Wall of Honor Collection - Michael A. 'Mike' Peppe, 1898-1979

              MICHAEL A. PEPPE
1898 - 1979
HE LED THE WAY IN ACHIEVING VARSITY-SPORT STATUS
FOR SWIMMING AND DIVING AT OHIO STATE. HIS
TEAMS WON ELEVEN (11) NATIONAL COLLEGIATE
CHAMPIONSHIPS, TWELVE (12) BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
AND ONE (1) AAU CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS 32 YEARS AS A
COACH AT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY. HE ALSO LEFT A
LASTING IMPACT INTERNATIONALLY ON COMPETITIVE
SWIMMING AND DIVING. TECHNIQUES PIONEERED BY
MIKE ARE STILL USED TODAY BY U.S. COACHES
MIKE WAS BORN IN NEW YORK CITY, BUT MOVED TO
COLUMBUS AT THE AGE OF 10. HE WAS A GRADUATE
OF OHIO STATE. HE JOINED THE O.S.U. PHYSICAL
EDUCATION STAFF IN 1928 AND RETIRED IN 1963. HE 
LIVED IN UPPER ARLINGTON FOR 30 YEARS.
HE WAS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE Y.M.C.A. AND
AMERICAN RED CROSS. HE IS INCLUDED IN THE 
SWIMMING HALL OF FAME AND THE SWIMMING & DIVING
FACILITY AT OSU IS NAMED THE PEPPE AQUATIC
CENTER IN HIS HONOR. HE ALSO COACHED THE U.S.
DIVERS IN TWO OLYMPIC GAMES - 1948 AND 1952.
MIKE LEFT AN UNRIVALED RECORD IN SWIMMING AND
DIVING CIRCLES. HE IS REMEMBERED BY FORMER
STUDENTS, COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR HIS
HUMOR AND WIT. HE WAS A MAN KNOWN WORLDWIDE
BUT LOVED FOR HIS GENUINE WARMTH AND KINDNESS.