph is confusing about what record Mark Spitz still has. Is it saying that he is the only person to win gold in all events he competed in at the Olympics? There are a lot of other ways to read the first three sentences (multiple interpretations), so the language could be cleared up a bit. I don't have the facts to clean up the language and make sure that it is accurate. Thanks! ProfessorBurgess (talk) 13:40, 17 August 2008 (UTC) Professor Burgess

Point of clarification
I am a bit confused about the introduction to this article on Mark Spitz. If he was born in Modesto, Calif., moved to Gridley and eventually trained in Sacramento, how is it that he swam at Waikiki every day? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.49.162.16 (talk) 17:04, 17 August 2008 (UTC)

Assessment comment
Substituted at 15:20, 1 May 2016 (UTC)

Drug-testing and the "eastern bloc"
I was a little puzzled by the quote about the alleged lobbying against drug-testing by the "eastern bloc" in 1999, due to their being no "eastern bloc" in 1999. Seems this is a somewhat-too-direct quote from the "reference" http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/spitz_mark.html. If someone has more energy than me, they could refactor this to be less copyvioish, and preferably make clear with a better source whether this is a nonsensical Spitzism, or a nonsensical ESPNism. Or else we could lose the paragraph in the meantime. Alai (talk) 19:51, 22 August 2008 (UTC)

Anti-Spitz slant?
This article has such an anti-spitz slant its ridiculous. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.116.116.67 (talk) 02:16, 23 August 2008 (UTC)

MARK SPITZ-MICHAEL PHELPS
I recently read an article in the Washington Post, that even though Michael Phelps won eight medals and broke three world records in the Beijing Olympics, Mark Spitz won seven gold medals and broke seven world records in the Munich games. That is SEVEN out of SEVEN which means Phelps has NOT surpassed Spitz' achievement. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.255.156.72 (talk) 18:42, 24 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Phelps broke 7 world records (NOT JUST 3) and won 8 gold. The Washington Post article is wrong. — Andy W. (talk/contrb.) 19:02, 24 August 2008 (UTC)

SORRY, I'm getting my facts straight, Phelps set 4 world records and won 8 gold medals in the Beijing Games (he didn't set 7 as you mentioned), while Spitz set 7 world records and won 7 gold medals..

I just checked the Beijing 2008 website, that can't be wrong. He might've won 7 including the ones from Athens but I'm talking about setting records and winning medals in one single games. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.255.156.72 (talk) 22:50, 24 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Phelps set seven world records in Beijing, some of them in relay events, just like Spitz did. Phelps's achievement naturally surpasses Spitz's, as he won eight gold medals versus Spitz's seven.--Victor Chmara (talk) 10:35, 28 August 2008 (UTC)

1992
Wasn't he offered $1M for the 1992 (to qualify for the team?). Should comparing him to a woman be included or removed as this is a bio about him. The reference is a weblog which is considered a less reliable source. What do you think? Fwlok (talk) 04:50, 31 August 2008 (UTC)