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Devere Christensen

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Devere Christensen
Christensen (center) with Olympic Team 1948
Personal information
Full nameDevere Woodrow Christensen
Born(1918-11-15)November 15, 1918
Hamilton, Iowa, United States
DiedDecember 12, 2013(2013-12-12) (aged 95)
Orange County, California
Sport
Country United States
SportWater polo, swimming
Event(s)freestyle sprint, water polo
ClubLos Angeles Athletic Club
College teamFullerton Junior College
University of California Los Angeles
CoachJames R. Smith, Hall of Fame
(Fullerton High and Jr. College)
Don Park
(UCLA)

Devere Woodrow "Chris" Christensen (November 15, 1918 – December 12, 2013) was an American water polo player for Fullerton Junior College and the University of California at Los Angeles, who competed for the U.S. team at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. He would later reach the rank of Major serving as a pilot with the U.S. Marines, and serve as an executive for California based company Union Oil of California and Unigas through 1980.[1]

High School athletics

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Christensen was born in Hamilton, Iowa on November 15, 1918, and later attended Southern California's Fullerton Union High School, coached by Naval Air Veteran and Water Polo Hall of Fame Coach James R. Smith. Christensen graduated Fullerton High on June 12, 1936.[2] The Fullerton High team won the California Interscholastic Federation Swimming and Diving Championship on May 29, 1936, with Christensen winning the 100 and 440-yard freestyle, the 75-yard medley, and anchoring Fullerton High's freestyle relay. Fullerton had also won the CIF Championship in 1935 under Coach Smith.[3][4][5]

College era athletics

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After High School he swam and played water polo for Fullerton Junior College, also coached by Hall of Fame Coach James R. "Jimmy" Smith, which won the Southern California Jr. College Championship in 1936 during Christensen's tenure with the team.[5][6]

He completed his studies at the University of California, Los Angeles and was a member of the school's water polo and swimming teams from 1939 through 1940, captaining the squad his Senior year, and graduating in 1940.[6] He swam under the direction of Coach Don Park at UCLA.[7] While at UCLA, the team won the Pacific Coast Conference titles in both 1937 and 1939. Christensen was a swimming champion in the 220 yard event.[6][8] While in a UCLA meet against rival University of California, Christensen set a record time of 54.8 in the 100-yard freestyle in early April, 1940. Christensen's command of swimming sprint events was likely a considerable asset while competing against elite teams in Water Polo championships. Christensen's High School and Jr. College Coach James R. Smith was adept at utilizing his water polo players speed as an advantage.[9]

Christensen was also a member of the LAAC squad that won an AAU Outdoor National title in 1941, and the 1947 National Amateur Athletic Union Water Polo Championship.[10][11][6]

1948 London Olympics

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Ccompeting out of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Christensen was a member of the United States national team that was eliminated in the second round of the 1948 Summer Olympic water polo tournament.[1]

Enlisting around 1942, he served as a Pilot with the U.S. Marines and was a veteran of both WWII and the Korean war era. He reached the rank of Major by 1957, and was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and several Air Medals. He retired from the reserves after thirty years having earned the rank of Colonel. He served with Union Oil of California known as UNOCAL from 1948–81, eventually acquiring a position as a vice-president and general manager. He also worked for Unigas from 1966–81, where he worked as a budget and distribution manager.[12][6]

Honors

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Christensen earned All Southern California High School honors in 1935, and All Southern California Jr. College honors in 1936. He was a PAC Conference selection for the years 1937, 1939, and 1940.[11]

In 1983, he was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame.[11][6]

Christensen died on December 11, 2013. He had two wives, Naomi Humphrey whom he married in 1949 and with whom he had one child. He was later married to Eudora Maxine Hill, on January 17, 1976.

References

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  1. ^ a b Gjerde, Arild; Jeroen Heijmans; Bill Mallon; Hilary Evans (September 2014). "Chris Christensen Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics. Sports Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
  2. ^ "274 Graduates Get Diplomas", The Register, Santa Ana, California, 9 June 1936, pg. 4
  3. ^ Fullerton won CIF championships in 1935 with Christensen winning 3 individual events in "Fullerton Cops Southland Swim Crown Over Poly", The Long Beach Sun, Long Beach, California, 30 May 1936, pg. 9
  4. ^ Hyland, Dick (August 15, 1957). "HYLAND FLING". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. pp. C2.
  5. ^ a b Jimmy Smith coached Fullerton Jr. College in "Winning Teams", The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, 8 December 1957, pg. 257
  6. ^ a b c d e f "Olympedia Bio, Devere Christensen". Olympedia. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  7. ^ Bruin Life / Southern Campus Yearbook – Class of 1941. Los Angeles: University of California, Los Angeles. 1941. p. 290.
  8. ^ Swam for Don Park in "Bruin Tank Team Takes On Texans", The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, 8 March 1940, pg. 35
  9. ^ "Bruins Swimmers Set Four Marks", The Tribune, San Luis Obisbo, California, 6 April 1940, pg. 4
  10. ^ "Water Polo Crown Won by L.A.A.C. Team". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles: Tribune Company. August 18, 1947. pp. A9.
  11. ^ a b c "Devere W Christensen". USA Water Polo Hall of Fame. 1983. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  12. ^ Hyland, Dick, "Highland Fling", The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles California, 15 August 1957, pg. 70
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