Penny Taylor Honored with Prestigious Max Ritter Award
Carol Jane “Penny” Pence Taylor has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Max Ritter Award, annually presented by United States Aquatic Sports (USAS) to an individual or nation that has contributed the most to the advancement of understanding and good will among nations through international participation in amateur aquatic sports. Taylor, who passed away last year, was honored during a ceremony on Wednesday night.
During her career, Taylor captured six national titles and established three American records in breaststroke events. She represented the United States at the 1948 Olympic Games in London and won a gold medal in the 300 medley relay at the 1951 Pan American Games, where she also earned the bronze medal in the 200 breaststroke.
The founder of the Parkway Swim Club in St. Louis, Taylor mentored thousands of athletes during a 35-plus-year coaching career, including legendary sprinter Tom Jager. Taylor worked with Jager for 12 years, helping him to five Olympic gold medals and multiple medals at the World Championships. In addition to coaching, Taylor continued to make her mark as a record-holder in United States Masters Swimming.
Taylor was the first woman to be elected President of the American Swimming Coaches Association and was later inducted into the ASCA Hall of Fame. She served as the Secretary of the USA Swimming Olympic International Operations Committee and was elected to the USA Swimming Board of Directors. She received the USA Swimming Award in 1999 and was honored as a USA Swimming Splashmaker.
Complementing her identity as an Olympic athlete, Taylor served served as the Manager of the 1984 and 1992 United States Olympic Teams and as the USAS Chef de Mission, leading USA athletes to 10 World Championships. She was a member of the United States Aquatic Sports Convention Committee.
Taylor received the Paragon Award for Competitive Swimming from the International Swimming Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame.
A List of Penny Taylor’s Vast Accomplishments:
- USA Swimming National Champion
- 1951 Pan American Games – Gold and Bronze Medalist
- USMS Member and National Record Holder
- USA Swimming Award Recipient
- American Swimming Coaches Association President
- Chef de Mission of United States Aquatic Sports
- United States Aquatic Sports Convention Committee member
- Member of the USA Swimming Board of Directors
- USA Swimming Splashmaker
- USA Swimming Manager of United States Olympic Teams
- Secretary of the USA Swimming Olympic International Operations Committee
Hall of Fame Recognition
- International Swimming Hall of Fame Paragon Award – Competitive Swimming
- American Swimming Coaches Association Hall of Fame
- Purdue Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame
About the Max Ritter Award
The R. Max Ritter Award was donated by the Ritter Family and is presented by United States Aquatic Sports to the organization or individual of a World Aquatics member country who has contributed the most to the advancement of understanding and good will among nations through international participation in amateur aquatic sports.
Richard Max Ritter (November 7, 1886 – May 24, 1974) was born in Magdeburg, Germany and competed for Germany in the 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics. He was educated in London from 1906 to 1909 and in 1910 he immigrated to the United States. He was one of the eight founders of FINA on July 19, 1908 where the group set uniform international rules for swimming, diving, water polo and established world records for swimming.
Ritter was the only person to have served in each of the three officer positions within FINA. Ritter served as FINA Honorary Secretary and FINA Honorary Treasurer. In 1960, he was elected FINA President, the first American to serve in a FINA leadership position. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, under Ritter’s leadership, FINA membership grew to more than 90 National Federations. He served as the treasurer of the US Olympic Committee and was active for more than 50 years in the Amateur Athletic Union. In 1965, he was inducted as an Honor Contributor in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
2014 United States Anti-Doping Agency
2013 Nick Thierry
2012 William “Bill” Matson
2011 Eldon Godfrey
2010 Francisco Javier Lopez Chaves
2009 Bartolo Consolo
2007 Coaracy Nunes Filho
2006 Tom Gompf
2005 Orban Mendoza
2003 Gerald T Olson
2001 Hironoshin Furuhashi
2000 Lynn Bates
1999 Julio Maglione
1998 Carol Zaleski
1997 Allen B Richardson, MD
1996 Klaus van de Pol
1995 Bill Payne
1992 Spanish Swim Federation
1991 Ross Wales
1990 Mustapha Larfaoui
1989 William Lippman
1988 Robert H. Helmick
1987 Dr. John A Bogert
1986 Javier Ostos Mora
1985 David Jay Flood
1984 Jan Armburst
1983 Masaji Kiyokawa
1982 Buck Dawson
1981 Pat Besfort
1980 Dr. James E. Counsilman
1979 Deutscher Schwim-Verband
1978 Douglas F Roby
1977 Yugoslav Swim Federation
1976 Dr. Harold W. Henning