Ray Daughters
Coach Daughters at 34 in 1929 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 10, 1895 Denver, Colorado |
| Died | September 16, 1967 (aged 72) Seattle, Washington |
| Playing career | |
| 1910-1916 | Seattle YMCA, Washington Natatorium |
| 1916-1930 | Crystal Pool Swim Club |
| Position(s) | Freestyle, Butterfly |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1916-1930 | Seattle Crystal Pool SC |
| 1936, 1948 | U.S. Olympic Swim Team Women's Head Coach |
| 1932-1964 | US Olympic team adviser (8 Olympics) |
| 1930-1964 | Washington Athletic Club Coach, Athletic Director |
| 1965-1966 | Mercer Island Country Club Managing Director |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 64 National championships (WAC) | |
| Awards | |
| International Swim. Hall of Fame 1971 American Swim Coaches Hall of Fame | |
| Records | |
| 30 world records 301 American records (WAC) | |
Raymond Earl Daughters (1895-September 16, 1967) was a competitive swimmer, and Hall of Fame swim coach, who served for a period as a Chairman of both the AAU and Men's Olympic swimming committee. Between 1930-1964, he led the swim team of the Washington Athletic Club to 64 national championships, 30 world records, and 301 American records. Daughters coached five U.S. medalists in the 1936 and 1956 Olympics who won a total of eight medals, including four gold.
Daughters was born in Denver, Colorado in 1895, to William Daughters, a letter carrier, and his wife. The family moved to Seattle in 1910, where Ray would live the remainder of his life. He attended Seattle's Queen Anne High School, where he later noted he was not an exceptional student. Taking to the water in his youth, he specialized in freestyle and butterfly swimming at Seattle's old Washington Natatorium.