1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: You're listening to Part Time Genius, the production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:13,119 Speaker 2: Guess what Mango? 4 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: What's that? Will? 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 2: So I was looking through the National Register of Historic Places, 6 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 2: and you know, I was doing this on a Saturday, 7 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 2: because that's how I spend most of my saturdays these days. 8 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 2: And I noticed that there's actually only one swimming pool 9 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 2: on the list. One swimming pool in all the National 10 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 2: Register of Historic Places. 11 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 1: Well, I love that, that's how you spend your Saturdays. 12 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: But there's only one swimming pool. 13 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 2: On a very special swimming pool. This is the Venetian Pool, 14 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 2: and it's located in Coral Gables, Florida, and it was 15 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 2: built on this abandoned rock quarry. Now the pool is 16 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 2: the largest freshwater pool in the entire country. And when 17 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 2: it was first built, it was made to look like 18 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,840 Speaker 2: a Venetian grotto, so this really lush pool. It was 19 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 2: equipped with places to dock your gondola. Of course, they 20 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 2: actually used to have gondolas that would ride across it. 21 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 2: I'm not kidding. You should look for the photos of this. 22 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 2: But the really impressive feature is that to keep the 23 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 2: water fresh, it was drained every single day and then 24 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 2: filled with fresh water from the artesian springs that it 25 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,039 Speaker 2: connects to, and I'm not making that up either. That 26 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 2: is incredible, but also it kind of seems like a 27 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 2: lot of water. Yeah, so you can imagine some conservationists 28 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 2: took issue with this, and when they pointed that out, 29 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 2: the system was changed a little bit. So today the 30 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 2: water pumps out to an aquifer where the water is 31 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 2: cleaned and then pumped back in, so the water is 32 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 2: still changed very regularly. But what's incredible is that because 33 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,039 Speaker 2: the quarry gets emptied out, they can also use it 34 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 2: for other events, like apparently the quarry has stunning acoustics, 35 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 2: so symphonies will perform concerts from the bottom for its locals. 36 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 2: I think I'd probably be nervous that it was suddenly 37 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 2: going to start filling up again. But anyway, I put 38 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 2: it on my list of places to visit the next 39 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 2: time I'm in Florida because it's actually open to the 40 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 2: public and it looks beautiful. Plus the idea of fresh 41 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 2: swimming seems like a lot of fun, and especially in 42 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 2: such a huge pool. But reading about the Venetian made 43 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 2: me wonder where swimming pools got their start and how 44 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 2: they spread across America. And also who the Zanius swim 45 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 2: team in New York history is. You know that's an 46 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:14,920 Speaker 2: obvious next one. 47 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: I don't even know what that sentence means, but I 48 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: love it. And usually i'd say, let's dive in, but 49 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 1: I don't think we're gonna be that elegant, so let's 50 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: get into it with a great big belly flop. 51 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 2: Hey, their podcast listeners, Welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm 52 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:52,799 Speaker 2: Will Pearson, and as always I'm here with my good 53 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 2: friend mangesh Hot Ticketer and somewhere behind the big booth, 54 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 2: sitting in an inner tube in a kiddie pool with 55 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:00,359 Speaker 2: floaties on each of his arms. I saw these things 56 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 2: sitting around the office all week. I had a feeling 57 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 2: this is where he was going with it. That's our 58 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 2: good friend Dylan Fagan. 59 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: You know what's amazing about it is like that's not 60 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 1: even half the work he put into this. Like I 61 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: don't know if you notice, but he has posters up 62 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: everywhere of all these great movies from like Ferris Bueller, 63 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: The Sand Loot, The Graduate Rushmore, National Lampoon's Vacation. And 64 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: I didn't realize it, but. 65 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 2: You know, they all have a famous swimming pool. Scenes. Yeah, exactly, 66 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 2: that's true. Good catch. 67 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: There is a genius. 68 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 2: He really is a genius. 69 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: So will I know you are a good swimmer. I'm 70 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 1: a terrible swimmer. I grew up near a y, so 71 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: like I went to lessons there, I was a polywog, 72 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: and then a guppy, and then a minnow and a fish, 73 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: and I was just like crushing these levels one after another. 74 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: And then I just grew older and older and I 75 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: never got promoted to flying fish and heartbreaking and eventually 76 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: I quit. But in spite of all that resentment, I 77 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: I still love swimming pool. 78 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 2: I'm the same way I love a swimming pool, but 79 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 2: I sort of just like being in it, you know, 80 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 2: like not working really hard. And I'm not swimmings. I'm 81 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 2: not a great swimmer. But so anyway, why don't you 82 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 2: kick this off and tell us about the first swimming pool, 83 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 2: which I know you look the into. 84 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 1: Absolutely so. People have been swimming in lakes and rivers 85 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,559 Speaker 1: and other bodies of water for thousands and thousands of years. 