1957-1959 WATER POLO TEAM In the mid-1950s, the Club began putting together an elite group of water polo players from around the Bay, known as the “Black-capped Bay City Slickers.” Competitive for several years, including at the 1956 Olympic Games Trials, the team dominated from 1957 to 1959. In that three-year span, the team compiled a record of 63 wins with only six losses. They won three consecutive Northern California Water Polo League titles, three Pacific Association-AAU crowns, and two AAU National Outdoor Water Polo championships.
Their domination showed in the goals; in 1957, the team scored 342 goals and had only 103 enter their own net. At the 1959 AAU Outdoor Nationals, the team became the first team in five years to go through the round robin competition undefeated, beating not only the Club’s long time nemesis the New York Athletic Club, but also Lynwood, the team that delivered three of their six defeats.
Coach Rudloff attributed their success to “team spirit and team play,” and this tight-nit group of 22 people, including 19 players, two coaches and one commissioner are honored here tonight. Many have garnered additional honors in aquatic sports as players, coaches, architects and national leaders. Included among them are three Olympic athletes (John Bordy (1956) and Zoltan Hoszpodar (1952 & 1956) from Romania and Jim Gaughran from the USA (1956)), an Olympic coach, Art Lambert, and Olympic manager, Andy Burke. Six have been inducted in the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame: Burke, Jay Flood, Jim and Bob Gaughran, Lambert and Ed Rudloff, Sr.
Team Members:
- Paul Aehnlich
- Bill Augenstein
- John Bordy
- Andy Burke
- Sam Citron
- Rich Donner
- Jay Flood
- Jim Gaughran
- Bob Gaughran
- Zoltan Hozspodar
- Ivan Jasko
- Bob Kahl
- Art Lambert
- Jim Lee
- Roger McCandless
- Jack McNees
- Boyd Mickley
- Don Peterson
- Ed Rudloff, Sr. (Coach)
- Don Smalian
- Bob Ward (Commissioner)
- Winston Woodman (Assistant Coach)
