During the heyday of the 38.6 km Atlantic City Around the Island Swims between 1954 and 2005 (see Marathon Swimmers Federation data here), swimmers use to swim directly behind a rowboat where their coach or handler sat while two local lifeguards rowed and rowed and rowed, often through horrific conditions due to strong winds, relentless waves, oncoming surface chops, and changing tides.
The best (fastest and most prolific) marathon swimmers in the world would gather in Atlantic City to swim half the race in the open ocean and half the race in the back bay. The ocean could be cold as 12°C and the back bay could be as warm as 25°C.
From Canadians Thomas Park (MSF bio here) and Cliff Lumsdon (MSF bio here) in the 1950s to Herman Willemse (MSF bio here) and Abdel Latif Abou Heif (MSF bio here) in the 1960s to John Kinsella (MSF bio here) and Claudio Plit (MSF bio here) in the 1970s to Paul Asmuth (MSF bio here) and Monique Wildschut (MSF bio here) in the 1980s to Diego Degano (MSF bio here) and Shelley Taylor-Smith (MSF bio here, a two-time overall winner) in the 1990s to Petar Stoychev (MSF bio here) and Yuri Kudinov (MSF bio here) and Angela Maurer (MSF bio here) and Britta Kamrau (MSF bio here) in the 2000s, the number of International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Swimmers were numerous.
It was the race to prove who was the best, the crème de la crème.
One of the most respected (at that time) and unheralded (since then) handler and coach was a Swimming Renaissance Man Dr. Sam Freas. He was a big personality who brought out the best among everyone he coached, mentored, and led. He coached small college swimmers and Olympic pool swimmers to renowned professional marathon swimmers like dual ISHOF-IMSHOF inductees Paul Asmuth around Atlantic City five times and Shelley Taylor-Smith at the University of Arkansas.
Asmuth recalls, “In 1983 we started and finished from the beach in Atlantic City. Because we had to swim against the currents at both inlets (going from the ocean to the bay and out from the bay back to the ocean), it was one of the hardest races that I ever did (note: he competed in a total of 59 professional marathon swims).
Sam was amazing during this race to encourage me and not let me get discouraged. He had to carry me out of the water at the finish. He was also a lifeguard at Wildwood Beach where his family had a summer home. Another reason I was so successful in this race was Sam knew how to row a lifeguard dory and could relieve the other rowers. Sometimes when the current was really strong, he rowed too so I had three rowers. It made a big difference sometimes. Carl Smallwood was the same for me when he took over for Sam. The blurry image below on right is from my first year in Atlantic City in 1980.“
Taylor-Smith recalls Freas’ overwhelming presence and guidance at the 1st FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships held in Waikiki Beach in Hawaii between October 29th and November 4th 2000. “Sam was absolutely everywhere during the competition. He was running the technical meetings before the races and holding up the finish chute in the choppy water at the end of the races. He talked to everyone and seemed to know everyone. And everyone knew Sam. He had answers to all our questions.
Sam’s passion for helping others achieve their personal best is the greatest gift he shared with me. Sam always reminded us that we could give more in a practice, could give more off the blocks, in our turns, finish, etc. We always could give more of ourselves.
Sam’s vision and foresight is the sole reason why there is a Lady Razorback Swim Team. When the University of Arkansas decided to shut the women’s team down, he declined and said he would take on both the men and women’s teams.”
As the event director, Dr. Freas organized and hosted the first 2000 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships that was broadcast on American television. The Championships saw 164 competitors representing 34 nations compete in Waikiki Beach with more that 500 people attending the Opening Ceremonies of the Championships at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel. Over 400 local staff volunteers, 150 motor craft, 40 safety personnel and 30 interpreters were part of 5 km race on Day One, the 10 km race on Day Two and the 25 km event on Day Three. Gold medalists included Peggy Büchse, Yuvgeny Bezruchenko, Edith van Dijk, David Meca, and Yuri Kudinov.
He coached at several universities including LSU and Arkansas and coached South Africa’s swim team in the Olympics. Over the course of his career, 19 of his college swimmers have competed in the Olympics and three set world records. He is an author of several books on swimming and served as president and CEO of the International Swimming Hall of Fame between 1989 and 2004. He was also president of the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association and a member of the United States Olympic Committee.
A busy man, a passionate coach, an able administrator, Dr. Freas passed away in his sleep at the age of 73 in 2019.
He will always be sorely missed.
Former USA Olympic and Yale University swim team coach Frank Keefe said upon his passing, “Sam was an icon of our sport. He will be truly missed and [it was] an honor knowing the Big K.”
John Leonard of the American Swimming Coaches Association said of his friend, “I found him one of the most creative of coaches that I have known. He had a great rapport with sprinters and [had] great skills in getting the absolute maximum performance from them. No one was a better coach during a taper. Which means, likely, that he had many successful training seasons, since you can’t taper without a strong training base. Sam could get performance from anyone. He was a motivator.
Personally, Sam always had time – made time – for everyone. He was never in a rush [and] always available to talk. Sam was the original extrovert. Sam took a personal interest in everyone he met, athlete, coach or just a character. He raised great children, who took all the good parts of both their mother and their father and made it their own.
