Hall of Fame

Duke Kahanamoku was a swimmer and surfer who popularized the sport of surfing, and won five Olympic medals, including three golds. He set three world records in the 100-yard freestyle between 1913 and 1917. Kahanamoku earned his medals at the Olympic Games Stockholm 1912, the Antwerp 1920 Games and the Paris 1924 Games. He also served as an alternative on the U.S. water polo team at the Antwerp Games. Kahanamoku became a motion-picture actor during the mid-1920s and served as sheriff of the city and county of Honolulu between 1932 and 1961. He passed away on Jan. 22, 1968, in Honolulu. Nicknamed the father of modern surfing, Kahanamoku was honored with a bronze statue on Kuhio Beach in Waikiki, Hawaii. He was also inducted into both the Surfing Hall of Fame as well as the Swimming Hall of Fame.