Wally Wolf

This article is about the Olympic swimmer. For the baseball player, see Wally Wolf (baseball).

Wally Wolf

Personal information
Full name	Wallace Perry Wolf, Jr.
Nickname	"Wally"
National team	United States
Born	(1930-10-02)October 2, 1930 Los Angeles, California
Died	March 12, 1997(1997-03-12) (aged 66) Santa Ynez, California
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	176 lb (80 kg)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle, water polo
Club	Lynwood Swim Club
College team	University of Southern California
Medal record Men's swimming Representing the United States Olympic Games 1948 London 4x200 m freestyle relay

Wallace Perry Wolf, Jr. (October 2, 1930 – March 12, 1997) was an American competition swimmer, water polo player, and Olympic champion. He competed in the 1948, 1952, 1956, and 1960 Summer Olympics.

As a 17-year-old representing the United States at the 1948 Olympics in London, he won a gold medal as member of the U.S. team in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay. Four years later at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, he helped the U.S. relay team to qualify for the final of the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay, but, under the international swimming rule of the time, he was not awarded with a medal because he did not swim in the event final.

He attended the University of Southern California (USC), where he swam for the USC Trojans swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition. He graduated from USC with a bachelor's degree in 1951, and later returned to USC to earn a law degree in 1957.

Wolf was a member of the U.S. men's team that finished fifth in the 1956 water polo tournament in Melbourne, Australia, playing in five matches. Again, four years later at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, he finished seventh with the U.S. men's water polo team in the 1960 tournament. He played all seven matches and scored five goals.

He was the son of famous vaudeville music director Rube Wolf Sr. and Fanchonnette Sunny (Rutherford) Wolf. He married and had three children- Wallace Scott, John and Lori.

He was born in Los Angeles and died in Santa Ynez, California.

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
• List of University of Southern California people
• World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay

External links

• Wally Wolf – Olympic athlete profile at Sports-Reference.com