86 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 1: But to get to what is possibly the earliest evidence 87 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: of a pool, we have to go to circa twenty 88 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: five hundred BCE. And this takes us to the Indus 89 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: Valley in modern day Pakistan. In the nineteen twenties, archaeologists 90 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 1: were excavating Mohenjo Daro, which is one of two main 91 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: Indus civilization settlements, and they came across this structure and 92 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: it is really impressive. It looks like a pool about 93 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 1: eight feet deep and is built of brick, and it 94 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,679 Speaker 1: has drainage, a bunch of benches, and even this terraced 95 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 1: deck area. Honestly, it's not that different from the baths today. 96 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: But you said wasn't for swimming, that's right. So the 97 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: exact use is unknown, but historians think it was likely 98 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: a bath used for religious ceremonies. So that's kind of 99 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 1: the first known example of a pool. But we're going 100 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: to zoom ahead about two thousand years to ancient Rome, 101 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: where public baths were really popular. Before this time there 102 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: had been bathing in pools and swimming in open water. 103 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: But we can credit the Romans with building pools explicitly 104 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: for military training. 105 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 2: Ah, that's super interesting. But somehow I hadn't put it 106 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 2: together that they'd be teaching soldiers to blow bubbles underwater 107 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 2: and showing them like the elementary backstroke and all that 108 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 2: sort of stuff. 109 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, and the idea of Roman soldiers doing aqua aerobics 110 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 1: together and full regalia is pretty fun to think about it. 111 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: But also you can credit the wealthy Roman diplomat patriot 112 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:50,919 Speaker 1: of the arts and leisure enthusiast Gaeus Macenus for likely 113 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: having the first heated swimming pool, which he built in 114 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:54,919 Speaker 1: the first century BCE. 115 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 2: Wow, that's amazing that heated swimming pools go back that far. 116 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, the first sense of Britannica about geis is pretty amazing. 117 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 1: It reads quote gayas Messinas was a Roman diplomat, counselor 118 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: to the Roman Emperor Augustus, and wealthy patron of such 119 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: poets as Virgil and Horrus. He was criticized for his 120 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: luxurious way of life. 121 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 2: I love that. It's right there in the opener. All right, 122 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 2: so I'm digging this quick tour through the early swimming 123 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 2: pools that actually is super interesting. But what's next. 124 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: So as the centuries go on, swimming in bats especially 125 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 1: bats continue to be really popular, right, So you think 126 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 1: about the onsen in Japan, the Hammams in Turkey, the 127 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: Banyas in Russia. It just goes on around the world, 128 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: and in Europe, the popularity of swimming really dips during 129 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 1: the Middle Ages, possibly because people were worried that it 130 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: spread infections. But by eighteen thirty seven, the very beginning 131 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: of Victorian England, there were six indoor pools with diving 132 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: boards in London. Isn't it amazing? Yeah? And it's the 133 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: Victorian era that really ends up ushering in the idea 134 00:06:57,120 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: of swimming as both a sport and a leisure activity. 135 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 1: You start to see swimming clubs and organized races and 136 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 1: this starts spreading across Europe and eventually into places like 137 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: Australia and America. 138 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 2: All Right, so when do pools, you know, finally take 139 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 2: over America. 140 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: So there's this great book called Contested Water, a Social 141 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: History of Swimming in America, and a lot of this 142 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: research comes from there. But according to Jeff Wiltsey, the 143 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: first public pool in the US was built in Boston, 144 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: and this is around eighteen sixty eight, so just a 145 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: few years after the Civil War had ended. For context, 146 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: then it was an indoor pool called a Cabot Street Bath, 147 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: and unlike those fancy pools with diving boards in London, 148 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 1: this one was as the name suggests really supposed to 149 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: be a bath. A lot of working class folks didn't 150 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: have a way to bathe themselves, so the pool was 151 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 1: really a substitute for that. You know. 152 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 2: One of the things that I don't like thinking about 153 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,239 Speaker 2: is what the water must have looked like in pools 154 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 2: like this. I mean for real, Yeah, I know, it. 155 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: Was so gross, and it was pre chlorine, so you 156 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: have to imagine it's pretty disgusting. But you know, the 157 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: attempt in the US to use chlorine to clean a 158 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: pool wasn't until nineteen ten, so that was really a 159 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: ways away. But Wilsee said he came across reports that 160 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: knowed the water in these early public baths needed to 161 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: be changed about once a week. 162 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 2: It also feels like way too long. I don't know, 163 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 2: maybe I'm just being a clean freak here, but I 164 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 2: feel like it would just abstain from public. 165 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 1: Baths, yeah, I mean, actually, our researcher MARSSA. Brown threw 166 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: in this TLC joke here that we should just stick 167 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: to the rivers and the lace that you used to. 168 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 2: That's actually the appropriate use. That's well done. 169 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: And the truth is that even though these public baths 170 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: were popping up in the US, people were swimming in 171 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: fresh water or freshish water. So like if you think 172 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: about New York City, for example, there had been free 173 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: public floating bats in the Hudson and the East River, 174 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 1: and this was starting in eighteen seventy. They were almost 175 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: one hundred feet long and the deepest they got was 176 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: about four point five. 177 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 2: Feet, So people were actually bathing in the East River. 