Mark Spitz: The Extraordinary Life of an Olympic Champion
It’s hard to imagine that in the 36 years since the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Mark Spitz has not put his life into words. That’s partly what makes this in-depth look at the swimmer so intriguing. Foster, himself a former U.S. Olympic Committee member, tells of Spitz’s humble beginnings, how a Jewish kid of first-generation Americans (his father was raised on a California chicken farm) got his first taste of championship swimming at the local YMCA and how his early development came under the tutelage of Sherm Chavoor, an ambitious businessman who also became a legendary swim coach. Many readers might not even realize that Spitz was in the 1968 Olympics, too, where he won “only” four medals. After that, he surprised all his coaches by going to college (and excelling) at Indiana University. With his education out of the way, Spitz became unstoppable on the world swimming stage, culminating in seven gold medals and seven world records in Munich. Still an amazing story, even after all these years, and a good choice for any sports collection, especially in an Olympic year. --Mary Frances Wilkens