Margaret Hoffman

Hoffman was born on June 19, 1911, in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania, to Mr. Edwin A. Hoffman, who would work as an executive for the Wilkes-Barre Railway Corporation, and Louise Witherow Hoffman.{{cite news |title=2 Local Women are Accepted as WAAC Candidates |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-leader-2-local-women-are-accep/165457874/ |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=The Times Leader |date=13 July 1942 |location=Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania |pages=6}}{{cite news |title=Swimming Star Exchange Guest |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-leader-swimming-star-exchange/131287192/ |access-date=5 September 2023 |work=The Times Leader |date=29 August 1928 |pages=14}} She attended Kingston's Wyoming Seminary, a college preparatory school very close to her birthplace in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/51058|title=Olympedia Biography, Peg Hoffman|website=olympedia.org|access-date=February 12, 2025}} At Wyoming Seminary, she played basketball and field hockey, but would excel as a swimmer. Around 1927, at a Water Polo-like contest between her Wilkes Barre YMCA team and the recently formed Scranton Swimming Association at the Wilkes Barre YMCA Pool, Hoffman's swimming ability was discovered by Scranton Coach Hoadley Hagen who admired her speed and agility. She soon was signed to swim for the Scranton Swimming Association. At Scranton's Weston Field Pool, she would break a record for the medley relay and tie a local record for the 100-yard freestyle. In the summer of 1928, the Scranton Swimming Association and the Scranton Times sponsored Hoffman to attend the Olympic trials at Far Rockaway on New York's Long Island.{{cite news |title=Margaret Hoffman Became Olympic Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-tribune-margaret-hoffman-becam/165407394/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |work=The Times-Tribune |date=3 October 1947 |location=Scranton, Pennsylvania |pages=35}}

Phil Bunnel, a Captain of the Yale Swimming team, had formerly swum for Hy Antrim, a Scranton Swimming Association Coach. Antrim asked Bunnel to bring his Yale swim coach and U.S. Women's Olympic swim team coach Bob Kiphuth, to come to Scranton to observe Hoffman swim breaststroke. Kiphuth, said of Hoffman, "She is one of the finest breaststrokers I have ever seen, with her smooth, long, wide arm sweep." However, Kiphuth modified Hoffman's stroke to make her arm action faster with a short choppy movement, rather than her former wide arm pull, and modified her kick to increase its efficiency.pull, and modified her kick to increase its efficiency.{{cite news |last1=Butler |first1=Joe M. |title=The Sportscope: World-Famous Coach was Known in Scranton |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-tribune-the-sportscope-world/165453168/ |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=The Times-Tribune |date=13 January 1967 |location=Scranton, Pennsylvania |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-tribune-the-sportscope-world/165453168/ 19] & [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-tribune-sportscope-cont/165453518/ 25]}}

Hoffman was described as having a "natural athletic ability", being picked in late 1927 as a student with "good free style prospect" by the Scranton Swimming Association, where she trained and was managed by Chief Coach Hoadley Hagen, and coaches Wright B. Jones, and Hi Antrim. Hagen founded the Scranton Swimming Association, served as the Director of the Scranton Bureau of Recreation, and coached High School track and field in addition to swimming. Jones was a Scranton public school teacher and served as both coach and treasurer of the Scranton Swim Association.{{cite news |title=Wright B. Jones Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-wright-b-jones-dies/165407829/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |work=The Tribune |date=31 July 1964 |location=Scranton, Pennsylvania |pages=3}}{{cite news |title=Hoadley Hagen, Retired Recreation Head Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-hoadley-hagen-retired-recre/165408021/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |work=The Tribune |date=5 August 1974 |location=Scranton, Pennsylvania |pages=3}} On March 30, 1929, Hoffman competed in the AAU Middle Atlantic championships in the 200-yard breaststroke Atlantic City, winning the event, and setting a meet record of 3:17.{{cite news |title=Ambassador Naiads Win Medley Race Swim Title |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/atlantic-city-sunday-press-the-sunday-ga/165329853/ |access-date=12 February 2025 |work=Atlantic City Sunday Press the Sunday Gazette |date=31 March 1929 |pages=13}}{{cite news |title=Coach of Miss Hoffman Tells of her Early Career |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/transcript-telegram-coach-of-miss-hoffma/131283090/ |access-date=5 September 2023 |work=Transcript-Telegram |date=11 August 1932 |pages=6}}

