Barbara Stark made the US Olympic team in 1952 when she was only 14-years-old. On the day before competing in the 100 backstroke she slipped in the locker room, badly cutting her head on a glass door, which required minor surgery to close the wound. She still competed the next day, with a swimming cap covering the wound, and managed to place fifth in the final. Stark was AAU outdoor backstroke champion at 110 yards in 1953 and 220 yards in 1953-54. Indoors, she won AAU titles in the 100 back in 1952 and the 200 back from 1952-54. She retired in 1955 after graduation from high school, and then attended U Cal Berkeley. Stark later did some masters swimming and coached the women’s swim team at Berkeley. Her son, Hartwell Jordan, also became an Olympian, competing in sailing at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
United States