Sport: Swimming

Hometown: Modesto, CA

Biography: Mark Spitz was born on Feb. 10, 1950, in Modesto, Cal. He was considered the swiftest swimmer of all time. When he was two years old, his family moved to Hawaii, where his father Arnold taught him to swim. After four years in Hawaii, the family returned to California and at the YMCA Spitz received his first competitive instruction. At age nine, his dad took him to Arden Hills Swim Club to train under the celebrated Sherm Chavoor, who would be a life-long mentor to Spitz. By age 10, Spitz held 17 national age group and one world record. He was named the world's best 10-and-under swimmer. When he was 14, his family moved to Santa Clara so Spitz could train with George Haines of the famed Santa Clara Swim Club. Spitz continued to excel, especially in swimming's most difficult stroke: the butterfly. At 16, he won the 100-meter butterfly at the National AAU Championships, the first of his 24 AAU titles. The next year, 1967, he won five gold medals at the Pan-American Games in Winnipeg. He was expected to win several individual gold medals at the 1968 Olympics, having already set 10 world records. He made his big splash during the 1972 Olympics, becoming the first athlete to win seven gold medals in an Olympiad. His performances were even more remarkable considering world records were set in all seven events. Fulfilling all the pre-Olympic hype, he won four individual events -- in the 100- and 200-meter freestyle and 100- and 200-meter butterfly -- and three relay races. After his Munich triumph, Spitz was bombarded with endorsement offers. He soon came to be known more as a good-looking, mustachioed pitchman than for his signature butterfly stroke. He made some $7 million in two years.