It is difficult to accurately trace my dad’s development as a swimmer because so few records remain and those that do have deteriorated considerably. Most of what remains are write-ups of his swimming days at the Germantown Boys Club and the Philadelphia Turners. I have no information about him swimming at Tome School or Germantown High School.
Jimmy began swimming competitively at the GBC when he was 10 or 12 years old. By 1924, at the age of 15, he had become recognized as a potential star. Some years later a writer wrote, “. . . and it is of a present day champion that we intend to speak of, no other than James McAdoo, the present “220” champion and a member of Turners since 1927. Back in 1924 the Germantown Boys’ Club found a representative capable of holding his own in almost any aquatic event he chose to enter, a swimmer with great possibilities, needing only training in the school of experience.” The writer continued, “Came the Sesqui-Centennial year, and with it the National Championships at the League Island pool. A second place in the “440” open fell to his lot, showing that the longer sprints were his best bet.” I checked the records and the winner of the race was Johnny Weissmuller, probably the greatest swimmer of that era. Later in the same article, “Then in 1927, PGT (Turners) acquired a new member, a swimmer needing only polish to rank with the sectional champions,” and about the 1928 season he wrote, “ . . . and it is only giving credit in the right place to say that McAdoo was to the Turner team what a keystone is to an arch.” The article goes on to point out his accomplishments during the 1929 season and it concluded with, “And in recognition of his splendid work he received the captaincy of the Turner team for 1930, which year gives promise of even greater success than the season just past.”
His outstanding career continued until 1933 or maybe 1934. Jimmy’s greatest achievements were swimming in the Schuylkill River at the Philadelphia Swimming Club. He retired three of the oldest and most prestigious trophies of that time, winning each one three times. They were the James H. Sterrett Trophy, 200 yard freestyle, the William Post Sackett Trophy, 100 yard freestyle, and the Sydney S. Asher Trophy, 440 yard freestyle. One year he won the Sackett race and 20 minutes later the Asher race, both in record setting times.
Jimmy did not go to college although he was offered a scholarship to Rider College in 1930 at the age of twenty-one, but he turned it down. My grandmother had died a few months earlier, the country was in the midst of the Depression and my grandfather was struggling to keep the family together. Here’s what William E. Moore (perhaps the athletic director) wrote when he heard of my dad’s decision. “While I do not, of course, know the inner reasons for your decision, I can understand that it must concern your immediate future to influence you to take such action. But it is as you say, better to “get together” with your dad on matters so as to share that united and common interest cooperation that is so vital to the success and harmony of families. As it stands now, I want to wish you, Jimmy, all the success in the World—I know it sounds trite—but I sincerely mean it, because you deserve to win out. If you should ever have reason to change your mind over coming to Rider, our offer is open to you, because you’re the kind of a fellow Rider wants in its student body.” He added a handwritten postscript, “Sure hope you change your plans and come back--- your books will be saved and waiting for you,”
Jimmy went on to play softball water polo for several years before the rules changed to make it a less dangerous sport. He began his coaching career in 1935 at Northeast Catholic High School where he developed a number of nationally ranked swimmers. During that period, he also coached at Germantown Y. Many of these young swimmers became life-long friends.
In 1938, Jimmy became the coach at Swarthmore College where he established a reputation as a fiercely competitive coach, a teacher, motivator, and friend to so many student athletes. After retiring in 1972, he joined his friend Jack Lumsden at LaSalle College and continued coaching there until his death in 1975.
