Captain Roger Wheeler
Captain Roger Wheeler was a professional marathon swimmer and member of the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation.
He is one of the namesakes on the Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award, together with Irving Davids, that is given by the International Swimming Hall of Fame to honor and recognize the contribution of individuals and groups making major contributions to Marathon Swimming.
Captain Wheeler was creator of the Rhode Island State Life-Saving system in the 1930s and is also the namesake of a state beach in Rhode Island, named after him in 1970 shortly after his death in 1969.
In the mid 1960 he co-planned a marathon race with a local Congressman John E Fogarty. After Forarty's passing the first John E Fogarty Memorial Distance Swim took place on 24 August 1968 - sanctioned by the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation. Only four swimmers completed that year and a new 26.5 mile course was planned for the next year. International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honorees Abdellatief Abou Heif and Horacio Iglesias tied for the win and only two other swimmers completed.
He also founded the 26.7-mile (42.9 km) America's Marathon Swim in Rhode Island. 8 swimmers completed and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honoree Horacio Iglesias won the race. Wheeler died before this race took place.
Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award
The Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award was established in 1970 by the New England Marathon Swimming Association to serve as a perpetual memorial to Davids and Wheeler.
Recipients
1970 Joe Grossman
1971 Gerald Forsberg
1972 Buck Dawson
1973 Willy Van Rysel
1974 Jerry Nason
1975 Ray Scott and Audrey Scott
1976 Aquatique Club Du lac St. Jean
1977 Conrad Wennerberg
1978 Charles E. Silvia
1979 Dennis Matuch
1980-2001 Award Retired
2002 James Doty
2003 British Long Distance Swimming Association
2004 Roger Parsons & Valerie Parsons
2005 Lynn Blouin
2006 Dale Petranech
2007 Silvia Dalotto
2008 Shelley Taylor-Smith
2009 Michael Read
2010 Christopher Guesdon
2011 Steven Munatones
2012 Drury Gallagher
2013 Ned Denison
2014 Melissa Cunningham
2015 Dennis Miller
2016 David Yudovin
2017 Richard Broer
2018 Stéphane Lecat
2019 Sue Guesdon
2020 Sid Cassidy
2021 Colin Hill
2022 Elizabeth Fry
External links
- Sally Minty-Gravett, MBE of Jersey Receives The Irving Davids/Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award
- Heroine, Mentor, Icon Elizabeth Fry Receives Irving Davids and Captain Roger W. Wheeler Memorial Award
- Colin Hill Honored By The International Swimming Hall of Fame
- The Persistence Of Ralph Willard
- Open Water Swimming
- Honoring The Legacies Of Irving Davids, Roger Wheeler
- Wheeler's Armada Takes Care of Open Water Safety
- Melissa Cunningham Honoured Again By The Hall of Fame
- The 1970 America's Marathon Swim In Rhode Island
- Honors Add To Legacy Of David Yudovin
- International Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame Origins
- World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation History
- International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- WPMSF Led To IMSHOF
- World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation
- Marathon Swimming
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
- The World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation
- A Giant Of The Sport, Joe Grossman
- World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation website