With numerous achievements swimming breaststroke, she won the AAU outdoor championship in the 220 yard breaststroke in both 1930 and 1933, and was the indoor AAU championship in the 110 yard breaststroke in both 1931 and 1933. She set a world record, though perhaps unofficial, in the 200-yard breaststroke of 2.55.8 at an international meet between the United States and Hungary in New York, in July 1932.{{cite news |title=Lively Sporting News: Sports Review for Week-End |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-news-lively-sporting-news-s/165408365/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |work=The Evening News |date=11 July 1932 |location=Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |pages=11}}

Hoffman continued to compete and occasionally train with the Scranton Swimming Association during her years at Mount Holyoke particularly in the summers, and was limited in her training as Mount Holyoke lacked a women's swim team. She graduated the Wyoming Seminary in 1929, and began at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts in the fall of that year.{{cite news |title=Hoffman Retains 220-Yard Crown |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-hoffman-retains-220-yard-cro/165388108/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |work=The Tribune |date=21 April 1930 |pages=15}}

Having just turned seventeen while still a student at Wyoming Seminary, she qualified in breaststroke for the 1928 Olympics at the trials at Rockaway Park in Long Island, New York in early July, 1928. Swimming at the Rockaway Playland Pool, Hoffman finished third in the 200-meter breaststroke behind Agnes Geraghty of the New York Women's Swimming Association, and Jane Fauntz of the Illinois Athletic Club.{{cite web|url=https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/timesdocuments/meet-results/olympic-trials/1928-us-olympic-team-trials.pdf|title=1928 U.S. Olympic Trials, Final Women's Swimming Tryouts|website=usaswimming.org|access-date=February 13, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Lockwood |first1=Paul E. |title=Laughter Hides Tears as Girl Swimmers Fail to Earn Olympic Places |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/brooklyn-eagle-laughter-hides-tears-as-g/165390708/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |work=Brooklyn Eagle |date=2 July 1928 |pages=26}}

Travelling with the team, she then competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam finishing third in her first heat, and fifth in the final of the women's 200-meter breaststroke event with a time of 3:19.2. Though she finished out of medal contention, she was the only American point winner in the event at Amsterdam, and the first American to finish the final. The 1928 Olympic women's team was managed by Hall of Fame Coach Bob Kiphuth of Yale University.{{cite web|url=https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/eventsdocuments/rosters/olympics/olympic-coaches-historic.pdf|title=Historical U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Head Coaches (1924-present)|publisher=American Olympic Committee|via=usaswimming.org|access-date=February 13, 2025|page=296}}

File:The Decatur Daily Thu Jul 28 1932 (Helene Madison, Katherine Rawls and Margaret Hoffman).jpg and Katherine Rawls{{cite news |title=Fair Olympic Girls Who'll Splash for U.S. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-decatur-daily-fair-olympic-girls-who/131337359/ |access-date=7 September 2023 |work=The Decatur Daily |date=28 July 1932 |pages=6}}]]

Four years later, as a Senior at Mt. Holyoke, Hoffman won both the first and third (final) heats of the 200-meter breaststroke, at the 1932 Olympic trials in Los Angeles in mid-July, 1932, setting a new American record of 3:12:3 in the process and qualifying her for the Olympic team.{{cite news |last1=Powers |first1=Jimmy |title=Mermaids Thrill 45,000! Margret Hoffman Breaks U.S. Breast Stroke Mark |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-mermaids-thrill-45000-margr/131282470/ |access-date=5 September 2023 |work=Daily News |date=16 July 1932 |pages=75}}{{cite news |title=Miss Hoffman sets a new Record |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/transcript-telegram-miss-hoffman-sets-a/131284907/ |work=Transcript-Telegram |date=16 July 1932 |pages=5}}

She would not medal in the 1932 Olympic 200-meter breaststroke event held on the afternoon of August 9, 1932, finishing fifth with a time of 3:11.8. Claire Dennis of Australia took the gold setting a new Olympic and world record of 3:06.3, breaking her own prior record of 3:08.2. Hideko Maehata of Japan swam a very close second place time of 3:06.4 to take the silver medal.{{cite news |title=Kingston Girl Tells of Olympic "Grind" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-leader-kingston-girl-tells-of/131286332/ |access-date=5 September 2023 |work=The Times Leader |date=25 November 1932 |pages=3}}{{cite news |title=Margaret Hoffman Leads Yank Mermaids; Tours West |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/wilkes-barre-times-leader-the-evening-n/165401174/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |work=Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, the Evening News |date=10 August 1932 |pages=11}}

