Jimmy McLane

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Jimmy McLane
McLane (left) in 1950
Personal information
Full nameJames Price McLane Jr.
Nickname
"Jimmy"
National team United States
Born(1930-09-13)September 13, 1930
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedDecember 13, 2020(2020-12-13) (aged 90)
Ipswich, Massachusetts, U.S.
Spouse(s)
Barbara Hamby McLane (m. 1950's)
Carol McLane (m. 2004)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubFirestone Swim Club, Akron
New Haven Swim Club
College teamYale University
CoachHarold Minto (Firestone)
Robert J. H. Kiphuth (Yale)
Medal record
Representing the United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1948 London 1500 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1948 London 4×200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1952 Helsinki 4×200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 1948 London 400 m freestyle
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1955 Mexico City 400 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1955 Mexico City 1500 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1955 Mexico City 4×200 m freestyle
Representing Yale
NCAA
Gold medal – first place 1953 Columbus Team title
Gold medal – first place 1953 Columbus 220 yard freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1953 Columbus 1,500 meter freestyle

James Price McLane Jr. (September 13, 1930 – December 13, 2020) was an American competition swimmer who competed for Yale University, a three-time Olympic champion, and a world record-holder. In 1945-48, in his peak years as a swimming competitor, as an exceptional middle distance swimmer, he captured two Olympic gold medals, and thirteen championships on the national level, winning another gold medal in the 4x200 meter freestyle relay at the 1952 Olympics.

McLane was born September 13, 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[1] In his youth he swam for Akron, Ohio's Firestone Swim Club under Head Coach Harold Minto.[2] At the age of 13, he won the four-mile swim at the national AAU outdoor long-distance championships while a swimmer for the Firestone Club. As a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, which he attended on a swimming scholarship, he set national high school records in the 200-yard freestyle, 220-yard freestyle, and 440-yard freestyle.[1]

Yale University

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He attended Yale University, under Hall of Fame Coach Robert J. H. Kiphuth, where in the years 1951, and 1953, he helped the Yale Bulldogs swimming and diving team win National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships. Kiphuth, an important life figure, in addition to serving as his Yale swim coach, acted as his guardian while McLane was attending both Yale and prep school at Andover.[3] At Yale, McLane swam with outstanding fellow swimmers Wayne Moore and John Marshall. He graduated from Yale in 1953. Active in extracurricular activities, he was a member of the honorary Skull and Bones, the Elizabethan Club, focused on furthering an awareness of the Arts and Literature, and the Aurelian Society, focused on achieving a professional life in service to the community.[3][4][1][5]

1948 London Olympics

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At the 1948 U.S. Olympic trials for the 4x200-meter freestyle relay, several swimmers who had already qualified for the Olympics 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 U.S. Olympic Team.[6] McLane was one of the two swimmers who swam and scratched themselves from the trials final after having the fastest time in the prelims. Ultimately, coach Robert Kiphuth held a time trial shortly after the actual trials[7] with eleven of the swimmers. This time trial had 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. 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.[8]

Representing the United States at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England[9] as a 17-year-old, McLane won a gold medal in the men's 1500-meter freestyle, with a time of 19:18.5, finishing almost 13 seconds ahead of Australian and fellow Yale swimmer John Marshall (19:31.3).[10] He also earned a silver medal for his second-place finish in the men's 400-meter freestyle (4:43.4), finishing behind fellow American Bill Smith (4:41.0).[11]

He won another gold medal at the 1948 Olympics, along with teammates Wally Ris, Wally Wolf, and Bill Smith, as a member of the U.S.'s 4 × 200-meter freestyle relay, which set a new world record of 8:46.0 in the event final.[12]

1952 Helsinki Olympics

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Four years later at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, McLane won another gold medal by swimming the anchor leg for the U.S. team in the 4 × 200-meter freestyle relay, together with relay teammates Wayne Moore, Bill Woolsey, and Ford Konno. The Americans set a new Olympic record of 8:31.1 in the final.[13] In individual competition, he finished fourth in the men's 1,500-meter freestyle (18:51.5),[14] and seventh in the men's 400-meter freestyle (4:40.3).[15]

During the Korean War era, McLane served with a branch of Army Intelligence in greater New York, and during his years of service, swam and trained with the U.S. Army for two years.[3]

Post-swimming life

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He retired from swimming after winning three gold medals at the 1955 Pan American Games.[1]

McLane was married to Barbara Hamby in the early 1950's and later to his wife Carol around 2004.[3] In McLane's professional career after retiring from swimming, he worked for General Mills and Life Magazine. Suffering from Multiple Sclerosis in mid-life, he retired from his careers, but continued to lead a physically active and full life.[5]

Honors

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In 1970, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.[1]

McLane died at his home in Ipswich, Massachusetts, on December 13, 2020, at the age of 90. He had lived in Ipswich for the past 13 years. He was survived by his wife Carol whom he married around 2004, three sons, a daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services were held gravesite at Ipswich's South Side Cemetery.[16][17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Jimmy McLane (USA)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on August 28, 2017. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
  2. ^ John Lohn, Historical Dictionary of Competitive Swimming, Scarecrow Press, Inc., Lanham, Maryland, p. 94 (2010). Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d "James P. McClane, Junior, Obituary". tributearchive.com. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  4. ^ "Barbara C. Hamby Is Married Here: Little Church Is Setting for Wedding to Pvt. J. McLane, 1952 Olympic Swimmer," The New York Times (January 14, 1954).
  5. ^ a b "Swimming Legend Jimmy McLane Passes Away at Age 90". yalebulldogs.com. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  6. ^ New York Times 25 July 1948 Page S3
  7. ^ New York Times 28 July 1948 Page 29
  8. ^ Page 128 1948 US Olympic Book
  9. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Jimmy McLane Archived March 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  10. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1948 London Summer Games, Men's 1500 metres Freestyle Final Archived November 10, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  11. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1948 London Summer Games, Men's 400 metres Freestyle Final Archived October 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  12. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1948 London Summer Games, Men's 4 × 200 metres Freestyle Relay Final Archived October 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  13. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games, Men's 4 × 200 metres Freestyle Relay Final Archived January 1, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  14. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games, Men's 1500 metres Freestyle Final Archived November 3, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  15. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Swimming at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Games, Men's 400 metres Freestyle Final Archived January 9, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  16. ^ "James McLane obituary". Ipswich Local News. December 15, 2020. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  17. ^ Muldoon, John P. (December 15, 2020). "Swimming legend James "Jimmy" McLane dies age 90". Ipswich Local News. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
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