SANDRA BUCHA: She’s One in A Thousand !
Sandra Bucha, ISHOF Board Member, Honoree,
Open Water Superstar. She is One in a Thousand!
When asked why she wanted
to join the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s One in A Thousand Club, Bucha
said, “ISHOF signifies the fulfillment of a dream – a dream I never imagined
would be realized. ISHOF preserves the
memory of those who have preceded all of us – whose achievements will serve to
inspire others in future years.
The history of swimming
needs to be preserved. The accomplishments
of our predecessors should always be treasured.
ISHOF does that – and so much more. Our new building will properly
reflect its significance for all who come to visit!
Join the One in a
Thousand Club by helping ISHOF on a monthly or one-time basis.
For larger corporate
sponsorships and estate-planning donations, please contact us at customerservice@ishof.org
SANDRA BUCHA
(USA)
Open Water Swimmer
FOR THE
RECORD: PROFESSIONAL MARATHON SWIMMING ASSOCIATION WORLD RANKING: 1973 (4th
place), 1974 (2nd place); CHICAGO LAKE FRONT RACE: First Place (1973, 1974,
1975); LA TOQUE 24 HOUR RACE: First Place (1974, 1975); LAC ST. JEAN RACE:
First Place (1974, 1975); LAVAL, CANADA RACE: First Place; ONE AMERICAN RECORD:
200m freestyle, S.C.M.
Like Annette
Kellerman before her, this little girl earned her place in swimming history in
the water and in the courtroom.
Sandra Bucha
had been a top age-grouper in Washington D.C. before her family moved to
Illinois. Swimming under Hall of Fame coach Don Watson, in Hinsdale, she became
an American record holder and national champion. She trained with the boy’s
high school team, as there were no high school swim teams for girls in the
state of Illinois in the 1960’s; Before her senior year, with the support of
her coach and parents, she filed suit against the Illinois High School Athletic
Association to allow her to compete as a member of the boys team. This was before the passage of the Title IX amendment
to the civil rights act. Unfortunately, she
lost the suit. But it was a sign of
things to come.
She decided
to retire from swimming at 18 when she did not make the 1972 Olympic team. She attended Stanford University, which, like
Hinsdale, did not have a women’s swimming team.
Returning
home in the summer of 1973, Sandra saw an ad for a 10-mile swim in Lake
Michigan with a prize purse of $5,000 for the winner and cash awards for second
and third. She had never swum 10 miles straight before, but Sandra thought this
was good time to try. She trained only a couple of weeks and broke the race
record. It was there, at the Lake Michigan swim, where she first discovered
there was a professional circuit in Canada for open water swims.
Sandra Bucha
competed in nine marathon swims between 1973 and 1975 and finished first in every
race. Only once did she come in third to a male and every other swim, she
finished a close second to the first male swimmer. For the two La Toque 24-hour
swims, she teamed up with her high school teammate and Hall of Fame Swimmer,
John Kinsella, to set a record of 190 laps around the lake, winning the race twice.
She won two Lac St. Jean Races (26 miles) and two Laval Canada Swims (10 miles)
and three Lake Michigan Swims (10 miles). Most of her swims were race records
with only three males finishing ahead in her nine races. She retired in 1975 to
pursue a career in law.
Her
accomplishments in the water helped pave the way for thousands of girls and
women to participate in sports. Her
accomplishments in the water helped pave the way for the acceptance of women in
the male dominated sport of marathon swimming and for marathon swimming to
become an Olympic sport.
Sandra
Bucha was ahead of her time in so many ways.
And now, she is “One in A Thousand.”
Won’t you join her?
International Swimming
Hall of Fame wants to know if you are one in a thousand? We think you
are! Show how special you are and become a member of the International
Swimming Hall of Fame’s “One In
A Thousand” Club.
Help keep the International Swimming Hall of Fame moving forward toward a new
vision and museum by joining now!
During these
unprecedented times, the ISHOF Board is calling on every member in the aquatic
community to make a small monthly commitment of support to show how special you
are and how special the International Swimming Hall of Fame is to everyone.
“Our goal is simple.
If we get 1,000 people to simply commit $10, $25 or $50 per month, we will generate
enough revenue to go beyond this Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis.” – Bill
Kent – Chairman of the ISHOF Board
“Those that believe in
our vision, mission, and goals can join us in taking ISHOF into the future and
be a part of aquatic history.” – Brent Rutemiller – CEO and
President of ISHOF
Since 1965, ISHOF has
been the global focal point for recording and sharing the history of aquatics,
promoting swimming as an essential life-skill, and developing educational
programs and events related to water sports. ISHOF’s vision for the future is
to build a new museum and expand its reach by offering its museum artifacts
digitally through a redesigned website.
The ISHOF Board of
Directors is calling on all members of the aquatics community to make a small
monthly commitment to show their dedication to aquatics and how special the
International Swimming Hall of Fame is to everyone.
About ISHOF Take a Virtual Tour
The International
Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) museum opened its doors to the public in December
of 1968 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That same year, the Fédération
Internationale de Natation (FINA) – the governing body for Olympic aquatic
sports – designated the ISHOF museum as the “Official Repository for Aquatic
History”. In 2018, Sports Publications Inc, publisher of Swimming
World Magazine and its multi-media platforms, merged with ISHOF to
expand the museum’s reach and impact. Today, ISHOF’s vision is to be the
global focal point for recording and sharing the history of aquatics, promoting
swimming as an essential life-skill, and developing educational programs and
events related to water sports. Show your support for the sport of
swimming by becoming a member of ISHOF.
ISHOF Vision Statement
To be the global focal point for recording and sharing the history of aquatics,
promoting swimming as an essential life-skill, and developing educational
programs and events related to water sports.
ISHOF Mission Statement
To collaborate with aquatic organizations worldwide to preserve, educate and
celebrate history, showcase events, share cultures, and increase participation
in aquatic sports.