Laufer, Walter
Swimming
b. July 5, 1906, Cincinnati, OH
d. Sept. 1, 1948
Although overshadowed by Johnny Weismuller and Buster Crabbe, Laufer was one of the most versatile swimmers of his era. He won 11 national championships in three different strokes over a five-year period.
Laufer won a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the 1928 Olympics and was a member of the U. S. 4 by 200-meter freestyle relay team, which won a gold. One of his best events, the individual medley, wasn't on the Olympic program at that time.
Laufer won the national indoor 100-yard freestyle in 1926, 1929, and 1930; the 220-yard freestyle in 1929; the 150-yard back stroke in 1926, 1928, 1930, and 1931; and the 300-yard individual medley in 1926, 1928, and 1929. He was the national outdoor champion in the 220-yard backstroke in 1925.
The high point of his career may have been his 1926 European tour, when he won all but one race while competing in 21 cities over a 23-day period. At one time, he held world backstroke records at both 100 and 200 meters.