Wikipedia

Charlie Hickcox

Charlie Hickcox
Charlie Hickcox 1968
Personal information
Full nameCharles Buchanan Hickcox II
Nickname
"Charlie"
National teamUnited States
Born(1947-02-06)February 6, 1947
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
DiedJune 14, 2010(2010-06-14) (aged 63)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Law, Real Estate
Height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight176 lb (80 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesIndiv. Medley, Backstroke, Freestyle,
ClubBloomington Swim Club
College teamIndiana University
CoachJames "Doc" Counsilman (IU)
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1968 Mexico City 200 m medley
Gold medal – first place 1968 Mexico City 400 m medley
Gold medal – first place 1968 Mexico City 4x100 m medley
Silver medal – second place 1968 Mexico City 100 m backstroke
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1967 Winnipeg 100 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 1967 Winnipeg 4x200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 1967 Winnipeg 200 m backstroke]
Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1967 Tokyo 100 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 1967 Tokyo 200 m backstroke
Gold medal – first place 1967 Tokyo 4x200 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 1967 Tokyo 4x100 m medley

Charles Buchanan Hickcox II (February 6, 1947 – June 14, 2010) was an American competition swimmer who swam for the University of Indiana, a three-time Olympic champion at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, and a former world record-holder in six events.[1]

Early life

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Hickcox was born in Phoenix, Arizona on February 6, 1947 to John Cole Hickcox Sr. and Mary Jane Shartel Hickcox.[2] Four of his siblings competed in swimming during their High School years. Charlie attended Washington High School in greater Phoenix where he was an accomplished student with a rank of 30th in his Senior class of just under 500. He was on the varsity tennis team in his Junior year, and made the baskeball team in his Senior year. In his last year at Washington High, he served as a Senior Class President, and was Key Club Vice President. He began competitive swimming in earnest around 1961, where he mentioned he was coached by Dick Suenning, though no other sources besides the Arizona Republic list Suenning as a coach. Hickcox set a state high school record in the 100-meter butterfly of 1:00.07 at the Saguaro Invitational in May, 1965. His summer training regiment included a practice session of around 3.5 hours, with winter training of around 1.5 hours daily.[1][3]

Indiana University

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Hickcox attended Indiana University, and swam for the Indiana Hoosiers swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 1967 to 1969. He won a total of seven individual NCAA national championships while swimming for Hoosiers coach Doc Counsilman. In the three years from 1967-1969, Hickcox earned Indiana varsity letters and contributed to 1968 and 1969 NCAA national team titles. He was an NCAA champion eight times, including titles in 1967 in the 100 and 200 backstroke, and in 1968 in the 200 individual medley, 100 backstroke, and 200 backstroke. In 1969 he won NCAA individual titles in the 200 individual medley and 200 backstroke, and swam with Indiana's NCAA championship 400 medley relay team. He was an NCAA All American a total of thirteen times.[4] The peak of Hickcox's swimming career occurred between 1967 and 1968 when he set eight world records in the space of sixteen months.[5]

1968 Mexico City Olympics

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He received four medals, including three gold and one silver at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. He tied with American Sharon Stouder for the second highest Olympic medal count of any swimmer to that date, placing second to Don Schollander of Yale who won four gold medals in 1964. Hickcox won a gold medal in the 200-meter Individual Medley with an Olympic record time of 2:12.0. He won a second gold in the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:48.4, beating second place American Gary Hall in a very close race by only 3 tenths of a second. Hickcox won a third gold as a member of the world record-setting U.S. team in the men's 4×100-meter medley relay. He added a silver medal in the men's 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:00.2, taking second to Brittain's Roland Matthes who swam a 58.7.[6]

Hickcox worked as a television and radio announcer and coached swimming in his early career. He completed studies at the Salmon P. Chase Law School, part of Northern Kentucky State University in Highland Heights, Kentucky, after graduating Indiana. While attending or shortly after attending law school, Hickcox briefly coached or co-coached the highly competitive Cincinnati Marlins age-group Swim team in 1973, very close to Highland Heights, Kentucky where he attended Law School.[7] After graduating Law School, he was admitted to the Arizona Bar. Later, he had a commercial real estate career, and founded the Feldman-Hickcox Company, a real estate firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona.[1]

Honors

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Hickcox was named World Swimmer of the Year in 1968, and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1976. He was inducted into the University of Indiana Athletic Hall of Fame in 1982 and the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.[8]

He was married to Olympic diver Lesley Bush, but they later divorced.[1][9]

He died at his home in San Diego from cancer on June 14, 2010, at the age of 63. He was survived by his wife Kathy whom he married around 2003, children, grandchildren, and siblings. A memorial service was held July 10 at East Valley Bible Church in Gilbert, Arizona.[2][10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Olympedia Biography, Charlie Hickcox". olympedia.org. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  2. ^ a b Charles Buchanan "Charlie" Hickcox II Obituary Charlie Hickcox. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  3. ^ Browner, Kathy, "Hard Work, Practice, Key to Success of Swimmer," The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, May 29, 1965, pg. 60
  4. ^ Indiana Hoosiers 2006–07 Men's Swimming & Diving, History & Records Archived November 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Indiana University Athletic Department, Bloomington, Indiana, p. 82 (2006). Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  5. ^ "IU Swimming Legend Charlie Hickcox Passes Away". iuhoosiers.com. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
  6. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Charlie Hickcox Archived April 3, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  7. ^ Richardson, Steve, "Marlins Set for Nationals", The Cincinnati Inquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, August 13, 1973, pg. 38
  8. ^ "Charles Hickcox (USA)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  9. ^ "Obituary, Charles Buchanon Hickcox II", The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, June 27, 2010, pg. 32
  10. ^ "Passages: Triple Olympic Gold Medalist Charlie Hickcox, 63[permanent dead link]," Swimming World Magazine (June 15, 2010). Retrieved October 11, 2012.
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Records
Preceded by Men's 100-meter backstroke
world record-holder (long course)
August 28, 1967 – September 21, 1967 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Men's 400-meter individual medley
world record-holder (long course)
August 30, 1968 – July 11, 1969 		Succeeded by
Gary Hall, Sr.
Preceded by Men's 200-meter individual medley
world record-holder (long course)
August 31, 1968 – August 17, 1969 		Succeeded by
Gary Hall, Sr.