The following swimmers were selected as "Mavericks of the Month" in 2002. Our first edition of "Maverick of the Month" was in 1998, and 2002 marked the fifth year for this popular newsletter feature.

Florence Carr, 76, grew up in New York City. At age ten, she joined the Women's Swimming Association of NY. This is where she learned all her strokes and her competitive swimming journey began. She received many honors during the nine years she competed with that organization.
After high school, at age 19, Carr toured the country and performed in Aquacade Shows. She swam with such notables as Esther Williams and Buster Crabbe, after he was the 1936 Olympic champion and before he became a celebrity as Tarzan. A frequent setting for these shows was the Fountainbleu Hotel, in Miami. One day, during a demanding photo shoot, Crabbe whispered in Carr's ear. She chuckled. Her husband was on the set and jealous because he thought Crabbe was flirting with his wife. What did he say? She's not talking.
She worked as a professional actress and performed in synchronized swimming routines. She appeared in the James Bond film, "Goldfinger," and also with Fernando Lamas, Jerry Lewis, Rosemary Clooney, Joey Bishop, Gordon McRay, Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. Sometimes, Carr and the other swimmers had to repeat stunts so many times for the camera, that she could hardly climb out of bed in the morning.
She lived in California for 25 years and was an administrative secretary for the Santa Clara School District. Carr raised three daughters who also excelled in aquatic sports in their youth, two as champion swimmers and the other, as a diver. She is proud that they all graduated from college and of their accomplishments.
Carr first joined Masters at age 47, and has compiled an illustrious list of achievements, including three World records, over fifteen National records, USMS Top Ten every year, twelve years of being an All American (first place) and an All Star in 1990 (most first places in the top ten). She joined the Mavericks in 2000 and lives in Sun City Center, FL. In her spare time, she makes quilts for children with aids. She trains at the same pool in Brandon as Brooke Bennett, three-time Olympic champion. Fast water for fast swimmers!

Art Holden's family recently helped him celebrate his 91st birthday. He was born in Chelsea, Massachusetts and graduated from high school in Washington, D. C. Following graduation, he worked for the Bethedsa Naval Armory, in Maryland. He was a pattern and model maker in the gun department for 35 years.
His first wife died of cancer after a 12 year marriage and they had one adopted daughter, who lives in Charleston, SC. He was married to his second wife for 46 years.
Holden feels that his greatest accomplishment was to be an employee in the civil service, as he appreciated his paycheck and medical benefits.
At age 23, Holden started swimming for exercise at a YMCA. The Hutingers met him while swimming in St. Petersburg, FL. At 85, he was the oldest participant in a fitness program, Swim to Key West. He persisted in logging his miles for well over a year until he swam the required 200 miles in the pool. He received a t-shirt, which he treasures, for his outstanding performance.
Holden never competed until he joined the mavericks in 1999, at age 88. He previously had no interest, since his weekly routine satisfied his personal goals. Coach Hutinger had three 85+ year olds lined up for the first ever 85+ relays, and wanted Holden for the anchor. Holden agreed, as
he wanted to demonstrate that there is quality of life after 85 for those who stay active.
His other outstanding accomplishments have been as a member of the 85+ men's relay that set a National record in the 2001 One Hour Postal. In 2002, at age 90, he won his age group in that event. Art lives alone in his home in St. Petersburg, FL, and enjoys tinkering
in his workshop in the garage.

Henry Gaylord Cleaveland II, (just call him Brud), 84, was born in Cleveland, OH, 12/10/17. As a wee lad, he was the "Little Brudder" to his two big sisters. Shortly afterwards, it was just "Brud." Yes, he does have a connection to the city with a similar spelling. His great, great, great, great uncle Moses, founded Cleveland in 1796. The spelling was changed when the newspaper editor couldn't fit all the letters in the masthead and decided the first "a" was expendable.
Cleaveland attended school in East Cleveland and lettered in football and diving. At The Ohio State University, he competed in diving, and his highest achievement was 7th on the 1 meter board at NCAA's. He taught and coached at Ohio Wesylan before he served in the Navy during WWII.
After the war, he traveled to the west coast and received his MS and EdD at UCLA, where he was also the swim coach. From 1948-1976, he taught and coached water polo and gymnastics at Santa Monica College. In 1971, he competed in diving and swimming with Buster Crabbe at one of the early Senior Olympics. He made his debut in Masters swimming at the 1973 Nationals, held in Santa Monica, CA and has been a Maverick since 1999.
Other experiences of note include diving in the Great Lakes Exposition of 1936; conducting a swim school in Encino, CA from 1950 for 16 years; teaching swimming at an American school in Tokyo, Japan, 1964-1966; placing in the Top Ten in several events since 1975 and being on two Maverick National record relays. He lists his greatest accomplishments as running a 3:59 marathon in 1983 and winning the long jump at Senior Nationals in 2000.
An active senior citizen, his goal is to be competitive through age 90 (and beyond, we hope). Brud and his wife, Betty, live in New Smyrna Beach, FL.

Patricia Tullman, 65, was born in Woonsocket, RI. She earned her BEd from Rhode Island College and MA from Rowan University. Tullman commenced her teaching career in RI and continued in Izmir, Turkey, the following year. While there, she met her husband, Norman, from New York City. They were married in Izmir, in 1961 and their three children were born while they lived in Europe. They resided in Germany for several years and Tullman also taught in Hawaii and Italy.
As an 8 year old, Tullman took swimming lessons at the YMCA. In her 30's she resumed recreational swimming, mainly in lakes and the ocean. Her introduction to competitive swimming was in RI as an age group swim team mom. She attended her first Masters meet in Wilmington, DE, when she was 40. It was at this meet, she met Jean Troy. Tullman joined Troy's Delaware
Masters, now known as the Colonials "1776" . While competing at Nationals in Ft. Lauderdale in 1997, she met several Mavericks, including the Hutingers. Since she was planning to move to their area, they included her on the mailing list. In 1999 she moved south, joined the Mavericks (reuniting with former teammate, Troy) and is "glad she joined the Mavericks."
After 25 years of competition and Top Ten achievements, 2002 was her best performance year. At the worlds, she won the 200 free and placed 3rd in the 100 fly. At LCM Nationals, she won both events, with the help of a new skin suit. At the Orlando SCM meet in Oct, she was on a USMS record relay.
She believes her greatest achievements are her three children, who have matured to be successful, helpful and caring people. Pat lives in the River Hills area of Valrico and is working on being a gold medal grandma to five.
Her swim goals include swimming into her 90s, "till I can't swim no mo'."