View source for Harry Hebner

{{Short description|American swimmer (1891–1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name           = Harry Hebner
| image          = Harry Joseph Hebner (1891–1968) at the 1912 Summer Olympics.png
| image_size     = 
| alt            =
| caption        = Hebner at the 1912 Summer Olympics
| fullname       = Harry Joseph Hebner
| nicknames      = 
| national_team  = United States
| strokes        = [[Backstroke]], [[freestyle swimming|freestyle]]
| club           = Illinois Athletic Club (IAC)
| coach          = [[Bill Bachrach]] (IAC)
| collegeteam    = 
| birth_date     = {{Birth date|1891|6|15|mf=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Chicago, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date     = {{Death date and age|1968|10|12|1891|6|15|mf=y}}
| death_place    = [[Michigan City, Indiana]], U.S.
| height         = {{convert|5|ft|11|in|m|abbr=on}}
| weight         = <!-- {{convert|xxx|lb|kg|abbr=on}} -->
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's swimming}}
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Swimming at the Summer Olympics|Olympics]]}}
[[File:Olympic rings.svg|center|80px]]
{{MedalGold | [[1912 Summer Olympics|1912 Stockholm]] | [[Swimming at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre backstroke|100 m backstroke]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[1912 Summer Olympics|1912 Stockholm]] | [[Swimming at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[1908 Summer Olympics|1908 London]] | [[Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]]}}
}}

'''Harry Joseph Hebner''' (June 15, 1891 – October 12, 1968) was an American competition [[swimming (sport)|swimmer]] and [[water polo]] player who competed at the [[1908 Summer Olympics|1908]], [[1912 Summer Olympics|1912]] and [[1920 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/51394 |title=Harry Hebner |work=Olympedia |access-date=11 April 2021}}</ref>

Hebner swam for the Illinois Athletic Club under Hall of Fame Coach [[Bill Bachrach|William Bachrach]].  Other outstanding swimmers coached by Bachrach included 1924 gold medalist [[Sybil Bauer]], the exceptional Olympian and film star [[Johnny Weismuller]], 1920 Olympic triple gold medalist [[Norman Ross]], 1912 and 1920 Olympic medalist [[Perry McGillivray]], and 1912 and 1920 Olympic participant [[Mike McDermott (athlete)|Mike McDermott]].<ref name=coach>"Bachrach Coached Champion Swimmer", ''New Britain Herald'', New Britain, Connecticut, 7 November 1922, pg. 12</ref>

== Olympics ==
As part of the American men's 4×200-meter relay teams, he won a bronze medal in 1908 and a silver medal in 1912; in 1912 he also took the gold, winning the 100-meter backstroke event.  In the 100-meter freestyle, he was eliminated in the [[Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre freestyle|semi-finals]] in 1908, and in the [[Swimming at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre freestyle|first round]] in 1912.  In 1920 he was a member of the fourth-place American water polo team.<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417170115/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/he/harry-hebner-1.html |title=Harry Hebner |archive-date=2020-04-17 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/he/harry-hebner-1.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Between 1910 and 1917, Hebner held all world backstroke records and won seven consecutive U.S. National backstroke titles.  In total, he won 35 national titles that spanned from the 50 to the 500 yard freestyle, and all of the existing backstroke distances.  He was the captain both the Illinois Athletic club in both swimming and water polo. A leader and noted performer in water polo as well, between 1914 and 1924, his IAC Water Polo team won the U.S. Nationals five times.<ref name=ISHOF/>

== Honors ==
In 1968 he was inducted to the [[International Swimming Hall of Fame]].<ref name=ISHOF>{{cite web |url=http://www.ishof.org/harry-hebner-(usa).html |title=Harry Hebner (USA) |website=ISHOF.org |publisher=[[International Swimming Hall of Fame]] |access-date=April 12, 2015 |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905183342/http://ishof.org/harry-hebner-(usa).html |url-status=dead }}</ref>  In 1980, he was inducted into the [[USA Water Polo Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Harry J Hebner (1980) |url=https://usawaterpolo.org/hof.aspx?hof=124 |website=usawaterpolo.org |publisher=USA Water Polo |access-date=18 September 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Hall of Fame Inductees |url=https://usawaterpolo.org/sports/2018/11/28/trads-hof-inductees-html.aspx |website=usawaterpolo.org |publisher=USA Water Polo |access-date=18 September 2020 }}</ref>

He died in [[Michigan City, Indiana]] on October 12, 1968, and was buried at St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery in Chicago.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106303221/ex-swimmer-hebner-dies/ |title=Ex-Swimmer, Hebner, Dies |newspaper=[[South Bend Tribune]] |location=Michigan City, Indiana |agency=AP |page=7 |date=1968-10-13 |access-date=2022-07-25 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106303783/death-notices-hebner/ |title=Death Notices: Hebner |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |page=66 |date=1968-10-14 |access-date=2022-07-25 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame]]
* [[List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)]]
* [[World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Sports links}}

{{Footer USA Swimming 1908 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Swimming 1912 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 100 m Backstroke Men}}
{{United States men's water polo squad 1920 Summer Olympics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hebner, Harry}}
[[Category:1891 births]]
[[Category:1968 deaths]]
[[Category:American male backstroke swimmers]]
[[Category:American male freestyle swimmers]]
[[Category:American male water polo players]]
[[Category:World record setters in swimming]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in swimming]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming]]
[[Category:Olympic water polo players for the United States]]
[[Category:Water polo players from Chicago]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Water polo players at the 1920 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:American water polo coaches]]
[[Category:Swimmers from Chicago]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]