178 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, for a while in the night eighteen twenties, the 179 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: city finally realized the river water maybe wasn't the cleanest, 180 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:06,679 Speaker 1: and the floating baths eventually went away. 181 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 2: I mean, it's such a cool idea, and I know 182 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 2: they have these floating pools and lakes and oceans in 183 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 2: other parts of the world, but I guess if you're 184 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 2: swimming in the East River, it was probably for the best. 185 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know. It reminds me of that Seinfeld where 186 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 1: Kramer starts swimming in the East River because he says 187 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:26,720 Speaker 1: the pool is too constrictive for his knees. It was 188 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: so ridiculous. But back to pools. So the first public 189 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: outdoor pool in the US that Jeff Wiltsey could find 190 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: was in Philadelphia, and it opens in the summer of 191 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: eighteen eighty three, and again it was meant to be 192 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: used for body cleaning purposes. 193 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 2: And do you know why they kept building these pools 194 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:45,439 Speaker 2: for bathing in. 195 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,079 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean part of the reason was really kind 196 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: of classiest, Like you have these working class boys, they 197 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: jump into open water naked, like they're not genteel. So 198 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: they're often splashing about in lakes and rivers and water 199 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: near buildings, and they're having a good time and they're 200 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: often being rampunctious. So part of the idea was, let's 201 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 1: just get them swimming and playing and bathing in an 202 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: enclosed area so the public doesn't have to see all 203 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 1: all these people bathing in cities. 204 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 2: So it wasn't so much this public service or good, 205 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 2: but more something to keep the supposed lower classes from 206 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:19,880 Speaker 2: being an eyesore I guess exactly. 207 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 1: And showers were only added later in sort of like 208 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: the mid to late eighteen nineties. So this was around 209 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: the time when the idea that water could actually transmit 210 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: invisible diseases through microbes became more accepted. But this is 211 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,800 Speaker 1: when you start to see the real change. And after this, 212 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: the pool started to become less of a bathhouse and 213 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: more of a recreation area. So by eighteen ninety eight, 214 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 1: Philly had nine public pools, and on average, each of 215 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: these accommodated about fifteen hundred swimmers a day during the summer. 216 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 2: That is a lot of people, you know. One of 217 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 2: the craziest facts I read was that in nineteen thirteen 218 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 2: the Fairgrounds Park in Saint Louis opened and it was 219 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:01,319 Speaker 2: huge and circular. We're talking four hundred feet in diameter, 220 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 2: and apparently one Sunday, pretty soon after it opened, fifty 221 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 2: thousand people came to visit, and twenty five thousand to swim, 222 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 2: another twenty five thousand to watch. That's another pool I'm 223 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 2: not getting in. 224 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: Twenty five thousand people came just to spectate. That's insane, yes, 225 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,680 Speaker 1: but obviously it was a trend, right. So like during 226 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 1: the nineteen twenties through the forties, cities around the entire 227 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 1: country started building megapools, and some of them were bigger 228 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: than football fields and had sandy beaches, some of them 229 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 1: had grassy lawns, and some of them came with concrete 230 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:39,599 Speaker 1: decks to sunbathe on. And get this. So, the Fleischhacker 231 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: Pool in San Francisco, which opened in nineteen twenty five, 232 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,680 Speaker 1: was one thousand feet long, one hundred and fifty feet wide. 233 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: Ten thousand people could swim at once, and lifeguards used 234 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: wooden rowboats to get across. Isn't that amazing? 235 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:55,319 Speaker 2: Wow? 236 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,439 Speaker 1: Also, it was filled with seawater and it was heated 237 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: to between sixty five and seven five degrees. 238 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 2: Okay, now that sounds delightful. Actually, we should make a visit. 239 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: I mean, unfortunately it's been closed since the nineteen seventies 240 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 1: and now it is a parking lot for the San 241 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: Francisco Zoo. 242 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 2: But okay, well, we should make a visit. I like 243 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 2: parking lots. 244 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: In its original form, it's still considered the largest ever 245 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: landlocked pool. 246 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 2: And so what was driving all this swimming pool madness? 247 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:24,679 Speaker 2: Like why were so many of these getting built at 248 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 2: the time? 249 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: The New Deal is part of the reason. Like that 250 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: became pretty instrumental in the public pool explosion. And more 251 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: than seven hundred and fifty pools were built by the 252 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 1: federal government between nineteen thirty three and nineteen thirty eight, 253 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: and they were really popular. In nineteen thirty three, the 254 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 1: National Recreation Association surveyed what kind of leisure activities Americans did, 255 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 1: and apparently as many people swam frequently as went to 256 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:50,679 Speaker 1: the movies frequently. 