I served on three USA Swimming team staffs with Sam. It was always different, unusual, and interesting, and his conversations were free-flowing and stimulating. I knew I could call him any time of day or night with something I wanted to discuss.”
Freas’ youngest daughter Sydney wrote a fitting tribute upon his passing, “We lost the one and only Sam, Sammy, Dad, Daddy-o, Easyman, Sammy Slim, The Fat Man, the Big Kahuna, Coach Freas, Dr. Sam…I could go on.
I was with my dad over the last several days. His visit to Phoenix was unbelievably joyous, easy, and uplifting, as it always is with him. On Friday afternoon, I took my parents out to a pre-birthday lunch at a great seafood restaurant. During the lunch, we talked about his movie and sequel. While I was quite familiar with the first movie story, I hadn’t heard the sequel plot in detail before. As he elaborated on his unbelievable story, tears welled up in my eyes. His gifts for storytelling were beyond. I told him. ‘Dad, we’ve gotta get this done. Let’s figure this out.’ He and my mom agreed and we had a pow wow and a surge of revitalized vigor to get his story onto the big screen.
Later Friday night, Dad was in his usual jovial mood, recounting the stories of his incredible life in pure Sam fashion. My dad and my in-laws grew up in suburban Philadelphia and Jack and Sam both summered on the Jersey shore as lifeguards, swam against each other at rival prep schools, and had so much in common.
I woke up on Saturday morning, March 23rd, Daddy’s 73rd birthday, to him sitting in a chair in our living room reading scripture, as he did every single day of his adult life.
We had an easy morning, dad making recruiting calls, always busy doing something, making the most of each moment. I always loved overhearing his phone calls over the years. I remember waking up to his booming, strong, voice regularly. Every conversation a display of a master articulator, connector, and lover of people.
A little bit later we drove down to Tucson, my mom and him in one car, me, my husband and our boys in another. He called several times on the way down there wanting to know random things, ‘Hey, what are they growing on the side of the road there?’ 10 minutes later, ‘Hey, is that snow on the top of those mountains? I thought it could be limestone, just wanted to check’ and then he would abruptly get off the phone – a Sam trademark, ‘all right bye’ or ‘all right God bless’. Definitely a Sam trademark.
After a fun dinner, we spent time talking and watching TV together as a family. It was fun, it was easy, it was perfect. Dad and mom stayed up later than usual. We were all having a great time. Quality. Family. Time. Little did we know he would leave us 24 hours later.
Sunday March 24th, we woke up and headed to a great breakfast with my in-laws and their friend, another Philadelphia native. Dad was on fire. He was opining about all the topics of the day, mainly sports, the college admissions scandal, NCAA basketball, and stories many interesting individuals he knew throughout his career. I walked off to the bathroom during the breakfast, at least 30 feet down the hall from our table and could hear him from the bathroom. I loved it. Big Sam, my dad, was in the building.
After breakfast, we watched more NCAA basketball where I had to help dad with the remote another 10 times (at least)… I asked him if he wanted to come swimming with me, Logan and the boys. Much to my delight he said “yes”. I was so excited. It was one of his great joys to see his grandchildren swim. We got in the pool together and pushed Thomas back and forth between us. I could tell he was at peace, so happy. He even swam a couple of laps. I remember glancing over and thinking to myself, ‘Wow, despite his size, his stroke is still flawless.’
We came back home and had the most pleasant dinner as a family on my back patio. The sun setting behind his back, God’s love shone all around him on his last sunset on earth.
After dinner, we watched NCAA basketball and a few movies. My mom went to bed a little earlier than him, and it was just me, my dad, and Logan watching TV. He was cracking jokes – hilarious as ever in his distinct humor – and I was in heaven being next to him. Just heaven. My daddy. My hero.
We set off to bed, kissed each other good night and said I love you for the last time.
Shortly after going to bed, my mom urgently woke me up saying dad was in trouble.
I went into his room, my mom and I on both sides of him trying to help in any way we could. He was conscious but confused and in pain. Groaning and moaning. We called 911. We stayed by his side and cried out to him, ‘Daddy, daddy stay with us, daddy…Please daddy, stay with us daddy.’
‘Sam, c’mon Sam. Sam, stay with us Sam. We love you Sam.’
The paramedics came and took over. We watched them take him away on a stretcher. We followed them to the Emergency Room where they wouldn’t let us back to see him. They were trying to revive him, but his heart had stopped as soon as he reached the hospital. In an hour’s time, we received the dreaded news that the man, the legend, our rock, our hero, the one and only Samuel “Sammy” James Freas had gone on to eternity with our heavenly Father.
He is in paradise now. He has a new body. He has no pain. He is delighting all of heaven with his warmth and wit. He is seeing all his passed loved ones and friends. The many Peekskill and West Point buddies that sacrificed their lives in Vietnam, etc. He is watching over us and smiling down with that signature closed lip smile. The bad news is we have to live without him on this earth…the good news is that we will spend eternity with him.”
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