Photo by Hal Burgert
Jim McNairy: At 14,
Detroit's Most Promising Swimmer
COACHES
SAY HE'S THE . . .
BEST
SINCE BUMPY |
By JIM LYCETT
TEN YEARS AGO, when a husky Redford High School lad named Burwell
"Bumpy" Jones thrashed his way to a host of city, state and national
titles, he was promptly dubbed "the best all-around swimmer Detroit ever
produced."
Today, for the first time since Bumpy left Redford for added fame
at the University of Michigan, Detroit has come up with a suitable
challenger.
Still four months shy of enrolling in high school, 14-year-old Jim
McNairy is swimming all strokes so well he's called the best since
Bumpy.
Ron Alsobrook, Jim's coach at Patton Pool, says the sturdy
eighth-grader's versatility and stamina (he swims two miles in practice)
make him a sure bet for stardom. Echoing Ron is W.L. Gunnerson, swimming
coach at Western High School, where Jim will enroll next September.
"Considering his ability in all events," Gunnerson enthused, "I
think Jim is the most promising Detroit swimmer to come along since
Bumpy."
During a recent practice session, Jim was clocked in 2:10 for the
200-yard freestyle, great for a 14-year-old and only a shade off Bumpy's
time at that age.
"Jim is a trifle slower than Bumpy was at 14," Alsobrook said, "but
he really didn't get started until last year. Bumpy swam his first race in
the Detroit Boat Club pool when he was eight years old."
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