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Confusing & Missing Information

The article is missing any reference to the attempt Mark Spitz made to return to the Olympics in 1992 in Barcelona. He tried out. It was a big deal at the time, but I don't think he made it. I don't remember, but someone might want to fact check it. Thanks!  :) ProfessorBurgess (talk) 13:40, 17 August 2008 (UTC)Professor Burgess[reply]

Also, the first paragraph is confusing about what record Mark Spitz still has. Is it saying that he is the only person to win gold in all events he competed in at the Olympics? There are a lot of other ways to read the first three sentences (multiple interpretations), so the language could be cleared up a bit. I don't have the facts to clean up the language and make sure that it is accurate. Thanks! ProfessorBurgess (talk) 13:40, 17 August 2008 (UTC) Professor Burgess[reply]

Point of clarification

I am a bit confused about the introduction to this article on Mark Spitz. If he was born in Modesto, Calif., moved to Gridley and eventually trained in Sacramento, how is it that he swam at Waikiki every day? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.49.162.16 (talk) 17:04, 17 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Pathetic, and pathetically paranoid

Its pathetic, and pathetically paranoid. Where's the photos of Spitz in his career??? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Booksnmore4you (talk • contribs) 15:46, 19 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Aye, I find it confusing, that his Profile photo is of his in a Minnesota Twins' Jersey, as it may lead other people to think that he was a Baseball player. Budabass (talk) 21:00, 22 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Wikimedia Commons had a cropped version of the photo. At least he doesn't look like a baseball player. If anyone can find a public domain picture of him as a swimmer or as a broadcaster please add it. Tomsv 98 (talk) 23:14, 22 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Drug-testing and the "eastern bloc"

I was a little puzzled by the quote about the alleged lobbying against drug-testing by the "eastern bloc" in 1999, due to their being no "eastern bloc" in 1999. Seems this is a somewhat-too-direct quote from the "reference" http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/spitz_mark.html. If someone has more energy than me, they could refactor this to be less copyvioish, and preferably make clear with a better source whether this is a nonsensical Spitzism, or a nonsensical ESPNism. Or else we could lose the paragraph in the meantime. Alai (talk) 19:51, 22 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Anti-Spitz slant?

This article has such an anti-spitz slant its ridiculous. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.116.116.67 (talk) 02:16, 23 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

MARK SPITZ-MICHAEL PHELPS

I recently read an article in the Washington Post, that even though Michael Phelps won eight medals and broke three world records in the Beijing Olympics, Mark Spitz won seven gold medals and broke seven world records in the Munich games. That is SEVEN out of SEVEN which means Phelps has NOT surpassed Spitz' achievement. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.255.156.72 (talk) 18:42, 24 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Phelps broke 7 world records (NOT JUST 3) and won 8 gold. The Washington Post article is wrong. — Andy W. (talk/contrb.) 19:02, 24 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

SORRY, I'm getting my facts straight, Phelps set 4 world records and won 8 gold medals in the Beijing Games (he didn't set 7 as you mentioned), while Spitz set 7 world records and won 7 gold medals..

I just checked the Beijing 2008 website, that can't be wrong. He might've won 7 including the ones from Athens but I'm talking about setting records and winning medals in one single games. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.255.156.72 (talk) 22:50, 24 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Phelps set seven world records in Beijing, some of them in relay events, just like Spitz did. Phelps's achievement naturally surpasses Spitz's, as he won eight gold medals versus Spitz's seven.--Victor Chmara (talk) 10:35, 28 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

1992

Wasn't he offered $1M for the 1992 (to qualify for the team?). Should comparing him to a woman be included or removed as this is a bio about him. The reference is a weblog which is considered a less reliable source. What do you think? Fwlok (talk) 04:50, 31 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Many of his medals are from relays where he needed his comrades

If Mark Spitz were from Portugal or another small country he would have many fewer medals, because so many of his medals were for relays where he needed his comrades, and it is much easier to win relays if your country is big and has many other top athletes in the same sport. The same is true for Larissa Latynina and others. Shouldn't this be mentioned? Olympicdreams (talk) 22:30, 2 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I've already answered this on the Michael Phelps talk page, but you even have less cause here.. only 2 of Spitz's seven golds were relays. Spitz and Phelps hold the record for most individual gold medals in one Olympics, with five (that is, gold medals won in INDIVIDUAL, not team events). So no, I don't think that it would be necessary or warranted. SirFozzie (talk) 22:46, 2 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]
But there are several other persons who won five individual gold medals in one Olympics, right? Shouldn't we also have lists limited to individual gold medals? Olympicdreams (talk) 23:03, 2 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Only Phelps. SirFozzie (talk) 23:27, 2 September 2008 (UTC) Strike that. Heiden and Scherbo ;) SirFozzie (talk) 23:42, 2 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Three of Spitz's golds in München were relays: 4 x 100 m freestyle, 4 x 200 m freestyle and 4 x 100 m medley. The four individual events he won were 100 m freestyle, 200 m freestyle, 100 m butterfly, and 200 m butterfly.--Victor Chmara (talk) 18:58, 3 September 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Anno 2012 there is List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games#List of most individual gold medals won at a single Olympic Games and also List of multiple Olympic gold medalists#List of most career gold medals in individual events. Gap9551 (talk) 17:31, 11 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Huh???

"Spitz felt snubbed by not being asked to attend the 2008 Summer Olympics to watch Michael Phelps break his seven gold medal record."

They knew in advance? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.107.31.178 (talk) 09:00, 18 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]

It was about Phelps's attempt to break Spitz's record, I'll clarify this. Gap9551 (talk) 17:26, 11 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Greatest male swimmer: Mark Spitz or Michael Phelps?

There is this debate: Who is the greatest male swimmer ever, Mark Spitz or Michael Phelps?

Phelps won more gold medals. He also won 8 gold medals at a single games in 2008, while Spitz won only 7 in 1972.

On the other hand, Spitz set 7 world records back then, Phelps only 4.

Until recently I did not realize that there is another way in which Spitz is first. See this web site discussing the "rapid inflation of gold medals per Games, from 43 golds in 1896 to 302 in 2008:" http://www.idsia.ch/~juergen/goldcount2012london.html It ranks athletes based on how many percent of all gold medals they won.

In 1972 there were only 195 gold medals. In 2008 there were 302. So Spitz won 7 out of 195, or 3.59%. Phelps won 8 out of 302, or 2.65%.

(I also checked: the number of gold medals in swimming has increased as well. So Spitz had less opportunities to win medals.)

Advantage Spitz! Perhaps one could mention this in the article?

Some people consider the pre-1990's amateur status medals more valuable. But it is a POV thing.

SpitzPhelps (talk) 16:46, 11 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

See my response to your identical topic in Talk:Michael Phelps#Greatest male swimmer ever: Mark Spitz or Michael Phelps? Gap9551 (talk) 17:25, 11 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I inserted: Since 1900, no other swimmer ever won such a high fraction of all Olympic events at a single Games. SpitzPhelps (talk) 19:42, 13 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]
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