SMU All American Swimmer Paul Tietze

[MrMustang1965]

James Riddle and Michael Wolfe collected a pretty special stocking stuffer last week.

More than 90 people were on hand in the Jane Phillips Room at ConocoPhillips to watch the highly-skilled swimming pair received the I. B. Tietze Award from the ConocoPhillips Splash Club.

Both Wolfe and Riddle are former Splash Club athletes who currently are competing on a college level.

This award is made in memorial of former Splash Club parent I. B. Tietze.

Riddle is majoring in pre-medicine at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark.

Riddle recently swam the fastest of any of his TigerShark teammates in the 500 freestyle in a meet at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.

He also helped pace the Ouachita men's 200 freestyle relay to second place at the same meet.

Wolfe also is making his mark with several impressive swims for the University of Tennessee.

Wolfe is a Bartlesville High graduate while Riddle hails from Pawhuska.

Wolfe, who competed in the U.S. Swim Olympic Trials last summer, is a freshman at the University of Tennessee. He is majoring in engineering.

Tietze passed away in the mid-1960s at age 49.

A St. Louis native, he lettered in both track and baseball in high school.

After coming to work for Phillips in Bartlesville, he and his family were regular spectators at Phillips 66'ers basketball games.

In addition to nurturing his children's interest in baseball and softball, he also got involved in the Splash Club due to the participation of two children, Mary Jane and Paul.

The other two children born to him and the former Margaret Reta Elliott were Margaret and Eric.

Tietze served in World War II. He was taken prisoner at the Battle of Bulge and was held by the Germans from November 1944 to June 1945.

He remained devoted to his family, his church (First Presbyterian), sports and other hobbies all his life.

After he died of a heart attack, his son Paul won and fulfilled a swimming scholarship at Southern Methodist University. Paul earned All-American recognition all four years of his college aquatic career and twice represented the United States at the World Games.

"If you have your own internal record straight," he was known to say, "That's all that matters."

And, so, on the 40th year anniversary since his untimely death, Tietze's life and dedication were recalled again.

[Water Pony]

Thanks very much, MM1965, for the article. From prisoner of war to Oklahoma and a son with a wonderul swimming legacy at SMU is a terrific addition during the holiday season.

It is stories like this one (and there are many, many more in all sports at SMU) that make the promise and the reality of being a student athlete such a rich and rewarding part of the college experience.

Connecting the dots on the lives and families of our student athletes adds so much to them and all of us.

Thanks!