Editing Mark Spitz (section)

==Swimming career==
===Maccabiah Games===
Spitz swam in his first international competition at the [[1965 Maccabiah Games|1965]] [[Maccabiah Games]] in Israel. At age 15 and weighing 130 pounds, he won four gold medals in Tel Aviv—the 400 m freestyle, the 1500 m freestyle, the 400 m individual medley, and the 800 m freestyle relay—and was named the most outstanding athlete of the Games.<ref name="JVL-Spitz-bio"/><ref name="The New York Times">{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1965/08/25/101564576.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812010402/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1965/08/25/101564576.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 12, 2022|title=U.S. WINS 4 TESTS IN ISRAELI GAMES; Spitz Stars as Maccabiah Squad Dominates Swim|work=The New York Times }}</ref><ref name="timesmachine.nytimes.com">{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1965/08/28/96716312.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602172522/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1965/08/28/96716312.html?pdf_redirect=true&site=false|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 2, 2023|title=SPITZ, U.S., GAINS 4TH GOLD MEDAL; 15-Year-Old Swimmer Wins 1,500 at Tel Aviv|work=The New York Times }}</ref>

He returned to Israel in 1969 following the Mexico Olympics to again compete, at the [[1969 Maccabiah Games]], where he won six gold medals and was again named outstanding athlete of the Games.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Slater |first1=Elinor |last2=Slater |first2=Robert |year=1996 |title=Great Jewish Men |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T91sokr_nJYC |location=Middle Village, N.Y. |publisher=J. David |isbn=978-0-8246-0381-6 |oclc=32201895}}</ref><ref name="JVL-Spitz-bio"/><ref name="The New York Times"/><ref name="timesmachine.nytimes.com"/>

In 1985, Spitz lit the torch to open the [[1985 Maccabiah Games]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Jews in Sports: The Maccabiah Games |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Maccabiah.html |publisher=Jewish Virtual Library |access-date=20 January 2023}}</ref>

In 2005, he was a member of the U.S. delegation at the [[2005 Maccabiah Games]]. He spoke at the JCC Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremonies, which was held in Richmond, Virginia. The Weinstein JCC in Richmond was one of the Host JCC's for the 2005 games, with over 1,000 teenagers participating in various sports, including swimming.

===Pan American Games===
He won five gold medals at the [[1967 Pan American Games]], setting a record that lasted until 2007 when Brazilian swimmer [[Thiago Pereira]] won six golds at the [[XV Pan American Games]] in [[Rio de Janeiro]].

===1968 Olympics===
{{See also|Swimming at the 1968 Summer Olympics|1968 Summer Olympics}}
{{MedalTableTop|name=no|Header=Olympic medal record|Mark Spitz 1969 Panini card.jpg|220px|Spitz c. 1968}}
{{MedalSport | [[1968 Summer Olympics|1968 Mexico City]]}}
{{MedalCountry|the USA}}
{{MedalGold| [[Swimming at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay|4×100 m freestyle relay]] |3:31.7}}
{{MedalGold| [[Swimming at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle relay]] |7:52.3}}
{{MedalSilver| [[Swimming at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre butterfly|100 m butterfly]] |56.40}}
{{MedalBronze| [[Swimming at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre freestyle|100 m freestyle]] |53.00}}
{{MedalBottom}}

Spitz was already the holder of ten world records, and he brashly predicted that he would win six gold medals at the [[1968 Summer Olympics]] in [[Mexico City]]. However, he won only two team golds: the 4×100-meter freestyle relay in 3:31.70, and the 4×200-meter freestyle relay in 7:52.33.<ref name=sroprofile>[https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sp/mark-spitz-1.html Mark Spitz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080730011411/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sp/mark-spitz-1.html |date=July 30, 2008 }}. sports-reference.com</ref>  In addition, Spitz finished second to fellow American [[Doug Russell (swimmer)|Doug Russell]] in the 100-meter butterfly. He lost to Russell by a half second, despite holding the world record and having beaten Russell the previous ten times they had swum against each other that year.<ref>He also won a bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle in 53.00 seconds at the same games. [http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=20272 International Olympic Committee – Athletes<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Russell did briefly match Spitz's world record in late August 1967, holding the record equally with Spitz for five days before Spitz regained it solely on October 2, 1967. As a result of being beaten by Russell, Spitz did not get to swim in the 4×100-meter medley relay, which gave Russell his second gold medal and the USA team another world record performance.

