Robert Brawner

Robert Brawner
Personal information
Full name	Robert Lowry Brawner
Nickname	"Ace"
National team	United States
Born	November 22, 1929; San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died	August 30, 2022 (aged 92)
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight	165 lb (75 kg)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Breaststroke
College team	Princeton University
Medal record
Representing the United States
US vs. Japan Dual Meets

Robert Lowry Brawner (November 22, 1929 – August 30, 2022) was an American swimmer for Princeton University who held a world record in the 200-yard (short course) breaststroke and held four American records.^[4]

Biography

Brawner was born on November 22, 1929.^[5] A four-time All-American in swimming at Princeton University, he was the Eastern Intercollegiate League Champion for three years 1950-1952 in the 200 yd/220 yd breaststroke. Brawner was also the double NCAA champion in the 100 yd and 200 yd/220 yd breaststroke for 1950 and 1951.

In his first American record came in 1949 with the 200 yard breaststroke (20 yard) with a time of 2:16.7.^[6] His world record came in 1950 at the Eastern Intercollegiate Championships in the 200 yd breaststroke (short course) beating the former record holder Joe Verdeur in 2:14.2.^[7]

At the National AAU Indoor Championships in 1950, Brawner won the 220 yd breaststroke (short course) and set the American record in 2:29.3 beating the former record holder Joe Verdeur who was second in 2:29.4.^[8] This race was dual timed for both the 200 meter and 220 yard distances (short course). During the race, Verdeur broke the world record for 200 meters with a time of 2:28.3. Although this was the fastest 220 yard breaststroke (short course) in history, it stood only as the American record since FINA only recognized the 200 yard and 200 meter distances for world record purposes.

Brawner set another American record in the summer of 1950 in the 220 yd breaststroke (long course) at the National AAU Outdoor Championships when Brawner won in a time of 2:41 flat beating Bowen Stassforth who was second in 2:41.3.^[9] He was selected in 1950 as part of the American national swim team in several dual meets held in Japan.^[10] This was the first time the American swim team had defeated Japan on Japanese soil.^[11] At the second dual meet held in Osaka, Brawner won the 100 yd breaststroke and 200 yd breaststroke.^[12]

At the 1951 National AAU Outdoor Championships in the 100 m breaststroke (long course), Brawner was second to John Davies, but set the American record in the 100 m breaststroke (long course) in the preliminaries with a time of 1:08.3^[13] At the 1952 US Olympic Trials, Brawner was seventh in the 200 m Breaststroke with a time of 2:44.9.^[14]^[15] Brawner died on August 30, 2022, at the age of 92.^[16]

Record notes

The world record for the 200 meter breaststroke prior the bifurcation of the butterfly breaststroke into separate strokes in 1953 could be accomplished in either short or long course pools. FINA recognized only one world record for the 200 meter breaststroke. Brawner held the following records in his career:

200 yd breaststroke American Record (20 yard course), March 18, 1950-June 20, 1952^[17]
World record 200 yd breaststroke (short course), March 17, 1950-March 29, 1952^[18]
220 yd breaststroke American record progression (long course), July 22, 1950-August 27, 1952^[19]
220 yd breaststroke American record (short course), March 31, 1950-April 4, 1952^[20]

National competitions

Amateur Athletic Union Outdoor Championships
- 220 yd breaststroke (1950)^[21]
- 100 m breaststroke (1951)^[22]
- 100 m breaststroke (1949)^[23]
- 200 m breaststroke (1951)^[24]
AAU Indoor Championships
- 220 yd breaststroke (1950)^[25]
- 220 yd breaststroke (1951)^[26]
- 100 yd breaststroke (1951)^[27]
- 200 m breaststroke (1949)^[28]
NCAA Championships
- 220 yd breaststroke (1951)^[29]
- 100 yd breaststroke (1951)^[30]
- 200 yd breaststroke (1950)^[31]
- 100 yd breaststroke (1950)^[32]
- 100 yd breaststroke (1952)^[33]
- 200 yd breaststroke (1952)^[34]
Eastern Intercollegiate League Championships
- 200 yd breaststroke (1952)^[35]
- 100 yd breaststroke (1952)^[36]
- 220 yd breaststroke (1951)^[37]
- 200 yd breaststroke (1950)^[38]
- 100 yd breaststroke (1950)^[39]

