Duke Kahanamoku

Duke Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968), was a Hawaiian athlete who is called the inventor of modern surfing. He was also on the United States Olympic team as a swimmer, and won several silver and gold medals.

Contrary to some misinformation on the internet, Duke is not known as the Big Kahuna. He himself rejected that term, because he knew its meaning. The Big Kahuna is a character in the Gidget story, which is based on a portrayal of Tube Steak Tracy, a famous surfer of the '40s & '50s in Malibu.

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Other websites

Category:1890 births
Category:1968 deaths
Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States
Category:American surfers
Category:Sportspeople from Hawaii