===College training===
Spitz was disappointed in his 1968 Olympic performance. In January 1969, he decided to attend [[Indiana University]]<ref name="IUspitz"/> to train with [[Indiana Hoosiers]] swimming coach [[Doc Counsilman]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiana.edu/~ocmhptst/051603/text/doc.html |title=Indiana University Archives |publisher=Indiana.edu |date=May 16, 2003 |access-date=January 30, 2011}}</ref> who was also his Olympic coach in [[Mexico City]]. He called choosing Indiana and Counsilman "the biggest decision of my life (and) the best."<ref name="Glory of Old IU 220">{{cite book|last1=Hammel|first1=Bob|last2=Klingelhoffer|first2=Kit|title=The Glory of Old Iu: 100 Years of Indiana Athletics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8uobLCQZlhAC|year=1999|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|isbn=1-58261-068-1|page=156}}</ref> While at Indiana, Spitz won eight individual [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] titles. In 1971, he won the [[James E. Sullivan Award]] as the top amateur athlete in the United States. Spitz also set a number of world records during the [[United States Olympic Trials (swimming)|U.S. Olympic Swim Trials]] held in Chicago's [[Portage Park (Chicago)|Portage Park]] in 1972.

He was nicknamed "Mark the Shark" by his teammates.<ref name=Chavoor/>

===1972 Olympics===
{{See also|Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Summer Olympics}}
{{MedalTableTop|name=no|Header=Olympic medal record|Mark Spitz 1972.jpg|220px|Spitz at the 1972 Olympics}}
{{MedalSport | [[1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Munich]]}}
{{MedalCountry|the USA}}
{{MedalGold| [[Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre butterfly|200 m butterfly]] |[[World record progression 200 metres butterfly|2:00.70 (WR)]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay|4×100 m freestyle relay]] |[[World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay|3:26.42 (WR)]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre freestyle|200 m freestyle]] |[[World record progression 200 metres freestyle|1:52.78 (WR)]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre butterfly|100 m butterfly]] |[[World record progression 100 metres butterfly|54.27 (WR)]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle relay]] |[[World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay|7:35.78 (WR)]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre freestyle|100 m freestyle]] |[[World record progression 100 metres freestyle|51.22 (WR)]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 x 100 metre medley relay|4×100 m medley relay]] |[[World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay|3:48.16 (WR)]]}}
{{MedalBottom}}

At the [[Swimming at the 1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Summer Olympics]] in [[Munich]], Spitz was back to repeat his quest for the six gold medals. He did even better, winning seven Olympic gold medals. Furthermore, Spitz set a new world record in each of the seven events – 100-meter freestyle (51.22), 200-meter freestyle (1:52.78), 100-meter butterfly (54.27), 200-meter butterfly (2:00.70), 4×100-meter freestyle relay (3:26.42), 4×200-meter freestyle relay (7:35.78), and 4×100-meter medley relay (3:48.16). Spitz was originally reluctant to swim the 100-meter freestyle, fearing that he would not win the gold medal. Minutes before the race, he confessed on the pool deck to [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s [[Donna de Varona]], "I know I say I don't want to swim before every event, but this time I'm serious. If I swim six and win six, I'll be a hero. If I swim seven and win six, I'll be a failure." Spitz won by half a stroke in a world-record time of 51.22 seconds.<ref>Moore, K. Spitz's mark of seven world records in one Olympic meet was equaled by [[Michael Phelps]] in 2008. (This was because Phelps's 100-meter butterfly win fell short of the world mark). [http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1068953/2/index.htm "Bionic Man."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820175221/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1068953/2/index.htm |date=August 20, 2008 }} Sports Illustrated. October 23, 1989. Retrieved August 13, 2008.</ref>
[[File:MarkSpitz1972Jacket.jpg|thumb|Jacket worn by Mark Spitz during the 1972 Summer Olympics.]]