257 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 2: I mean, it is nice that so many of the 258 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 2: pools at that time were open to the public, because 259 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 2: pools were just way too expensive for most people to 260 00:12:58,559 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 2: build on their own. 261 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 1: Yes, so just like Gaius Marcillus, you know, private pools 262 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: were definitely a sign of decadence. And William Randolph Hurst 263 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: actually had two pools at his castle. He had the 264 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: outdoor Neptune pool, which was complete with sculptures and a colonnade, 265 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: and then there's the indoor Roman pool, which was styled 266 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: after the ancient Roman bats, and it's decorated floor to 267 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: ceiling with blue and orange mosaic tiles. They're both really 268 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: really beautiful. 269 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 2: Wow, just looking at this, Gayus would have been super proud. 270 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,559 Speaker 2: And you know, from my research, it seems like it 271 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 2: wasn't until around the nineteen fifties that you start to 272 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,479 Speaker 2: see a bunch of these private backyard pools. 273 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:39,599 Speaker 1: And I mean, I'm guessing that's just because America is 274 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 1: wealthier post war. 275 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 2: That's partially it, but it's also because of new materials, 276 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 2: Like there's something called gunnite, which is basically sprayed concrete, 277 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 2: and so gunnite had been around since the early nineteen hundreds, 278 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:54,079 Speaker 2: and it was used to do things like line sewers 279 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 2: and repair buildings and bridges. But in the nineteen forties 280 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 2: and fifties, with increasing middle class salary and people living 281 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 2: in suburban homes they have bigger yards, dun Night was 282 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:07,480 Speaker 2: a quicker and more affordable option for a personal pool. 283 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 2: And there's a lot more to talk about modern swimming 284 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 2: pool culture, but before we get into that, let's take 285 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 2: a quick break. Welcome back to part time Genius, where 286 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 2: we're talking swimming pools. So mego. I know, New York 287 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 2: City has a great pool system. I believe it has 288 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 2: over fifty public pools that get opened in the warmer months. 289 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: But do you ever take your kids to the pools there? 290 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: Yeah? Definitely. I mean I'm not a swimmer, but like 291 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: my kids definitely go with friends, they go to birthday parties. 292 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: It's kind of the same way they take advantage of 293 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 1: the city's roller rinks or ice skating rinks. Also two 294 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: other things I'm not good at. 295 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 2: Gosh man manga, you're too hard on yourself. Well, part 296 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 2: of the reason I was asking is have you ever 297 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 2: heard of the aquasanes? 298 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: I have not what are the Aquisanes. 299 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 2: So the Aquasanes were a troop of boys that would 300 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 2: go around pools and they would basically perform these like 301 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 2: comedy and trick diving acts for people. 302 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 1: You just sent over this picture. It's ridiculous. 303 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:17,680 Speaker 2: It is pretty amazing. 304 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 1: Is it kind of reminds me of the people on 305 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: the subway who yell showtime and then start breaking rising 306 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: on the poles. 307 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's pretty that's that's pretty much it. So picture 308 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 2: a group of very energetic teen boys, all dressed in 309 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 2: what seemed to be swimming outfits inspired by these old 310 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:37,320 Speaker 2: timey jail uniforms, and it's pretty crazy. There's this one 311 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 2: video of them where they're like ten boys on a 312 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:44,120 Speaker 2: huge diving platform, leaping and flipping all at once. And 313 00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 2: another trick is where the Aquaisanes lined up one behind 314 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 2: the other on the board just before jumping over and 315 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 2: on top of each other as they dive in and 316 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 2: crash into the water. So their overall vibe is sort 317 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 2: of very loosely organized chaos. 318 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 1: I like that, Well, were they're perform planned? Like did 319 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: they you know, did they have like this choreographed routine 320 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 1: or did they just show up and cause havoc. 321 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 2: I mean, it seems like it was semi legit, I guess. 322 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 2: And you know, their home base was Astoria. They had 323 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 2: a coach actually, and in the nineteen forties and fifties 324 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 2: the aqua Zanes were big. So for about a decade 325 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 2: there was a yearly summer performance called the Aqua Show 326 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 2: that was held in Queens. It seems like it was 327 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 2: basically this vaudevillian, you know, type of variety show, and 328 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 2: the acts included water ballet and a log rolling monkey 329 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 2: named Herman. Of course his name was Herman. He was 330 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,320 Speaker 2: a log rolling monkey. I mean, so even ice skating, 331 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 2: so don't don't ask me how. And of course the 332 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 2: aqua Zanes. 333 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 1: I love this whole culture of like aqua shows. I 334 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: had never heard of any of this. 335 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, all right, So let's move out of New 336 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 2: York City pools and travel to France, which also has 337 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 2: some pretty interesting pool history. And unfortunately, the first part 338 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 2: here starts with a tragedy. So we go back to 339 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 2: the summer of nineteen sixty nine and there were two 340 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 2: separate events in France where in total, thirty three kids drowned. 341 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 2: So obviously super sad here. 342 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 1: Oh, that's terrible. So what happened all right? 