Hugo Goetz

Hugo Louis Goetz (October 18, 1884 – April 4, 1972) was an American competition swimmer who represented the United States at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri. Goetz would later work as a realtor in Chicago.

Hugo Goetz

Goetz circa 1904
Personal information
Full name	Hugo Louis Goetz
National team	United States
Born	(1884-10-18)October 18, 1884 Chicago, Illinois
Died	April 4, 1972(1972-04-04) (aged 87) Foley, Alabama
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Freestyle
Club	Chicago Athletic Association
Medal record Men's swimming Representing the United States Olympic Games 1904 St. Louis 4x50 yd freestyle

Goetz was born in Chicago on October 18, 1884, to Mr. and Mrs. Fritz Goetz.^[1]

At the Central AAU Championship held in Chicago on January 20, 1904, Goetz was part of the highly competitive Chicago Athletic Union team that won the Senior 4x240-yard relay.^[2]

On April 6, 1904, while swimming for the Chicago Athletic Association Chicago (CAA), the CAA team soundly defeated the Intercollegiate Championship team of Yale University capturing every event. Goetz placed third in the 40-yard swim, and second in the 60-yard swim. The CAA's greatest rival was the Central YMCA of Chicago.^[3]

1904 Olympic silver

At the age of 19 at the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, while representing the Chicago Athletic Association, Goetz won a silver medal as a member of the second-place U.S. 4x50-yard freestyle relay team. A highly rated team from the New York Athletic Club easily won the competition with a time of 2:04.6. Louis Handley, a future swim coach for the Women's Swimming Association of New York, and Joe Ruddy swam for the NYAC team. A German team were not allowed to compete in the relay after the Americans protested that the German team were all stars and not one from one club.^[4]

Goetz also competed for the very strong Chicago Athletic Union water polo team made up of Dave Hammond as Forward and outstanding swimmer, W. J. Tuttle, J. Schreiner, Rex Beach, and Jerome Stever.^[5]

In 1905, Goetz attended Chicago's Armour Institute. Founded by Frank Wakely Gunsaulus, the school later merged with Lewis Institute to become the Illinois Institute of Technology.^[6]

Charles Goetz's Olympic experience and attainment of the silver medal demonstrated his work ethic and commitment to swimming. He continued to contribute to the swimming community after retiring from competition, passing on his knowledge to other swimmers.^[7]

Later life

Goetz was engaged to Louise Guerin in September 1908, to marry in November of that year. The couple married on November 11, 1908, at the Hotel Jullen with immediate family in attendance.^[1][8] By 1919, Goetz was President of the Para Auto Company, and was the owner of a 9-story Apartment building at 3400 Sheridan Road in Chicago.^[9] In September 1931, Goetz was sentenced to three years in the penitentiary for concealing assets of around 247,000 in bankruptcy, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to review the case in October 1932. Goetz later returned to his Chicao career as a realtor.^[10]

By 1963, Goetz resided in Foley, Alabama, where he served as a director of the Magnolia Springs Volunteer Fire Department in Foley, Alabama.^[11]

Goetz died on April 4, 1972, and was buried in Pine Crest Cemetery in Baldwin, County, Alabama.^[7]

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)