Spitz is one of seven Olympians (four of them swimmers) to win [[List of multiple Olympic gold medalists|nine or more career gold medals]]: [[Larisa Latynina]], [[Paavo Nurmi]], [[Carl Lewis]], [[Katie Ledecky]], and [[Caeleb Dressel]] also have nine;<ref>{{cite book |title= The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2008 Edition |last= Wallechinsky |first= David |author2=Jaime Loucky |year= 2008 |publisher=[[Aurum Press]] |isbn= 978-1-84513-330-6 |page= 702}}</ref> only Michael Phelps has won more, with 23. Spitz's [[List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games|record]] of seven gold medals in a single Olympics was not surpassed until Phelps broke the record at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]].

After he had completed his events, Spitz left Munich early as a result of the [[Munich Massacre]], where eleven Israeli athletes were taken hostage and later murdered by Palestinian terrorists.<ref name="sports-reference1">{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/la/shaul-ladany-1.html |title=Shaul Ladany |access-date=February 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207054939/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/la/shaul-ladany-1.html |archive-date=February 7, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t0KzECrIQDQC&pg=PA161|title=Jews and the Olympic Games: The Clash Between Sport and Politics – With a Complete Review of Jewish Olympic Medalists |author=Taylor, Paul |publisher=Sussex Academic Press |year=2004 |isbn=9781903900888 }}</ref> Being Jewish himself, there was concern among the Olympic authorities that Spitz would become a likely target for the Palestinians and he was escorted to London for his own safety, briefly with an escort of U.S. Marines.<ref name="google1">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bKZa91YO_4YC&pg=PT26|title=One Day in September: The Full Story of the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre and the Israeli Revenge Operation "Wrath of God" |author=Reeve, Simon  |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing Inc. |year=2011 |isbn=9781611450354 }}</ref><ref name="google3">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FsgDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA104|author= Moore, Kenny |title=Leading Men|publisher=Runner's World |date=April 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LT2q2tSuIO8C&pg=PA131|title=Making Other Plans: A Memoir |author=MacKin, Tom  |publisher=Author House |year=2009|isbn=978-1452071510 }}</ref>

===Retirement===

Following the Munich Olympics, Spitz retired from competition even though he was only 22 years old.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.today.com/news/mark-spitz-i-m-just-regular-guy-who-achieved-olympic-t100820|title=Mark Spitz: I'm 'just a regular guy' who achieved Olympic swimming glory|website=TODAY.com|date=July 14, 2016 }}</ref>

At age 41, Spitz attempted a comeback for the [[1992 Summer Olympics]] after filmmaker [[Bud Greenspan]] offered him a million dollars if he succeeded in qualifying.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/thorpe-comeback-inspiring-spitz-20120905-25dr3.html|title=Thorpe comeback inspiring: Spitz|first=Rob|last=Forsaith|date=September 5, 2012|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> Spitz's comeback attempt made the cover of ''Parade'' and was also reported on in ''Sports Illustrated'' and ''Esquire''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-07-19-sp-4669-story.html|title=COMMENTARY : Spitz's Comeback Sinks, Although He Is One Healthy 42-Year-Old|date=July 19, 1992|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> Filmed by Greenspan's cameras, Spitz was two seconds slower than the Olympic standard and failed to qualify.<ref name="auto"/>

In 1999, Spitz ranked No. 33 on ''[[ESPN]] SportsCentury 50 Greatest Athletes'', the only aquatic athlete to make the list.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.topendsports.com/world/lists/greatest-all-time/athletes-espn-century.htm|title=Top Athletes List of the 20th Century|website=www.topendsports.com}}</ref>