William "Bill" Bachrach

WILLIAM BACHRACH, b. 15 May 1876, Elgin, IL; d. 15 Jul 1959, Chicago, IL. Notes for WILLIAM BACHRACH: Was almost as famous for his enormous weight - - at times reputed to be 450 lbs. - - as for his prowess in coaching swimmer Johnny Weismuller, the Tarzan of screen fame. Willie spent the whole of his adult life pool side at the Illinois Athletic Club in Chicago. More and more he isolated himself from his family, associating exclusively with swimmers. Unmarried. Director of YMCA 1910. Bachrach was head coach of the American Olympic swim teams in 1924 and 1928. His men and women swimmers won 13 gold medals in 1924 and 10 gold medals in 1928. One of the medalists Bachrach personally developed was Johnny Weissmuller, who later gained Hollywood fame as Tarzan. Career Highlights: Starting as a swim instructor at the Chicago Central YMCA, Bachrach moved to the Illinois Athletic Club and coached swimming and water polo from 1912- 1954. While at both the YMCA and the IAC, he took an avid interest in promoting high school swimming meets and developing high school talent. When he moved to the IAC, his reputation grew as he coached some of the top American swimmers. In 1920, he 'found' a young swimmer named Johnny Weissmuller and developed him into a world champion -- he won four gold medals at the 1924 and 1928 Olympics. His swimmers at the IAC won a total of 120 National AAU Championships. In 1914 alone, his swimmers and divers won every Men's National AAU Championship event! His water polo teams won the national championship for four consecutive years, 1914-1917. Bachrach weighed well over 300-pounds, and had an ever-present cigar and beer belly that made him look like a German butcher. Although a competitive swimmer in the 1890s, he was never seen in a pool while coaching at the IAC -- it was humorously rumored that he hated water. Called the 'beloved tyrant,' he knew how to get the most out of his swimmers, both physically and mentally. Following the 1928 Olympics, Bachrach took Weissmuller to Japan to compete. Bachrach learned that the Japanese were planning to increase their chances by using very cold water. He had Weissmuller sit in a tub filled with ice water until he was accustomed to the temperature -- Weissmuller won every event at the competition. In 1966, Bachrach was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. WILLIAM BACHRACH. USA. Born: 5/15/1879. Died: 7/1959. William Bachrach was head coach of the 1924 and 1928 United States Olympic Teams. His men and women swimmers captured 13 gold medals in Paris in 1924, and 10 gold medals at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. Bachrach personally developed four swimmers who won gold medals at the 1924 Games: Johnny Weissmuller (100 & 200-meter freestyles, and 800-meter relay), Bob Skelton (200-meter breaststroke), Ethel Lackie (100-meter freestyle and 400-meter relay), and Sybil Bauer (100-meter backstroke). Weissmuller also won a pair of gold medals at the 1928 Olympics, in 100-Meter Freestyle and 800-Meter Relay. Other champions developed by Bachrach are: American champion Mike McDermott, and Olympic star Norman Ross, Sr., winner of gold medals in the 400 & 1,500-Meter Freestyles and 800-Meter Relay at the 1920 Games in Antwerp. As a coach, Bachrach was called the beloved tyrant. Starting out as a swimming instructor at the Chicago Central YMCA, he later moved to the Illinois Athletic Club and reigned there as coach of swimming and water polo from 1912 to 1954. His 1914-17 IAC Water polo teams captured the U.S. National championships for four consecutive years. BILL BACHRACH (USA) 1966 Honor Coach
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FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: U.S. Olympic coach (1924, 1928); Coached the Illinois Athletic Club; His swimmers and divers won every Men's National AAU Championship event in 1914; His swimmers won 120 National AAU championships. The late Bill Bachrach was heavyweight champion of swimming coaches both on his record of the most winning team (Illinois Athletic Club), most winning swimmer (Johnny Weissmuller) and actual weight (300 lbs.). Bachrach is the only coach whose swimmers and divers won every Men's National AAU championship event in one year (1914). He coached two winning U.S. Olympic teams. Weissmuller tells the story of how the "Great Bach" would pay Johnny a quarter to push him up the Fairmount Hill in San Francisco, then make him get in the pool and "kick a mile" because all that pushing is bad for the legs. At the Illinois Athletic Club, Bach coached the world's greatest swimmers--Jam Handy, Harry Hebner, Swede Jensen, Turk McDermott, Perry McGillivray, Norman Ross, Ollie Horn, Bob Skelton, Al Swartz, Johnny Weissmuller, Arne Borg, Buck Samson, Stubby Kruger, Sybil Bauer, Ethel Lackie and many others. His swimmers won 120 National AAU Championships. "Bach" was either first or second father to them all. Bachrach stories are legion. He carried his money in gold pieces in a money belt circling his enormous girth. He coached his swimmers to pull and push through to the hip when everybody else was using a half stroke. He kept his coaching a mystery from other coaches and often led them astray. Psychologically, he handled each swimmer differently, talked to them alone. On one all-star team, Turk McDermott had to be made mad before a race and Perry McGillibray had to be calmed down. Harry Hebner had to have a team situation to worry about. Weissmuller and Borg had to be kept from beating each other so "Bach" could have two stars on one team. And regardless of how good they were, Bach had room for no prima donnas, as he was the star.

Chicago Tribune (IL) - July 17, 1959 BACHRACH Deceased Name: William Bachrach William Bachrach, brother of Arthur Bachrach of Chicago and Robert Bachrach of Palm Beach, Fla. Services Saturday, 11 a.m., at home for funerals, Erie street at Wabash avenue. Interment private. Veteran of Spanish-American war. Chicago Tribune (IL) Date: July 17, 1959 Edition: Chicago Tribune Record Number: 19590717dn016 Copyright 1959, Chicago Tribune. For permission to reprint, contact Chicago Tribune. Chicago Tribune (IL) - July 17, 1959 BILL BACHRACH SERVICES SET FOR SATURDAY Deceased Name: William [Bill] Bachrach Funeral services for William [Bill] Bachrach, famed swimming coach of the Illinois Athletic club, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home at 25 E. Erie street, where the body will rest after 6 p.m. Friday. Bachrach, 80 last May 15, died Wednesday night in the Veterans Research hospital, where he had been a heart patient since last April. He is survived by two brothers, Robert of Orlando, Fla., and Arthur of Chicago. Bill Bachrach was one of the great American swimming coaches. During his tenure as I. A. C. swimming coach, from 1912 to 1954, he developed such stars as Johnny Weissmuller, late the movies' first Tarzan, who set 67 world records during his career; Mike McDermott, one of the forthcoming Pan-American games' chairmen and nine times national breast stroke champion, and the late Sybil Bauer and Norman Ross. Chicago Tribune (IL) Date: July 17, 1959 Edition: Chicago Tribune Record Number: 19590717ob007 Copyright 1959, Chicago Tribune. For permission to reprint, contact Chicago Tribune. Spanish American War BACHRACH, WILLIAM PVT I 2 IL INF CHICAGO More About WILLIAM BACHRACH: Military service: Spanish/American War Occupation: 1930, Swimming Coach Residence 1: 1920, 119 S. Michigan, Ave. Chicago,Il Residence 2: 1930, 200 E. Chestnut St., Chicago, IL
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From findagrave.com:
Bill Bachrach was a well know swim coach. He coached Johnny Weissmuller and others in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.
DOB given as May 15, 1879.