[Ads-l] Antedating of "Synchronized Swimming"

[Baker, John]

Somewhat earlier is this example from the Chester (Pa.) Times, July 24, 1935, at 11 (NewspaperArchive):  “An exhibition of synchronized swimming was put on by the twin [sic] Marion and Virginia Hopkins.”

The exhibition put on by the twins apparently involved only two swimmers, unlike the trio in Fred’s 1936 example, and there is no indication of a winner.

I note that the Wikipedia article on synchronized swimming asserts, without a source, that an announcer introduced the sport as “synchronised swimming” for the first time at the World Exhibition in Chicago in 1933 – 1934.


John Baker


From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> On Behalf Of Mark Mandel
Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2022 2:38 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Antedating of "Synchronized Swimming"

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Fascinating. A novelty, indeed! Is there any earlier example-- any *other*
example, for that matter-- example of a single person or thing being
"synchronized", let alone constituting a trio or other group? (Headbang)

MAM

On Sat, Jan 22, 2022, 5:41 PM Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at yale.edu<mailto:fred.shapiro at yale.edu>> wrote:

> synchronized swimming (OED 1950)
>
> 1936 Miami Herald 7 Apr. 8-A/1 (Newspapers.com) A synchronized swimming
> trio novelty event was won by Ann Braznell.
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
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