343 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 2: Well, one of the incidents happened on the River Lore 344 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 2: where a lot of kids were playing and some just 345 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 2: got swept under. And one happened when a boat with 346 00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 2: twenty four kids on it capsized and fourteen of them drown, 347 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 2: and it really accentuated this disparity in swimming ability across 348 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 2: the classes. But those tragedies pushed the government to place 349 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 2: a new emphasis on teaching kids to swim and making 350 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 2: sure that French kids had access to more swimming pools. 351 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 2: So the government launched this project. It was a project 352 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:40,159 Speaker 2: called one Thousand Swimming Pools, where the goal was, as 353 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:42,919 Speaker 2: you can imagine, actually to build a thousand swimming pools 354 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 2: that would be open year round. 355 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: That's just good branding. I love a project title that 356 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:47,679 Speaker 1: doesn't leave you guessing. 357 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 2: It's pretty clear what's going on there. So first they 358 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,520 Speaker 2: collected design ideas and ended up choosing one by the 359 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 2: architect Bernard Shouler, and his original design was for a 360 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,399 Speaker 2: pool with his dome segment cover that would open up 361 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,119 Speaker 2: as the sun moved across the sky, which just sounds 362 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 2: super cool. It was nicknamed Piecene Turnosil or sunflower pool 363 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 2: because of the way sunflowers follow the sun. But when 364 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 2: they actually looked into building it, they realized it was 365 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 2: too expensive. Now, the thing was, they still liked the 366 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:19,919 Speaker 2: idea of the design, so they just went with a 367 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:23,439 Speaker 2: simpler variation on this. The roof was this domed and 368 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 2: segmented structure, but only a third of it would open up, 369 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 2: and only the south facing side of it, so it's. 370 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 1: Kind of like a lazy sunflower in this case. 371 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:37,160 Speaker 2: It's exactly right. But people loved them. So the first 372 00:18:37,160 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 2: went up in nineteen seventy two in a town outside 373 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 2: of Paris, and eventually one hundred and eighty two more 374 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,159 Speaker 2: of these structures were built, but not a thousand. Now 375 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:48,879 Speaker 2: in total, the government actually built around six hundred swimming pools, 376 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 2: which is still a lot of pools, and not all 377 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 2: of them were of the sunflower variety. Other variations included 378 00:18:55,280 --> 00:19:00,159 Speaker 2: the quote full sunlight, the iris, and the duckling. That 379 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 2: people really remembered was the sunflower. 380 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:05,679 Speaker 1: I mean, I know you send it across these photos 381 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:07,680 Speaker 1: and I've got to put them up for listeners to see. 382 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:11,919 Speaker 1: But they're really cool. It's like very Jetson's esque. But 383 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 1: can you still swim in them. 384 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 2: Well, sadly most of them are now abandoned. They actually 385 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 2: ended up being pretty expensive to maintain, and that plastic 386 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 2: exterior didn't do well in the elements. But there's still 387 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:26,199 Speaker 2: some around and some that even still function as pools. 388 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:30,000 Speaker 2: There's actually an Instagram account called le fair tonasoul and 389 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 2: that documents many of them, and it's actually pretty cool 390 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:32,639 Speaker 2: to look at. 391 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: I love that. So what's our next stop on this tour? 392 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 2: All right, well, sticking with France, Actually, have you heard 393 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,440 Speaker 2: about this controversy surrounding the twenty twenty four Olympic pool? 394 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,879 Speaker 1: I mean, I do remember the drama of like people 395 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: swimming in the sein and getting sick. 396 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 2: Well, fortunately this one involves no vomiting, but it does 397 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 2: involve physics. So do you know what it takes to 398 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 2: be considered an Olympic sized pool? 399 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 1: Mango? I mean kind of, but maybe you clarify it 400 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 1: for me. 401 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:04,720 Speaker 2: All right, Well, that's kind of sounds like when you're 402 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:06,199 Speaker 2: a kid and you're like, no, no, I totally know, 403 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 2: but why don't you say it first? 404 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: I mean, it's like twice the size of a wide pool, 405 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 1: Like that's what I remember. 406 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 2: Vertty much all right, Well, the pool must be fifty 407 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 2: meters long, and each of the eight lanes must be 408 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 2: two point five meters wide. And back in twenty seventeen, 409 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 2: when the Olympics were awarded to Paris, the pool's depth 410 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 2: had to be at least two meters deep or approximately 411 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:28,479 Speaker 2: six feet seven inches. 412 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 1: Okay, so I got it some real specifications there. 413 00:20:32,119 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 2: That's right, all right, So in twenty twenty four, the 414 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:37,160 Speaker 2: Paris Olympic pool did conform to size. It was two 415 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 2: point one five meters deep or seven feet one inch. 416 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 2: But two point one five meters is actually pretty shallow 417 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:45,919 Speaker 2: for an Olympic pool. 418 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:49,119 Speaker 1: And why is that? Like, is it that like tall 419 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:51,879 Speaker 1: swimmers can bump to the floor when they're diving or 420 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: what's going on there? 421 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:55,240 Speaker 2: Actually, this is where the physics comes into play. So 422 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:57,960 Speaker 2: the issue is that the shallower the pool, the more 423 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 2: turbulence is created by the swimmers, which potentially means a 424 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:02,719 Speaker 2: much slower pool. 425 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:06,679 Speaker 1: Oh. I actually vaguely remember that at the Beijing Olympics 426 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 1: the pool was like extra wide and deep, and I 427 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: heard that's like why so many records were broken. 