Profiling Dave Dutrow

Background. I want to thank David Gouger and Calvin Barnes for their help in getting this information. When I first wrote about the history of Masters Swimming in Virginia, David Gouger wrote that I should contact Dave Dutrow. A few months ago, Calvin called me and said he had seen Dave and would give him my phone number. Dave called me and we had several wonderful conversations. He is 86 now and swims, but not in competition.

The Story. When the first Masters meets in Virginia were held at ODU in the early 1980s, I met Dave Dutrow and I recognized that he was a very good swimmer. I did not know, however, that he had participated in the Masters Nationals in 1972 and 1973. At the 1972 LC Nationals in Bloomington, Indiana, he won the 100 and the 200 backstroke and set a national record in the100 back.

In the 1960s, Dave said he swam in some age group meets at the Chambelain Hotel and at the Naval Base in Norfolk. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, he coached a group of adults at Langley.

A Summary. USMS is archiving early results from nationals, Top Ten, and All Americans at SwimGold.org. I could not find any results from the 72 and 73 Nationals on the website, so I wrote to the USMS History and Archives Committee for some help. The following is information I received from Barbara Dunbar .

1972 SCY Nationals Results San Mateo, CA
Incomplete results, but I believe that the following is correct.
4th in 100y Free 4th in the 1650 free
2nd in the 100 y Back 2nd in 50y Fly
2nd in 100y Fly 2nd in 200 y IM


1972 SCY Top Ten listings for David Dutrow, Jr., age 56 
# 5 50 y Free 29.8 # 4 100 y Fr 1:09.4

# 4 1650 y Fr 27:07 # 2 100 y Back 1:24.6

# 2 50 y Fly 34.3 # 2 100 y Fly 1:24.4

# 2 100 y IM 1:21.5 # 2 200 yd IM 3:05.4 

1972 LCM Nationals at Bloomington, IN
4th in 50m Fr 2nd in 100m Fr
1st in 100m Back (this is where he set the national record)

1st in 200m Back 2nd in 50m Fly

2nd in 100 m Fly 2nd in 200m IM

1972 LCM Top Tens 
# 6 50m Free 34.75 # 3 100m Free 1:15.51,
# 1 100m Back 1:32.80 ** National Record
# 4 200m Back 3:42.81 # 2 50m Fly 40.70,
# 2 100m Fly 1:46.84 #2 200 m IM 3:17.7

Even though he finished first in two events, he was not selected for All American in 1972. At that time, you had to be #1 in four events or win 4 national championships, or a combination. Now, you are All American if you finish first in any one event in the Top Ten.

1973 SCY Nationals @ San Mateo results 
3rd in 100 y Back 3rd in 200y Back

2nd in 50y Fly 5th in 100 y IM

3rd 200y IM.

1973 SCY Top Ten, David Dutrow, age 57 
#8 100y Back 1:22.77 #5 200y Back 3:08.00

#9 100y Breast 1:31.16 #3 50y fly 33.47

#4 100y Fly 1:29.78 #6 100y IM 1:18.2

#5 200y IM 3:30.9

1973 LCM Nationals Results from Univ. of IL, Chicago
2nd in the 100m Back 3rd in 200m Back

3rd in 50m Fly 5th in 200m IM.

1973 LCM Top Ten 
#7 50 m Fr 33.4 #5 100m Back 1:35.7

#4 200m Back 3:32.13 #7 50m Fly 40.86

#7 200m IM 3:38.45

Postscript: After this article was published in the LMSC for Virginia Newsletter, I spoke with Dave again. The reason he did not swim in any more nationals after 1973 is that he had a heart attack while in Chicago for the 1973 nationals. He recovered and swam again locally, but has not competed nationally.