Joe Grossman, 1970:  see here

Commander Gerald Forsberg, OBE, Master Mariner, FNI, Royal Navy (Retired), 1971:  see here

William Forrest "Buck" Dawson, 1972:  see here

Willy Van Rysel, 1973:  see here

Jerry Nason, 1974:  see here

Audrey Scott, 1975:  see here

Ray Scott, 1975:  see here

Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean, 1976:  see here

Conrad Wennerberg, 1977:  see here

Charles "Red" Silvia, 1978:  see here

Dennis Matuch, 1979:  see here

Not awarded 1980-2001:  see here

James Doty, 2002:  see here

British Long Distance Swimming Association, 2003:  see here

Roger Parsons, 2004:  see here

Val Parsons, 2004:  see here

Lynn Blouin, 2005: see here

Dale Petranech, 2006: see here

Silvia Beatríz Dalotto, 2007: see here

Shelley Taylor-Smith, 2008: see here

Michael P. Read, MBE, 2009: see here

Christopher Guesdon, 2010: see Ceremony Booklet page #5

Steven Muñatones, 2011: see Ceremony Booklet page #3

Drury Gallagher, 2012: see Ceremony Booklet page #4

Ned Denison, 2013: see Ceremony Booklet page #3 

Melissa Cunningham Roberts, 2014: see Ceremony Booklet page #12 

Dennis Miller, 2015: see Ceremony Booklet page # 19

David Yudovin, 2016: see Ceremony Booklet page #14 

Richard Broer, 2017: see Ceremony Booklet page #17 

Stéphane Lecat, 2018: see Ceremony Booklet page #24 

Susanne Guesdon, 2019: see Ceremony Booklet page #14 

S.A. "Sid" Cassidy, 2020: see Ceremony Booklet page #20

Colin Hill, 2021: see Ceremony Booklet page # 18

Elizabeth Fry, 2022: see Ceremony Booklet page #14

Sally Anne Minty-Gravett, MBE, 2023: Ceremony Booklet page #16

Massimo Giuliani, 2024:  Ceremony Booklet page #16

Forrest Nelson, 2025:  see here

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Award History:

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The Irving Davids/Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award was established in 1970 by the New England Marathon Swimming Association (NEMSA) and to honor and recognize those making major contribution to open water swimming and serve as a perpetual memorial to Irving Davids and Captain Roger Wheeler.

 

NEMSA is the oldest organization in the USA dedicated solely to open water/marathon swimming with the goals: to promote amateur open water swims and races; to promote water safety, research water pollution and clean water (including the effects on aquatic life), and to encourage the publishing of papers and other information materials related to open water swimming and the environment.

 

NEMSA accomplishments include: organization and conduct of the Boston Light House Swim (first held in 1909); contribute materials and other memorabilia on open water/marathon swimming to the New England Sports Museum and Library; assist in the development and distribution of safety equipment for open water swimmers; and make major contribution to the Massachusetts Audubon Society and assist in creating a data base for their water related research projects.

 

The names of the recipients of the award are inscribed on a beautiful large silver tray that International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) Honoree James Doty secured from the Taylor Corman Jewelry Store in Brookline, Massachusetts. It is a major award of the International Swimming Hall of Fame and displayed in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida museum. Each winner received a small silver bowl or plate to commemorate their award.  Once the tray is fully engraved, future recipients will be included on an adjacent plaque.

 

Initially a committee consisting of IMSHOF Honorees:  Joe Grossman, Dennis Matuch, Buck Dawson, and James Doty selected the award winners. The award was presented annually from 1970 through 1979. For unknown reason, the award was not presented from 1980 to 2001 and the tray was just another bit of history on the museum walls of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. In 2001, it was reestablished and IMSHOF now selects and presents a winner at their annual Induction and Awards Ceremony.

 

Irving Davids was an open water/marathon swimming historian and archivist. He pioneered the study of tides and currents and was invaluable in plotting proper courses. His private collection of photographs and newspaper clippings on professional marathon swimming was unparalleled. He served as trainer for IMSHOF Honoree Regent LaCoursiere, from Quebec.

 

Captain Roger W. Wheeler from Rhode Island was an outgoing, charismatic race organizer and marathon swimmer administrator. He used his considerable political connections (creator of the Rhode Island State Life-Saving system in the 1930s and is also the namesake of a state beach in Rhode Island) to secure funds and recognition for local marathon swimming races including course design and publicity to ensure large crowds to watch the races.  These included:  the John E Fogarty Memorial Distance Swim on 24 August 1968 and the 26.7-mile (42.9 km) America's Marathon Swim in 1970.  Both were sanctioned by the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation.  Doty announced the award at the 1970 race.

  

Davids and Wheeler died within a year of each other in the late1960’s. They still serve as examples and role models for the administrators and organizers in the sport of open water swimming.

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In 2020 the eligibility criteria changed to individual IMSHOF Honorees only.