428 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, that's exactly right, And I do want to 429 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 2: get to that in a minute. But during the Paris Olympics, 430 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:21,159 Speaker 2: there was a lot of hubbub around the fact that 431 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 2: after four days and fifteen events, no world records had 432 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:27,719 Speaker 2: been beaten, which is pretty unusual for an Olympics. So 433 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 2: it led to a bunch of press about how slow 434 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,200 Speaker 2: the pool was. But in the end it was maybe 435 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 2: all a bit premature because eventually four world records were set, 436 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 2: but for context, in Tokyo six were set, and Rio 437 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 2: there were actually eight. 438 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: So Paris, I guess was on the low side in 439 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: this case. 440 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 2: That's right, and World Aquatics, which is the international governing 441 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 2: body for swimming, certainly thinks the Shaaloness played a part 442 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 2: in that. And now going four, the new minimum depth 443 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 2: for an Olympic pool is two point five meters. But 444 00:21:57,480 --> 00:21:59,199 Speaker 2: to what you were alluding to, the pool at the 445 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 2: two thousand and eight Beijing Olympics was also noteworthy, so 446 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 2: a whopping twenty five world records were set there. 447 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 1: Oh that's crazy. I had no idea it was that many. 448 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's pretty wild. So everyone was trying to figure 449 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,359 Speaker 2: out why this was happening, and there was certainly speculation 450 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 2: it was because of the incredible pool, which was also 451 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 2: called the Watercube. Now, the water Cube was a full 452 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 2: three meters deep, which, by the way, is actually considered 453 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 2: an optimal depth. It had ten lanes, even though only 454 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 2: eight swimmers would race at a time, and that extra 455 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 2: space apparently meant that waves the swimmers were creating could 456 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 2: go to the unused edge lanes, all with the goal 457 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 2: of making the water as smooth as possible during these 458 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 2: full on superhuman swimming feeds. So, in fact, NPR wrote 459 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:43,920 Speaker 2: about the water Cube and they interviewed a guy named 460 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 2: Rowdy Gains. 461 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:48,160 Speaker 1: Oh, I love that named Rowdy. Is that his real name? 462 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 2: Actually? Yes, sort of. So Rowdy's full name is Ambrose 463 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:58,199 Speaker 2: Gains the four, but his father's that's actually true, but 464 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 2: his father, Ambrose number three, was nicknamed Buddy anyway. Rowdy 465 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 2: was an Olympic gold medalist back in nineteen eighty four, 466 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:08,919 Speaker 2: but he's probably best known for being a swimming commentator 467 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,360 Speaker 2: for NBC. And so back in two thousand and eight, 468 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 2: NPR was interviewing him and he's just gushing about the 469 00:23:14,280 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 2: water Cube. He called it the fastest pool in the 470 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,119 Speaker 2: world and how the depth is perfect because it's not 471 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 2: so deep that you lose your sense of vision, but 472 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 2: also deep enough to help with all the turbulence. He 473 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 2: was a big fan of this pool, and it's definitely 474 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 2: a nice pool. But when forty three world records were 475 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 2: set at the two thousand and nine World Championships in Rome, 476 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 2: people started wondering, thinking, you know, maybe there's something else 477 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 2: going on besides the watercubes engineering. 478 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: I thought like, twenty five world records was a lot. 479 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: Now you're like uffing it to forty three. That's insane. 480 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 1: Did they figure out what was causing all these world records? 481 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 2: Well, two thousand and eight was the year those high 482 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 2: tech basically full body polyurethane based swimsuits were introduced into 483 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 2: the Olympics. You remember when you started seeing these, Yeah. 484 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:03,479 Speaker 1: And it was like a collaboration between NASA and they 485 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 1: were like called sharkskin suits, right. 486 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 2: That's right though. So those suits were used in Beijing, 487 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 2: and they were also used the next year in Rome, 488 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 2: and all this record breaking was just too much for 489 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 2: the World Aquatics Association, who banned the suits, saying they 490 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,479 Speaker 2: wanted to maintain the integrity of swimming. Today, there are 491 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 2: restrictions on the materials that can be used for competition suits, 492 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 2: as well as the length of those suits, so mens 493 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:28,640 Speaker 2: suits can only be from the waist to the knees 494 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 2: and women's suits from the shoulders to the knees. And 495 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 2: since those changes, the pace of new world records is 496 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:36,160 Speaker 2: definitely less extreme. 497 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 1: It also reminds me of when FIFA used a new 498 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 1: ball at the World Cup and that caused all this 499 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 1: extra spin, and I remember, like, the strikers loved it 500 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: because it was like a super high goal scoring World Cup, 501 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: but the goalies hated it because it's sort of embarrassing. 502 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 1: But it's funny how like stitching on a soccer ball, 503 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:58,040 Speaker 1: or like a swimsuit or whatever can completely change the 504 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 1: dynamics of the sport at that level. But speaking of 505 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: world records, have you heard about the Guinness World Record 506 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: for the farthest distance swimming in one week in a 507 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: fifty meter pool one week? Is that what you said? 508 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:15,199 Speaker 1: I I can't say that. I do know that record, 509 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:17,679 Speaker 1: So let me tell you how much he swam. It 510 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:20,480 Speaker 1: was three hundred and fifty eight point two kilometers or 511 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: two hundred and twenty two point six miles. 512 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 2: Wow, that is so many more miles than I was expecting. 513 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:27,360 Speaker 2: That's amazing. 