Katherine Louise Rawls (later Katherine Rawls Thompson, June 14, 1917 (?) in Nashville, Tennessee – April 8, 1982) was a multiple United States national champion in swimming and diving in the 1930s.
Rawls learned to swim at the age of two in Saint Augustine, Florida, and took up diving at the age of seven in Tampa, from a 25-foot (7.6m) platform. During her swimming career she was sometimes called Katy Rawls and nicknamed The Minnow. Her sisters ...
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Katherine Louise Rawls (later Katherine Rawls Thompson, June 14, 1917 (?) in Nashville, Tennessee – April 8, 1982) was a multiple United States national champion in swimming and diving in the 1930s.
Rawls learned to swim at the age of two in Saint Augustine, Florida, and took up diving at the age of seven in Tampa, from a 25-foot (7.6m) platform. During her swimming career she was sometimes called Katy Rawls and nicknamed The Minnow. Her sisters Dorothy (later Mrs Williams), and Evelyn (McKee), were also Florida state champion swimmers, and the siblings were known collectively as "Rawls' Diving Trio". Together with sister Peggy (Wedgworth) and brother Sonny, a champion diver, the children went to junior contests and exhibitions, as "Rawls' Water Babies".
Rawls caused a sensation at the 1931 U.S. National Championships aged just 14, when she beat star Eleanor Holm in the 300m individual medley in a new world record, and the next day beat champion Margaret Hoffman in the 220yds...
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