George Freeth (1st surfer in California) is shown (left) wearing the national lifesaving award and
his most prized possession, the Congressional Gold Medal (1915). His exploits looked effortless,
as(right) he aquaplanes off San Diego in 1916. Born in 1883 to a prominent Hawaiian family, he
came to California in 1907. He surfed, trained the first lifeguards, and saved many swimmers
until his untimely death in 1919 at 35 due to Spanish influenza. All of the above from "Surfer
King, Swimmer Extraordinaire, Lifesaving Hero" by Cecilia Rasmussen, L.A. Times 2/10/02. |