514 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 1: Yeah. So the record was set by a long distance 515 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: swimmer named Spiro Sachrisycopolis, and this was between May ninth 516 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,439 Speaker 1: and May sixteenth in twenty twenty one, and so he 517 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 1: essentially spent the entire week swimming. Like Spiro said, he'd 518 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: stop every two to four kilometers to eat, and he 519 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:49,040 Speaker 1: would occasionally nap for an hour or two or use 520 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:52,840 Speaker 1: the restroom, but basically he swam for a week straight. 521 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 1: And Spiro said his biggest issues were how sore and 522 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 1: stiff his shoulders got, and he also said that his 523 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:04,200 Speaker 1: skin got really dry from all the chlorine. And also 524 00:26:04,520 --> 00:26:06,520 Speaker 1: he said that at a certain point he started to 525 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 1: have some hallucinations, like seeing spiders up in the roof. 526 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 2: God, that definitely sounds like a Nightmary just kept going, Yeah, 527 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 2: but you know, the drive for world record fame is 528 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:19,199 Speaker 2: really strong, and Spiro said he'd always wanted to be 529 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:21,320 Speaker 2: in the Guinness Books since he was a kid. 530 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:24,880 Speaker 1: Of the three hundred and fifty eight point two kilometers, 531 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: he swam three hundred and fifty eight of it freestyle, 532 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,480 Speaker 1: and it was just the last two hundred meters that 533 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:33,159 Speaker 1: he did the backstroke, maybe because at that point he 534 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:35,680 Speaker 1: couldn't move his arms over his head anymore. 535 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 2: Ah, that's incredible. All right. Well, I do have a 536 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:40,720 Speaker 2: story that I want to share about my favorite pool sport. 537 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 2: But before we get to that, let's take one more 538 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 2: quick break. 539 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,440 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Part Time Genius, where we're talking about 540 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: swimming pools and will I think you were just about 541 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,440 Speaker 1: to talk about your favorite swimming sport. 542 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 2: Absolutely so, Mango. When you were a kid, did you 543 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 2: ever play that game when you toss the ring to 544 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 2: the bottom of the pool and then you'd have to 545 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:16,679 Speaker 2: race your friends to see who could grab it first. 546 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:19,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean I'd mostly toss the ring and let 547 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:20,399 Speaker 1: them chase it. 548 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 2: But right, because, as we established, not a strong swimmer. 549 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 1: But I feel like, uh, you know, Marco Polo that 550 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 1: chicken fighting game like which only lasted a few minutes 551 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 1: until the lifeguard told you to stop, like there were 552 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,200 Speaker 1: only really a tru games at the pool to play. 553 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 2: That's that's very true, all right. But you toss the 554 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 2: ring to the bottom of the pool, except you're part 555 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 2: of a team. You're wearing a snorkel and flippers and 556 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:48,160 Speaker 2: clutching a little stick that kind of looks like a spatula, 557 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 2: and instead of trying to grab a ring, you're trying 558 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 2: to push this puck like object into a goal. 559 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 1: So it's kind of like swim hockey. 560 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's sometimes called underwater hockey, but it's more often 561 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:01,440 Speaker 2: called called octopush. 562 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 1: Oh. You know, I love ridiculous sports. It's one of 563 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 1: my favorite things. 564 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:06,879 Speaker 2: You know. 565 00:28:07,040 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: I've been married to Lizzy for like fifteen years and 566 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,600 Speaker 1: she still hasn't taken me to play whirli ball in Chicago, 567 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 1: which is like lacrosse in bumper cars idea. But tell 568 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:20,280 Speaker 1: me about octopush. How to get it start? 569 00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:24,200 Speaker 2: Well, as legend has it, octopush was invented in England 570 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 2: in the nineteen fifties. There was this diver named Alan 571 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 2: Blake who had started this diving club and during the 572 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:32,600 Speaker 2: summer there was lots to do out in the sea, 573 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:34,960 Speaker 2: but during the winner there really wasn't, and so he 574 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:38,080 Speaker 2: wanted to keep the club active, so he had some 575 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,000 Speaker 2: friends come up with a game that he could play 576 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 2: and then indoor pool. There'd be eight players per team. 577 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 2: Each player would have a short little hockey stick like 578 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:48,640 Speaker 2: contraption and they would use that to push a weighted 579 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 2: puck like object, which they decided to call the squid. 580 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:54,240 Speaker 2: And this would be pushed into the other team's goal 581 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 2: and hence octopush was born. 582 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: So is octopush still around? Definitely. 583 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 2: I mean it's perhaps not the most popular sport in England, 584 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 2: but there is a league and there are competitions. Oxford 585 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 2: even has an octopush club today. It's actually played with 586 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 2: six players per team instead of eight, and they don't 587 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:14,880 Speaker 2: call the puck a squid anymore. So, like, if you're 588 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:19,800 Speaker 2: a real traditionalist octopush player, like this is upsetting. But anyway, 589 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 2: it's tricky as the spectator sport because everything takes place 590 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:27,400 Speaker 2: below the surface. But on YouTube there actually matches filmed 591 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,200 Speaker 2: with this underwater camera and it's pretty fun to watch. 592 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:32,600 Speaker 2: You should definitely look it up. And players are constantly 593 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 2: diving up and down. It's pretty fast paced. 594 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 1: Man, I can't wait to watch. And here's hoping we'll 595 00:29:37,920 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 1: see it in the twenty threey two Olympics. 