Clark, "Steve" (Stephen E.)
Swimming
b. June 17, 1943, Oakland, CA
Because of his lightning-fast turns, Clark was an exceptionally good short-course swimmer. He established nine world records during his career and would have had many more except that short-course times aren't accepted by the International Swimming Federation.
As a high school student, Clark made the 1960 U. S. Olympic team and swam in the heats of both freestyle relays but didn't compete in the finals. Representing Yale, he won the NCAA 100- and 200-yard freestyle events in 1964 and 1965. He was also the 50-yard freestyle winner and a member of the winning 400-yard freestyle relay team in 1965.
Clark won the national long-course 100-meter freestyle in 1961 and 1963, the short-course 100-yard in 1961, 1964, and 1965, and the short-course 220-yard in 1961. Because of shoulder tendinitis, he didn't qualify for any individual events in the 1964 Olympics, but he swam on relay teams that won gold medals and set world records for the 4 by 100-meter freestyle, 4 x 200-meter freestyle, and 4 by 100-meter medley.