Bob Saari was only 16-years-old when he played water polo for the United States at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He had played water polo at El Segundo High School and El Segundo Swim Club, both coached by his father, Urho “Whitey” Saari, a legendary American water polo coach of Finnish descent. Bob Saari was a three-time California Interscholastic Federation water polo player of the year. His brother, Roy Saari, swam for the United States at the 1964 Olympics, winning a gold and silver medal. After high school Bob Saari attended Long Beach State University, graduating in 1970. He worked during summers as a Los Angeles County lifeguard, but then moved to Mammoth Lakes, California, where he operated a restaurant for over 30 years.
United States