In fact, she is very easy going, quick to see the humor in life.She greets me at the door wearing comfortable gray slacks, T-shirt and gray wool duster that she doffs in a few minutes.My husband likes the house hot, she says and leaves you to finish the thought as if were old friends.In her family room that overlooks a beautiful expanse of lawn at her Greenwich home, you get a true sense of who de Varona is.Two Olympic gold medals hang behind twin glass frames in a far corner of the room, tucked next to a bookcase overflowing with books and photographs. www.swinginchicks.com/ (December 30, 2002). During high school, de Varona trained up to six hours a day, but managed to maintain a B average in her studies. However, she dropped the suit after the network rehired her in 2002. She has been writing commentary for Sporting News Radio, and working as a sports and organizational consultant for the ABC, ESPN, and Disney networks. "Donna de Varona," Sporting News Radio, http://radio.sportingnews.com/experts/donna_de_ varona/index.html (May 15, 2003). De Varona is considered not only one of the fastest swimmers, but also one of the most versatile and best all-around swimmers. She traveled all over the United States, filling in temporarily when regular anchormen became ill or went on vacation. de Varona was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1969. Donna de Varona is currently married to John Pinto. de Varona, who was unable to get a college swimming scholarship after winning two Olympic gold medals, was a major advocate of the 1972 Title IX legislation, which prohibits sex discrimination in sports. Yahoo! # . Encyclopedia.com. To take the part, however, she would have to drop out of college and move to New York, so she did. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. First she tried to top or at least equal Donna- beginning with the time Joanna was 11 years old and a reporter from Look Magazine was interviewing Donna in the living room. She filed the lawsuit after working at ABC for over 30 years. NY: Frederick Warne, 1978. Joanna says there was always a touch of sibling rivalry between the two daughters of insurance salesman David De Varona and his wife Martha. As an alternate, she did not swim in competition. That's an attitude I'm always fighting to change. The former Olympic champion received a prestigious Emmy Award, for her coverage of an athlete competing in the 1991 Special Olympics. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Encyclopedia.com. Olympic Aid. Hiss & Pop. Every now and then nature produces a powerhouse athlete who is also a powerhouse human being. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. 2023 Getty Images. Two years later, when the Summer Olympics were in Atlanta, de Varona anchored Good Morning America 's Olympic coverage, while broadcasting the days' results on ABC Radio. In 2000, de Varona sued ABC Sports for $50 million, saying she was fired because of her sex and age. Kerns has also made notable appearances in feature films, including A*P*E, Girl, Interrupted, and the 2007 comedy Knocked Up. Kerns stated in an interview, "Donna was the golden girl. It's like having an asterisk after your name." Updates? Collect, curate and comment on your files. In 1991 de Varona won an Emmy award for her reporting of a story about a Special Olympics athlete. Her height is 5 ft 6 in (168 cm). Joanna Kerns was born as Joanne Crussie DeVarona on 12 February 1953, in San Francisco, California USA, to Martha Louise, a clothing store manager, and David Thomas DeVarona, an insurance agent, of Cuban, German, Welsh, Irish and English descent. [8], In 2020, de Varona, along with 300+ women athletes and activists, signed a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association in support of an Idaho law that bans transgender women student athletes from competing in women's and girls' sports. Notable Sports Figures. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/de-varona-donna-1947-olympic-swimmer-sportscaster-activist, Winters, Kelly "De Varona, Donna: 1947: Olympic Swimmer, Sportscaster, Activist In 2006, she was inducted into the Museum of Television & Radio's first class of fifty "She Made It" pioneers in media. Joanna Kerns (born February 12th, 1953 in San Francisco, California) is an American actress and director. Career: Swimmer, 1960-64; ABC, Wide World of Sports, Olympics broadcaster, 1968, 1972, 1976; NBC, Sports World, Today Show, broadcaster, 1978-83; commentator, consultant, writer, coproducer, contributor: Wide World of Sports, ABC News, Good Morning America, ESPN, ABC radio, 1984; Roone Arledge, president of ABC News and Sports, ABC, assistant, 1983-86; NBC, Olympics, broadcaster, 1996, 2000; Sporting News Radio, radio sports commentator, 1998; Sporting News, Olympics reporter, 2002. Joannas father is of half Cuban descent, including Spanish, Basque, Portuguese, and Indigenous Cuban roots; his mother likely had Welsh ancestry, due to her maiden name, Thomas, usually being Welsh. