Roger Franks: Hall of fame swimmer, father of simulation

Roger Franks - I emceed the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame banquet in 1997. I remember introducing 70-year-old swimmer Roger Franks, describing him as Vincent Price on steroids. Roger went to the podium and said, “We have a saying in senior olympics: He who lives the longest wins.” Franks died in 2017 at the age of 90. His obituary read: “Roger is considered by some as the father of simulation and by others as one of the most accomplished masters swimmers of his time. He is credited with 75 championship wins over the course of his life, including 42 national and 14 world records.” He was a torch bearer for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. That’s some big fins to fill for us all! And the best part, he worked 35 years for DuPont as a consultant in chemical engineering, along with pioneering the development of computer modeling for chemical processes. He authored two books and many technical publications while at DuPont. His books were published all over the world, leading him to lecture in China, Iran, Egypt, Morocco and at MIT for 25 years. The engineering-brained athletes see a different world, because they actually know how it works, and they are tough and are mostly found in non-mainstreamed sports. 

Penndel to Princeton - In 2014, I was inducted into the Bucks County chapter of the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame. My brother Tom and nephew Mike were already members. Tom said to me, “And there's a hall of fame room, which is actually pretty nice if you ever want to take a field trip and visit.” “I won’t, but where is it?” I asked. “It’s at a rest stop on I-95 northbound halfway between Penndel and Princeton,” Tom said. We both found that hilarious. Mike thinks it's pretty funny too.

Flawed ball - Ever get hit smack in the face with a basketball? Everyone laughs. It stings, but it won’t send you to the hospital. A baseball is a different weapon entirely. You can hear the horsehair before it hits you in the face. Expressions like, “He’s got a cannon for an arm,” “speed off the bat” and “a 100 mph four-seamer” get my attention. All the good teams this season have major flaws, including the Phillies, Mets and Yankees. The Dodgers have the best winning percentage in the National League, while Detroit leads the American League. The Phillies finished 94-68 in 2024, winning the division by six games over the Braves and Mets. They are on the same pace this season, and if Aaron Nola and Bryce Harper get healthy, who knows? 

Demographics - I cover high school sports, mostly boundary schools that have certain population characteristics, and so sportswriters can cite feeder programs as the reason for long-term success of specific programs in certain schools, but we mostly know the No. 1 determiner of dominance is DNA tied to demographics (race, gender, income, education). Like they say in Assateague and Chincoteague, “Let the ponies run, swim or whatever!” 

Darby’s daddy - I am a longtime client of the Rehoboth Animal Hospital and happy they are honoring Pride Month. I remember a few years back when I showed up for a Darby Dog appointment, the vet tech asked, "Are you Darby’s daddy?” I answered, “No, he’s a dog. Why? Did he tell you that?” Anthropomorphism is ascribing human characteristics to animals that are not human. Pets belong in a sports column. A few have been Athletes of the Week. I read dog bios, which always include “likes to snuggle and belly rubs.” As do many people who are often met with, “Get off me, freak! Why do you think I have a dog?”

Snippets - Upcoming Seashore Striders productions include the 35th Firecracker 5K at Grove Park in Rehoboth Beach, starting at 7:30 a.m., Saturday, July 5, and the 34th Dave Reynolds BIathlon at 8 a.m., Sunday, July 6, on the Rehoboth Boardwalk. I wrecked my shoulder 20 years ago winning the novice division bench press in the 50-and-over age group at Sterrets Gym in Pocomoke, Md., pressing 275 pounds. The guy in front of me looked like Shady Grady but not as fit and was a pro. The registration guy asked, “What's your opening weight, Charlie?” He said, “Four-twenty, I’m just not feeling it today.” My first-place oversized trophy later went to the dump and was thrown left-handed through the window of bygone memories. Go on now, git!