After smashing the Amateur Athletic Union’s world record in 1911, Duke Kahanamoku was brought from Hawaii to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to prove his talents in another race. But Duke found his mind and body shocked by his first time swimming in an indoor pool. Though he lost this race, he would go on to win many more. “The building blocks of a waterman is humility,” says surfer Laird Hamilton.
Written Features
Duke Kahanamoku biography and life timeline
How Native Hawaiian surfers used the ocean as sanctuary
Dr. Isaiah Walker explains the cultural importance of surfing.
This swimmer invented the freestyle stroke and set the stage for Duke Kahanamoku
America became an Olympic global power thanks to these two athletes
Honoring one of the most famous Hawaiians in the world
Hawaiian words and cultural concepts everyone should know
Learn the cultural significance behind Hawaiian words and concepts like "aloha," "ho'okipa" and "kuleana."
13 nearly forgotten Hollywood films that feature Duke Kahanamoku
Though Duke Kahanamoku was never able to escape typecasting or achieve Hollywood stardom, you can...
6 ways Duke Kahanamoku’s athleticism changed sports
Duke Kahanamoku changed the world with his athletic accomplishments as a surfer and swimmer who...
What are the eight islands of Hawaii?
Learn the eight major island names and nicknames.
Learn about the rich history of Hawaii
Video Features
CLIP: 2:10The meaning of Aloha
Paul Strauch recounts a conversation he had with Duke about the power of the word "Aloha."
CLIP: 2:41Duke's incredible rescue mission while on a surfboard
Duke Kahanamoku rescued eight men from the capsized Thelma in California.
CLIP: 2:40How Duke broke the swimming world record in Hawaii
Duke Kahanamoku shattered the Amateur Athletic Union's swim record in 1911.
CLIP: 2:27Overcoming the distinct challenge of indoor swimming
Duke found his mind and body shocked by his first time swimming in an indoor pool.
TRANSCRIPT
- He was supposed to be the unofficial world champion.
Having broken the other person's record by four seconds.
- He's a fish out of water.
Almost literally.
You've got a two week journey from Hawaii to a little pool in a club in Pittsburgh, which was filled with cigar smoke, fans yelling and pointing at you.
In a sense, all of them looking at him saying prove it.
What do you got?
And by the way for the first time in your life, you're gonna swim indoors.
That's what Duke had to overcome to be the best.
(cool music) - Our blood is thin because of the warm water.
And I think when Duke jumped in, it was on shock to the body and not just to the body, but to the mind.
(water splashing) - The water was different for him.
He never swam in a pool before.
Pool water is not like salt water.
(cool music) - The mind's saying do this, and you push yourself past what the body is used to.
And everything starts locking up.
(intense music) - As Duke's body betrayed him, being unable to finish the race must have been a physical and mental shock.
The world record holder, the waterman, the pride of Hawaii can't finish a race, and had to be rescued.
- Everybody kind of snickered behind their hands, because this was supposed to be the world record holder.
- The press which has heard about this sort of Hawaiian hurricane just turns the other way, the mainland press, and goes.
This guy's just a fable.
He's not a real competitor.
He can't handle the pressure.
- Maybe in retrospect it was a good thing that he failed right away because he had to go, you know what, this is different.
- In my opinion the building blocks of a waterman is humility . As a student of the ocean that would've made him pretty resilient to failure.
Failure's not gonna stop you.
You're just gonna figure out a different route.
(upbeat music)