Though she was winding down her swimming career, in March, 1933, Hoffman received a varsity letter from Mt. Holyoke in basketball.{{cite news |title=Mount Holyoke Holds its First "Olympic Games" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-springfield-daily-republican-mount-h/165386358/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |work=The Springfield Daily Republican |date=19 March 1933 |pages=11}} Hoffman completed her undergraduate degree from Mt. Holyoke with a major in economics in 1933.{{cite news |title=Margaret Hoffman Tells of Olympics |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/transcript-telegram-margaret-hoffman-tel/165386714/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |work=Transcript-Telegram |date=4 November 1932 |pages=8}}{{cite web|url=https://alumnae.mtholyoke.edu/blog/mount-holyokes-golden-olympic-history/|title=Mount Holyoke Golden Olympic History, Margaret Hoffman|website=alumnae.mtholyoke.edu|access-date=February 13, 2025}} In June 1934, she did statistical work for the Department of Planning and Research at the newly formed National Recovery Administration in Washington, D.C. for around fifteen years. In a subsequent position she was lumber buyer, primarily sugar-pine for a Sacramento, California-based Company.{{cite news |last1=Feldman |first1=Chic |title=Hatchin' 'Em Out: Margaret Hoffman Truly Lady Legend |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-hatchin-em-out-margaret-h/165441169/ |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=The Tribune |date=27 March 1969 |location=Scranton, Pennsylvania |pages=24}}{{cite news |title=Mount Holyoke Collage is Well Represented in Federal Posts at Capital |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/transcript-telegram-mount-holyoke-collag/165386960/ |access-date=13 February 2025 |work=Transcript-Telegram |date=14 June 1934 |pages=3}} She later earned a Masters from Temple University. Pursuing a career in education, by the 1950's she coached basketball and chaired the Physical Education Department at Wyoming Seminary,{{cite news |title=Sem's Girls' Cagers Make Perfect Record |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-leader-sems-girls-cagers-mak/165457222/ |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=The Times Leader |date=5 March 1954 |location=Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania |pages=4}} which she had formerly attended, before becoming a mathematics teacher at the Shipley school, a prep school for Bryn Mawr College, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. In November, 1959, she gave lectures to teachers on methods for teaching mathematics to elementary students.{{cite news |title=Plymouth School Board to Pay Employes [sic] Dec. 23 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/wilkes-barre-times-leader-the-evening-n/165459442/ |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, the Evening News |date=10 November 1959 |location=Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania |pages=3}}

In regional honors, she was a Scranton Tribune Sports Hall of Fame inductee in 1969, and a Wyoming Seminary Varsity Club Sports Hall of Fame inductee on May 31, 1974.{{cite news |title=Wyoming Seminary to Induct 16 Persons in Hall of Fame the Friday |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-leader-hoffman-hof/42021578/ |access-date=14 February 2025 |work=Times-Leader, Evening News |date=29 May 1974 |location=Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania |pages=31}}

She died on March 25, 1991 at Beacon Manor, a retirement home, in Indiana, Pennsylvania. She was survived by her sister Elizabeth. Margaret had lived some of her retired life in Falmouth, Maine.{{cite news |title=Obituaries |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/indiana-gazette-obituary-for-margaret-pi/131287504/ |access-date=5 September 2023 |work=Indiana Gazette |date=26 March 1991 |pages=17}} Funeral services were held at the Robinson-Lytle Funeral Home in Indiana, Pennsylvania.{{cite news |title=Obituary, Margaret Hoffman |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-leader-obituary-for-margaret-h/165325665/ |access-date=12 February 2025 |work=The Times Leader |date=26 March 1991 |pages=33}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Footer USA Swimming 1928 Summer Olympics}}

{{Footer USA Swimming 1932 Summer Olympics}}

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Category:1911 births

Category:1991 deaths

Category:American female breaststroke swimmers

Category:Olympic swimmers for the United States

Category:Sportspeople from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

Category:Swimmers at the 1928 Summer Olympics

Category:Swimmers at the 1932 Summer Olympics

Category:20th-century American sportswomen

Category:Mount Holyoke College alumni

Category:Temple University alumni

Category:Educators from Pennsylvania