596 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 2: All right, Well, while we're waiting on that to happen, 597 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:43,960 Speaker 2: why don't we waste a little time with a fact off, 598 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 2: let's leap in. 599 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:52,200 Speaker 1: Okay, So I got my first fact right here. Apparently 600 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 1: the deepest swimming pool in the world is located in 601 00:29:54,960 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 1: Dubai at almost two hundred feet and it was built 602 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: for the Crown prints of the but it's open to 603 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 1: the public mainly for people to go diving in. They've 604 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 1: even built a fake abandoned sunken city at the bottom, 605 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 1: so there is plenty to explore a. 606 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 2: Fake abandoned city. That does sound pretty fun, so not 607 00:30:13,640 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 2: as fun as the pool in the Arizona Diamondbacks Ballpark. 608 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 2: This fits thirty five people and you can actually rent 609 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 2: it out during games. 610 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 1: That is incredible and it seems like a pretty great 611 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: way to get people who are into baseball to go 612 00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: watch a game with you. Well, speaking of pools, I 613 00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 1: definitely want to visit The Golden Nugget Casino in Vegas 614 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 1: has a pool that's next to a two hundred thousand 615 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 1: gallon shark tank and it's got a water slide that 616 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 1: races you through it. There's actually a similar thing at 617 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 1: the Atlantis Resort and the Bahamas, and it's even crazier, 618 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:48,719 Speaker 1: Like one of the shark slides is built so that 619 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:51,760 Speaker 1: you can go down this lazy river that's built under 620 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 1: the shark tanks, so you're just surrounded by sharks above 621 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 1: and around you. It both seems incredible and beautiful and 622 00:30:59,240 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 1: really terrifying. 623 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:04,320 Speaker 2: Wow, that does sound both exciting but also super scary. 624 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 2: And you know, as fun as that sounds, for the excitement, 625 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,120 Speaker 2: I think I would rather swim in the Embassy Gardens 626 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 2: pool in London. Now I'd have to know someone who 627 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,600 Speaker 2: lives there to invite me to visit. But after I 628 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 2: do that, I could swim in their pool, which is 629 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 2: suspended one hundred and fifteen feet in the air between 630 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 2: two buildings. It's not the highest pool in the world 631 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 2: that's at the Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong, but it might 632 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 2: be the coolest. It is totally transparent, so if you 633 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:32,440 Speaker 2: look up from below, you just see this stripe of 634 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 2: a pool in the sky with tiny people swimming around 635 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:37,360 Speaker 2: in it. Take the look at this picture here. 636 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: That is amazing. Honestly, like that would be a really 637 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 1: good place to watch a game of Octopush. You can 638 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:44,920 Speaker 1: watch from the ground and look up. 639 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, if the Oxford Octo Push Team plays the 640 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 2: Embassy Gardens Apartment oct To Push Team, you and I 641 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,080 Speaker 2: let's agree, we're gonna go get tickets. 642 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: Yeah. I love it. So here's one less fact, and 643 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:58,680 Speaker 1: it's about the hidden swimming pool in the White House. 644 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: So the pool was built for FDR and was apparently 645 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 1: state of the art. It was tricked out with lights, 646 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: it had all these gadgets in it, and he was 647 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 1: wheelchair bound, but he loved to swim for exercise, and 648 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 1: then Truman and JFK both used it as well. But 649 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 1: President Nixon, much like ourselves, wasn't a swimmer, and as 650 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 1: you might know, he famously put bowling alleys into the 651 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: White House. But he boarded up the swimming pool with planks, 652 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,560 Speaker 1: and today it is still there, living underneath the White 653 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:30,479 Speaker 1: House Press room. Isn't that amazing when you see all 654 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:33,160 Speaker 1: those reporters, they're sitting on boards that are over an 655 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: empty pool. Today the space is filled with computer servers 656 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:40,040 Speaker 1: and wires and equipment. But according to Atlas Obscura, you 657 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:43,520 Speaker 1: can actually visit it by trapdoor or there's a little 658 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:47,840 Speaker 1: hidden staircase, and the place apparently still smells of chlorine. 659 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 2: Man, you saved it for the very last line. You 660 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 2: worked in a trapdoor and a hidden staircase. So for that, 661 00:32:56,680 --> 00:32:58,840 Speaker 2: I think I have to give you to Day's backtoc trophy. 662 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 1: I mean, it has been a while, so I'm glad 663 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: I finally get to put one on the shelf. 664 00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 2: I wasn't gonna say anything, but yeah, it's been a minute. 665 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,600 Speaker 1: So that's it for today's episode. Special thanks to Marissa Brown, 666 00:33:10,600 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 1: who gets the hat tip for researching and writing for 667 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:17,520 Speaker 1: this episode, but from Gabe, Dylan, Mary, Will and myself, 668 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:31,960 Speaker 1: thank you so much for listening. Part Time Genius is 669 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:35,800 Speaker 1: a production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. This show is hosted 670 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:40,239 Speaker 1: by Will Pearson and me Mongaishatikler and research by our 671 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 1: good pal Mary Philip Sandy. Today's episode was engineered and 672 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:48,200 Speaker 1: produced by the wonderful Dylan Fagan with support from Tyler Klang. 673 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:52,040 Speaker 1: The show is executive produced for iHeart by Katrina Norvell 674 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:55,240 Speaker 1: and Ali Perry, with social media support from Sasha Gay, 675 00:33:55,280 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 1: trustee Dara Potts and Viney Shorey. For more podcasts from 676 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:04,800 Speaker 1: Leeidoscope and iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 677 00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.