Front:
OSANGETES
1932
OLYMPIAN
INEAPOLIS
JUL
25
HeleneMadison 1932
1990
55401
Back:
HELENE MADISON
First Day of Issue: July 6, 1990
First Issue Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
The sport of women's swimming was still very new and
Helene Madison (1913-1970) was in her teens when the
1932 Summer Olympics were held in Los Angeles, Cali-
fornia. Emerging from what is known as the “Golden Age
of Swimming,” Madison was a teen wonder, having by
the age of 17 established twenty-six world records in
freestyle events — in distances ranging from 50 yards to
one mile. Two years later at the Olympic games, she was
the only member of the American contingent to win three
gold medals. In the 100-meter freestyle event, she set an
Olympic record after faltering a bit in the semi-finals. In
the 400-meter freestyle she was pushed severely by her
American teammate Lenore Kight, yet set a new world
record while touching the final wall just inches in front of
Kight. Finally, she took a gold in the 400-meter freestyle
relay. During the 1930's Madison earned a dozen world
and thirty American championships, and at one time held
all of the standards in American freestyle swimming.
No. 90-27
©1990 The Maximum Card Collection
A Division of Unicover Corporation • Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007
® Original painting by Tom McNeely