January Issue of Swimming World Begins 50+ Celebration

PHOENIX, Arizona, December 22. NEXT month, Swimming World enters its 50th year of publication as a standard-format magazine. We'd like to invite all of our readers and users along for a more than five decade look back at our history.

EVERY Cover Back to January 1960

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Today, Swimming World gives readers a sneak peak into the January issue with our Voice for the Sport column explaining why the + sign. Here is a look at the Birth of Swimming World as explained by managing editor Jason Marsteller:

With this issue, Swimming World begins its 50th year of publication as a standard magazine. Some of you might have wondered about the "+" sign on our 50+ celebration artwork featured on this month's cover—especially if you've been one of our many loyal readers who have been reading Swimming World since its inception as a mimeographed journal in July 1951. If so, you are probably confused as to why we are celebrating the beginning of our 50th year…58 years later!

The answer is in the "+" sign.

The very first mention of Swimming World came in July 1951 when Yale super coach Robert J.H. Kiphuth, assisted by Peter Daland, began publishing a mimeographed journal under the moniker, Swimming World. The first issue of that publication debuted the Swimming World globe logo, which has been an integral part of our branding throughout the years.

The next summer in 1952, Daland spun off his own quarterly mimeographed journal named Junior Swimmer. Until the end of the decade, both publications served the swimming community with news and results from around the world.

In January 1960, a groundbreaking moment in swimming print media coverage occurred when Al Schoenfield took over ownership of Junior Swimmer. Daland's coaching career had skyrocketed at the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Athletic Club, which limited his time to devote to a publication.

The January 1960 issue of Junior Swimmer marked the first issue published by Schoenfield. It also was the first time the publication used a standard monthly magazine format. Schoenfield instituted a new volume sequencing with that issue, so the rebirth of Junior Swimmer was labeled Volume 1, Issue 1. This is the issue that Swimming World recognizes as its first as a standard magazine, and is the sequencing we follow to this day.

Meanwhile, Kiphuth was still publishing Swimming World at Yale. That changed in June 1961 when Swimming World and Junior Swimmer merged into a new title called Jr./Sr. Swimmer – Swimming World (Volume 2, Issue 6).

It was at that time that Schoenfield took over the publishing duties of Swimming World from Kiphuth, and ceased the journal format.

So, for the die-hard reader, Swimming World as an entity is actually going into its 59th year. But from a standard magazine perspective, it's 50. We at Sports Publications International, the current owners of Swimming World Magazine, simply call it our 50+ celebration.

Another milestone came in May 1962 when Swimming World took on a more high-profile spot on the cover by sharing the co-title, Junior Swimmer and Swimming World, before later assuming top billing as the publication grew into a more world-based view.

Junior Swimmer has still remained an integral part of our publication, as our age group section of the magazine is still named after Daland's initial work.

Today, Swimming World Magazine remains the top brand in the world of aquatics, and has spun off SwimmingWorldMagazine.com, SwimmingWorld.TV and SwimmingWorldRadio.com.

Premium subscribers of Swimming World Magazine can get discounted access to all the back magazine issues dating back to the initial January 1960 edition of Junior Swimming.

Become a premium subscriber today!

Along with the beginning of our 50+ celebration, the January issue is chock full of all the goodies that you've all become accustomed to getting from Swimming World.

Marsteller also provides the 2008 Year in Review, while also taking a look back at the 2008 World Cup circuit.

Senior writer John Lohn did double duty in January with an insightful feature on Bob Bowman as well as a trip through history to see the top moments in the sport from 1951-59.

We also have a look into what 2009 will provide for our aquatic family members in open water, diving, water polo and synchro.

The 2008 World Rankings as compiled by FINA and the National Age Group Top 10s for Short Course Yards are presented.

In SWIM, Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen writes about matching world travel with swimming to get the most out of the sport, while J.R. Rosania gives some dryland training tips for breaststroke. Emily Sampl also profiles Laura Davis in Lane Leaders.

In Swimming Technique, Michael J. Stott interviews head coach Mark Minier and looks at how he trained Kathleen Hersey to Olympic glory.

In Junior Swimmer, we profile Liz Pelton as a National Age Group Setter, and took a look around the country in the Speedo American Relay. Madison White also earned TYR Age Group Swimmer of the Month honors.

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