References

^ Los Angeles Times 13 August 1950 Page B13
^ Los Angeles Times 14 August 1950 Page C4
^ New York Times 6 August 1950 Page S1
^ New York Times 6 August 1950 Page S1
^ California Birth Index
^ New York Times 31 March 1949 Page 35
^ New York Times 18 March 1950 Page 17
^ New York Times 1 April 1950 Page 23
^ New York Times 23 July 1950 Page S3
^ Aims Daily Tribune 25 July 1950 Page 16
^ New York Times 6 August 1950 Page S1
^ New York Times 6 August 1950 Page S1
^ New York Times 27 July 1951 Page 30
^ Los Angeles Times 7 July 1952 Page C2
^ Page 124 1952 US Olympic Book-Report of the US Olympic Committee
^ "Robert L. Brawner '52". Princeton Alumni Weekly. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
^ Iowa City Press-Citizen 21 June 1952 Page 8
^ New York Times 18 March 1950 Page 17
^ New York Times 1 April 1950 Page 23
^ Panama City News Herald 23 July 1950 Page 9
^ New York Times 1 April 1950 Page 23
^ New York Times 27 July 1951 Page 30
^ New York Times 20 August 1949 Page 15
^ New York Times 28 July 1951 Page 21
^ New York Times 23 July 1950 Page S3
^ New York Times 7 April 1951 Page 24
^ New York Times 8 April 1951 Page 159
^ New York Times 2 April 1949 Page 19
^ New York Times 31 March 1951 Page 22
^ New York Times 1 April 1951 Page 155
^ New York Times 25 March 1950 Page 155
^ New York Times 25 March 1950 Page 155
^ New York Times 30 March 1952 Page S1
^ Los Angeles Times 29 March 1952 Page B2
^ New York Times 15 March 1952 Page S1
^ New York Times 15 March 1952 Page S1
^ New York Times 17 March 1951 Page 25
^ New York Times 18 March 1950 Page 17
^ New York Times 18 March 1950 Page 17

Records
Preceded by Joe Verdeur	Men's 200 yd breaststroke American Record(20 yard course) March 18, 1950-June 20, 1952	Succeeded by Bowen Stassforth
Preceded by Joe Verdeur	Men's 200 yd breaststroke World record-holder(short course) March 17, 1950-March 29, 1952	Succeeded by John Davies
Preceded by Bill Lucas	Men's 220 yd breaststroke American record-holder(long course) July 22, 1950-August 27, 1952	Succeeded by Jerry Holan
Preceded by Joe Verdeur	Men's 220 yd breaststroke American record-holder(short course) March 31, 1950-April 4, 1952	Succeeded by John Davies

[1] Los Angeles Times 13 August 1950 Page B13

[2] Los Angeles Times 14 August 1950 Page C4

[3] New York Times 6 August 1950 Page S1

[4] New York Times 6 August 1950 Page S1

[5] California Birth Index

[6] New York Times 31 March 1949 Page 35

[7] New York Times 18 March 1950 Page 17

[8] New York Times 1 April 1950 Page 23

[9] New York Times 23 July 1950 Page S3

[10] Aims Daily Tribune 25 July 1950 Page 16

[11] New York Times 6 August 1950 Page S1

[12] New York Times 6 August 1950 Page S1

[13] New York Times 27 July 1951 Page 30

[14] Los Angeles Times 7 July 1952 Page C2

[15] Page 124 1952 US Olympic Book-Report of the US Olympic Committee

[16] "Robert L. Brawner '52". Princeton Alumni Weekly. Retrieved April 7, 2023.

[17] Iowa City Press-Citizen 21 June 1952 Page 8

[18] New York Times 18 March 1950 Page 17

[19] New York Times 1 April 1950 Page 23

[20] Panama City News Herald 23 July 1950 Page 9

[21] New York Times 1 April 1950 Page 23

[22] New York Times 27 July 1951 Page 30

[23] New York Times 20 August 1949 Page 15

[24] New York Times 28 July 1951 Page 21

[25] New York Times 23 July 1950 Page S3

[26] New York Times 7 April 1951 Page 24

[27] New York Times 8 April 1951 Page 159

[28] New York Times 2 April 1949 Page 19

[29] New York Times 31 March 1951 Page 22

[30] New York Times 1 April 1951 Page 155

[31] New York Times 25 March 1950 Page 155

[32] New York Times 25 March 1950 Page 155

[33] New York Times 30 March 1952 Page S1

[34] Los Angeles Times 29 March 1952 Page B2

[35] New York Times 15 March 1952 Page S1

[36] New York Times 15 March 1952 Page S1

[37] New York Times 17 March 1951 Page 25

[38] New York Times 18 March 1950 Page 17

[39] New York Times 18 March 1950 Page 17

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