The Paddlin’ Professor’s Birthday Bash

KINCAID LAKE, Louisiana. April 26. DR. Harry Briggs, a political science professor and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honour Swimmer, will continue to make his own history with another two-mile swim across Kincaid Lake near Alexandria, Louisiana on May 17th.

His solo effort, a considerable feat for a man who set his first world record in 1957, is a scholarship fund raiser for Northwestern State University.

Dr. BriggsD will swim across Kincaid Lake and emerge on the opposite shore where his 91st birthday celebration and fund-raiser for the nursing and radiologic technology programs will take place at Tunks Cypress Inn.

The public is invited to attend the celebration of a remarkable man and all that he continues to give in terms of donations, energy and inspiration. Dr. Briggs teaches political science at Northwestern State where he has organizes swims to raise funds to support Northwestern State scholarships. Last month, he was recognized for establishing a generous planned gift annuity to benefit Northwestern State tennis athletes, a tennis complex project and scholarships to aid student programs.

Known since the 1950s as The Paddlin' Professor, Dr. Briggs has over the years initiated several scholarship endowments to benefit current and future college students. “It's a pleasure to teach at 90 and to swim at 91. To associate with young people and explain how our government works is a great privilege for me.”

In addition to his numerous swimming accomplishments, Briggs is a Marine Corps veteran of World War II battles in the Pacific Theater at Saipan, Tinian and Okinawa. He has climbed the Matterhorn, worked in Alaska and is a native New Englander and graduate of Tufts University, where he also has created scholarship endowments. As a sportswriter and sportscaster, he traveled to Mexico and Cuba and interviewed luminaries such as Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams and Muhammad Ali. His life is a subject of the recently published book Absolutely! by Letitia Sweitzer.

Dr. Briggs plans on a 2-hour swim with a planned 4 pm start. Guests can plan to arrive at any time around 5:30 pm to enjoy appetizers while waiting for his finish. This will be the fourth time Dr. Briggs completes a swim on Kincaid Lake and the third time he has designated his birthday celebration as a scholarship fund raiser.

Courtesy of Open Water Source

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