Williams to Receive ISHOF’s Highest Honor

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, February 8. THE International Swimming Hall of Fame announced today that Esther Williams will be the 2007 recipient of the Gold Medallion Award, ISHOF's highest honor. The Gold Medallion presentation is part of the annual Honoree Induction weekend, to be held May 11-13, 2007, in Fort Lauderdale.

This Gold Medallion is conferred annually upon an individual who has been a former competitive swimmer and who has achieved international recognition for accomplishments in the fields of science, government, entertainment, business or education. Past recipients include: U.S. President, Ronald Reagan, U.S. Senators Barry Goldwater and Paul Tsongas, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young, Entertainers Art Linkletter and Buddy Ebsen, Sportscaster and Women's rights pioneer Donna de Varona, businessmen William Simon, Jim Moran and Fred Kirby to name a few. Last year's recipient was Jim Press, CEO of Toyota North America.

"Esther Williams' selection for the Gold Medallion is long over due," said Mark Spitz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hall of Fame. "Not only was she a national champion swimmer, but as one of Hollywood's most glamorous mega-stars, she did as much, if not more, than anyone in history to popularize and promote swimming as a healthy pastime and competitive sport. We are honored she has accepted and will return once again to the Hall of Fame."

Williams' Hollywood career is legendary, but few people remember her accomplishments as a competitive swimmer. A three time National Champion, Williams was denied her opportunity for stardom in the 1940 Olympic Games because of World War II. Instead she found it in Bill Rose's 1940 San Francisco Aquacade, starring as Aquabelle #1, opposite Olympic legend and Tarzan, Johnny Weissmuller. This role lead to a contract with MGM and the rest is, as they say, history. Over the next twenty years, Williams was America's sweetheart, appearing in 26 movies.

In one of her films, "The Million Dollar Mermaid," Williams portrayed another ISHOF Hall of Famer, Annette Kellerman. In 1907, Kellerman won a momentous court case that permitted women to wear swimming costumes that actually allowed women to swim. As a result, Kellerman became one of the most famous celebrities of her time. The name of the film, starring Williams as Kellerman, came from the facts that Kellerman films set records as the first to gross a million dollars in ticket sales and the first to have a million dollar budget. Like Kellerman, Williams' film roles did much to promote competitive and synchronized swimming, for if swimming would make someone's daughter grow up to look like Williams, then father was willing to pay for the lessons.

Williams has had a full life, as an athlete, movie star, mother, businesswoman, spokesperson and an inspiration to millions. But, she says, the one thing that binds it all together, the one thing that kept her going and keeps her going, is her connection to water and to swimming.

"I think the joy that showed through in my swimming movies comes from my lifelong love of the water," she explains. "No matter what I was doing, the best I felt all day was when I was swimming."

For information about the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the 43rd Annual Honoree Induction Ceremonies, May 11 & 12, 2007, go to www.ishof.org or call 954-462-6536.

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