44 Facts About Mark Spitz

Mark Spitz was the most successful athlete at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, winning seven gold medals, each in world-record time.

Between 1968 and 1972, Spitz won nine Olympic golds, a silver, and a bronze, in addition to five Pan American golds, 31 Amateur Athletic Union titles, and eight National Collegiate Athletic Association titles.

Mark Spitz was the third athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals.

Mark Spitz was born on February 10,1950, in Modesto, California, the first of three children of Lenore Sylvia and Arnold Mark Spitz.

Mark Spitz's family is Jewish; his father's family was from Hungary and his mother's, originally surnamed "Sklotkovick", were from Russia.

When Mark Spitz was two years old, his family moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, where he swam at Waikiki beach every day.

Mark Spitz held one world age-group record and 17 national records at the age of 10.

When Spitz was 14, his family moved to Santa Clara, where he joined the Santa Clara Swim Club and was trained by coach George F Haines.

From 1964 to 1968, Mark Spitz trained with Haines at SCSC and Santa Clara High School.

Mark Spitz returned to Israel in 1969 following the Mexico Olympics to again compete, at the 1969 Maccabiah Games.

Mark Spitz was again named outstanding athlete of the Games.

Mark Spitz spoke at the JCC Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremonies, which was held in Richmond, Virginia.

Mark Spitz won five gold medals at the 1967 Pan American Games, setting a record that lasted until 2007 when Brazilian swimmer, Thiago Pereira, won six golds at the XV Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Mark Spitz was already the holder of ten world records, and he brashly predicted that he would win six gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.

Mark Spitz lost to Russell by a half second, despite holding the world record and having beaten Russell the previous ten times they had swum against each other that year.

Mark Spitz set a number of world records during the US Olympic Swim Trials held in Chicago's Portage Park in 1972.

Mark Spitz was nicknamed "Mark the Shark" by his teammates.

At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Mark Spitz was back to repeat his quest for the six gold medals.

Mark Spitz did even better, winning seven Olympic gold medals.

Mark Spitz was originally reluctant to swim the 100-meter freestyle, fearing that he would not win the gold medal.

Mark Spitz is one of five Olympians to win nine or more career gold medals: Larisa Latynina, Paavo Nurmi, and Carl Lewis have nine; only Phelps has won more with 23.

At age 41, Mark Spitz attempted a comeback for the 1992 Summer Olympics after filmmaker Bud Greenspan offered him a million dollars if he succeeded in qualifying.

In 1999, Mark Spitz ranked No 33 on ESPN SportsCentury 50 Greatest Athletes, the only aquatic athlete to make the list.

Mark Spitz appeared briefly on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast of California Governor Ronald Reagan in September 1973.

Mark Spitz went to work for ABC Sports in 1976 and worked on many sports presentations, including coverage of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Mark Spitz continued as a broadcaster for some time, but within a few years, he was hardly seen as a public figure except perhaps as a commentator for swimming events like the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Mark Spitz appeared in an advertisement for the California Milk Advisory Board.

In 2012, Mark Spitz appeared in a commercial for Ageless Male, a testosterone supplement.

When Mark Spitz returned from the Olympics, he began dating Suzy Weiner, a UCLA theater student and part-time model, who was the daughter of one of his father's business acquaintances.

At Indiana University from 1968 to 1972, Mark Spitz was a pre-dental student and member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.

Mark Spitz earned about $7 million in a two-year period.

Per his official website, Mark Spitz is self-employed as a corporate spokesperson and motivational speaker.

Mark Spitz has pursued various entrepreneurial projects with former NBA player Rick Barry.

Mark Spitz has reported having high cholesterol and other chronic health issues.

In 1972, Mark Spitz was accused of product placement during the medal ceremony.

Mark Spitz put them down as the American national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" was played.

When questioned by the IOC, Mark Spitz explained that the gesture was innocent, the shoes were old and he was not paid.

However, on August 14,2008, Mark Spitz appeared on NBC's Today Show where he clarified his statement and his pride in Michael Phelps:.

Mark Spitz paid this compliment to Phelps just two hours after his record-tying seventh gold medal during a live joint interview with Bob Costas:.

In 2015, Mark Spitz allegedly claimed that he had seen an email from Omega, the official timekeeper, that Phelps had lost the closely contested 100m butterfly final in 2008.

Mark Spitz later claimed that his quote had been "misconstrued".

Mark Spitz has been consistent in his criticism of the two swimming world bodies, FINA and the IOC, in their incomplete attempts to keep drugs out of the sport.

Mark Spitz has felt that not enough has been done to monitor and encourage drug-free participation.

In September 1999 Mark Spitz said the IOC had the technology to test for a plethora of drugs but was refusing to do so because of some IOC member protests.