Harry Hebner
American swimmer and water polo Olympian with 35 national titles.
Harry Hebner was an American swimmer and water polo player who took part in three Olympics: 1908, 1912, and 1920. He competed for the Illinois Athletic Club, trained by Hall of Fame coach William Bachrach, who also led the club’s water polo team. Bachrach’s other star swimmers included Sybil Bauer, Johnny Weissmuller, Norman Ross, Perry McGillivray, and Mike McDermott.
Quick Facts
- Full name
- Harry Joseph Hebner
- National team
- United States
- Strokes
- Backstroke, freestyle
- Club
- Illinois Athletic Club (IAC)
- Coach
- Bill Bachrach (IAC)
- Born
- 15 June 1891
- Birthplace
- Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
- Died
- 12 October 1968
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- Hebner was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1968.
- He was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 1980.
- He died in Michigan City, Indiana and was buried at St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery in Chicago.
Olympics
Hebner earned a bronze medal in 1908 and a silver medal in 1912 as part of the American men's 4×200-meter relay teams. In 1912 he also won the gold in the 100-meter backstroke. He was eliminated in the 100-meter freestyle semi-finals in 1908 and in the first round in 1912. At the 1920 Games he was a member of the fourth-place American water polo team. Between 1910 and 1917 he held all world backstroke records and won seven consecutive U.S. National backstroke titles. In total he won 35 national titles across freestyle and backstroke distances. He served as captain of the Illinois Athletic Club in both swimming and water polo, and his IAC Water Polo team won the U.S. Nationals five times between 1914 and 1924.
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