Joe Ruddy
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Joseph Aloysius Ruddy Sr. (September 28, 1878 – November 11, 1962) was an American competition
swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...
and
water polo Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...
player who represented the United States at the
1904 Summer Olympics The 1904 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the III Olympiad and also known as St. Louis 1904) were an international multi-sport event held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from 1 July to 23 November 1904. Many events were conducted ...
in St. Louis, Missouri. Ruddy was born on September 28, 1978 in New York City to Thomas and Catherine Ruddy. He competed in American Athletic Union Tournaments in handicap races including distances of 300 and 880 yards while representing the De la Salle Athletic Club in the late 1880's. While representing the Knickerbocker Athletic Club at the Knickerbocker Athletic Club Fall Carnival in Bayonne, New Jersey in early September 1900, he won the 75-yard handicap race by five seconds with a time of 1:21.8.


1904 Olympic gold medals

Ruddy won a gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in the 1904 St. Louis men's 4x50-yard freestyle relay composed of members of the New York Athletic Club coached by NYAC Head Coach Gus Sundstrom. The American team members included Ruddy as lead off swimmer, followed by Budd Goodwin,
Louis Handley Louis de Breda Handley or Luigi de Breda (February 14, 1874 – December 28, 1956) was an Italian-born American freestyle swimmer, water polo player, and coach who coached the Women's Swimming Association of New York and won gold medals in swim ...
, and
Charlie Daniels Charles Edward Daniels (October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020) was an American singer, musician, and songwriter. His music fused rock, country, blues and jazz, and was a pioneering contribution to Southern rock and progressive country. He was ...
. The team swam a combined time of 2:04.6. The team from America's Chicago Athletic Club took second for the silver, and the team from the Missouri Athletic Club took third for the bronze. He won a second gold medal as a member of the first-place U.S. water polo team that represented the New York Athletic Club, and was coached by Gus Sundstrom. The New York Athletic Club team won handily, defeating the Missouri Athletic Club by a score of 5-0 in the semi-finals on September 5, 1904, and defeating the Chicago Athletic Association by a score of 6-0 in the final round on September 6. The 1904 Olympics were not a strongly international event as a total of only 62 of the 651 athletes who competed in the events resided outside North America. Ruddy placed third in the 100-yard handicap event at the 1904 Olympics, though it was not a medal event, and both other entries were members of the American team. Ruddy continued to represent the New York Athletic Club, while winning both the harlequin and obstacle races at the Annual Water Sports Meet of the Jamaica Bay Yacht Club in early September, 1911.


Water Polo coach, civil service

Ruddy continued to compete in Water Polo matches into his 50's. He later participated as an Olympic referee for the Water Polo competition at the 1928 Olympics. During his life, he held national championships in swimming, handball, and water polo. Most significantly in his career, he coached both swimming and Water Polo teams for the New York Athletic Club roughly from 1904-1954. His water polo teams were undefeated from 1930-1939 both in indoor and outdoor U.S. National Championships. Two of his sons, Donald and Joseph Jr. swam with the team during their undefeated seasons in the 1930's. The "soft" water polo ball, which could more easily be held with one hand, was not abandoned in the game until around 1945. The softball game was abandoned partly because it was believed the U. S. should concentrate on the "hard" ball game as it was being played more consistently internationally and would be played in the Olympics. At one time, each of Ruddy's sons Joe, Steve, Joe Jr., Ray, Don, and Steve played "soft" water polo for the New York Athletic Club. In 1902, he served as a Junior clerk in the Municipal Civil Service Commission, and was later appointed as a physical examiner. While serving in the Civil Service, he dismissed many non-swimmers who were serving as lifeguards. He retired from his position as examiner in 1935. After his retirement around 1939, he was indicted for taking unlawful fees for civil service jobs."Joseph A. Ruddy Senior at 84, the Babe Ruth of Water Polo", ''Newsday (Nassau Edition)'', Hempstead, New York, 13 November 1962, p. 142 Ruddy was the father of 1928 Olympic swimmer Ray Ruddy who also participated in the 1932 and 1936 Olympics. Ruddy had two other sons and two daughters. His oldest son and namesake, Joseph Ruddy, Jr. was a U.S. Navy admiral, swam for the Naval Academy at Annapolis and was the recipient of a Navy Cross as an aviator in WWII. Joseph A. Ruddy Sr. Dies at 84; Swimmer Was Water Polo Star
" ''The New York Times'' (November 12, 1962). Retrieved March 28, 2013.
He died at his home in Far Rockaway, New York on November 11, 1962 at the age of 84. He had been living on Newport Avenue in Far Rockaway. He was survived by his wife Mary, two of his three sons, and two daughters. A Mass was held on November 14 at St. Frances de Sales Church in Rockaway Park, Queens.


Honors

In 1977, he was inducted into the
USA Water Polo Hall of Fame The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguou ...
. He was also a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He received a special medal of recognition for having saved 200 lives during his career as a lifeguard.


See also

*
List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame The International Swimming Hall of Fame is a history museum and hall of fame, serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around the world. List of the members of the International Swimming Hall ...
*
List of athletes with Olympic medals in different disciplines The List of athletes with Olympic medals in different sports is a list of athletes who have won medals in two different sports at the Olympic Games. List This table is sorted by individual total gold medals. Table with arts competitions and 19 ...
*
List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men) This is the complete list of men's Olympic medalists in swimming. Men's events 50 metre freestyle 100 metre freestyle 200 metre freestyle 400 metre freestyle 800 metre freestyle 1500 metre freestyle 100 metre backstroke 200 m ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruddy, Joe 1878 births 1962 deaths Swimmers from New York City American male freestyle swimmers American male water polo players Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming Swimmers at the 1904 Summer Olympics Water polo players at the 1904 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1904 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists for the United States in water polo American water polo coaches 20th-century American sportsmen