Marvin Nelson
From Openwaterpedia
(Redirected from Marvin Earl “Duke” Nelson)
Marvin Nelson, life-long open water swimmer from Iowa
#1 Jimmie Tosaka of Japan, #2 Marvin Nelson, #3 Mendell Burditt, #4 Walter Johnson, #5 Sam Shields, #6 Isadore Spondor, #7 George Young, and #8 Bill Goll, entrants in the 1931 Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto
Marvin Earl “Duke” Nelson (born 8 January 1911 in Eagle Grove, Wright County, Iowa, USA, died on 10 June 1975 at the age of 64 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA) was an American open water swimmer.
Open Water Swimming Career
- He was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in the Class of 1979 as an Honor Swimmer.
- He was honored by the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame.
- Nelson, coached by Harry Benson, swam in the Des Moines River in warm and cold water and weather and specialized in swimming 24 km (15 miles) in frigid, choppy lake waters
- He did not finish the 1928 15-mile Canadian National Exhibition race in Toronto
- He collapsed 50 meters from the finish at the 1929 15-mile Canadian National Exhibition race in Toronto
- In August 1930, he won his first world championship title defeating a field of 173 at the Canadian National Exhibition Marathon Swim in Toronto in 7 hours 44 minutes, winning US$10,000.
- He competed in the 1931 Canadian National Exhibition Marathon Swim in Toronto.
- In August 1934, he won US$5,000 and the 15-mile race Canadian National Exhibition race in Lake Ontario in a record time of 7 hours 37 minutes, beating Bill Goll of New York, for this third CNE title
- He won the 24 km (15-mile) Lake Michigan marathon swim (Century of Progress Race) in Chicago twice in 1933 and 1934, finishing a half-mile ahead of the pack in 1934
- He planned a two-way crossing of the English Channel in the mid-1930s.
External links
- Duke Was Born To Be A Swimmer
- Third Time Was A Charm In Canada For Margaret Ravior And Marvin ‘Duke’ Nelson
- Open Water Swimming
- Pauline Jackson Paved The Way Across Channels And Lakes
- International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
- Who Are They And Where Did They Come From?
- Duke Was Well Ahead Of His Time
- Born To Be A Swimmer - The Duke of Des Moines River
- Frank Pritchard, Pioneer Marathon Swimmer
- Precursor Of The Future, 1930 Canadian National Exhibition
- Marvin Nelson by David Westphal
- Marveling About Nelson
- Channel Swimming Association
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
- Bill Goll's Rare Double Above, Below And In The Water
- Bill Goll, An Early American Open Water Swimming Pioneer
- Bill Goll's Rare Double Above, Below And In The Water