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Great Women in Sports, Visible Ink Press, 1996. ", Though de Varona received critical acclaim for her coverage of the 1984 Summer Olympics, choice assignments were few and far between. President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women), List of University of California, Los Angeles people, World record progression 200 metres individual medley, World record progression 400 metres individual medley, World record progression 4 100 metres medley relay, "PLUS: TV SPORTS; De Varona Ends Suit Against ABC", "Aurora Games: Albany to host international women's sports festival in 2019", "Martina Navratilova Supports Idaho's Ban on Trans Female Athletes", "Sports leaders seek to protect women's sports while accommodating transgender girls and women". . Executive summary: Maggie Seaver on Growing Pains. espn.go.com/(December 30, 2002). "People thought it was unusual for a female athlete to be attractive," she commented. It got to the point where I was ashamed of my looks. Champion swimmer Donna de Varona began her athletic career at age three when she started paddling around California pools. She entered her first meet when she was nine, and soon outgrew her father's coaching, becoming a protege of some of California's best coaches. As an adolescent, she trained with some of the sport's top coaches, including George Haines, the legendary coach of seven U.S. Olympic teams between 1960 and 1984. Four years later, at the Tokyo Olympics, she won two gold medalsin the 400-metre individual medley and in the 4 100-metre freestyle relayand by age 17 she had broken 18 world records in swimming. Her many TV movies include: Those She Left Behind, Blind Faith, The Big One: The Great Los Angeles Earthquake, Shameful Secrets, and No One Could Protect Her. But even before the Olympics, the blonde de Varona had come to define swimming in America. 12-Feb-1953) Brother: David Brother: Kirk Husband: John Pinto (lawyer/banker, one son, one daughter . [1][bettersourceneeded] Her father, David Thomas DeVarona, was an insurance agent, and her mother, Martha Louise (ne Smith), was a clothing store manager. Powered by - Designed with theHueman theme. Encyclopedia.com. She told him, I want to see the world.She reached for a world that was not the common ground for girls her age, becoming the bat girl on her brothers baseball team, although she would have preferred swinging a bat. Kerns was born Joanna Crussie DeVarona in San Francisco, California. Their aunt is silent film actress Miriam Cooper. In 1972, she moved back to California and landed a job as a backup dancer at Disneyland, and started auditioning for TV commercials and steady acting jobs. TV Series documentary special thanks - 1 episode, Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team, Victory & Valor: Special Olympics World Games. in political science in 1986. Joanna Kerns was born as Joanne Crussie DeVarona on 12 February 1953, in San Francisco, California USA, to Martha Louise, a clothing store manager, and David Thomas DeVarona, an insurance agent, of Cuban, German, Welsh, Irish and English descent. Four years later at the Tokyo Games, de Varona won two gold medals . Ignacio was born in Santa Maria de Puerto Prncipe, the son of Ignacio Mara Varona de la Torre and Angela Mariana Mariana Agero y Varona. She has an older brother and a younger brother, as well as an older . The Proceedings of the twenty-second session of the International Olympic Academy (1125 July 1982) contain a full version of de Varona's conference keynote speech, entitled "Partnership Between the Athletes and Organizations of the Olympic Movement.". De Varona, Donna: 1947: Olympic Swimmer, Sportscaster, Activist As part of the team of journalists telecasting the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics for Turner Network Television, de Varona, who presented feature stories on female athletes, was instrumental in the cable network's exceptional ratings. Most recently, de Varona was appointed to the United States Department of State's Empowerment of Girls and Women through Sports Council by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. At the age of 17, she appeared on ABC's Wide World of Sports, becoming the youngest and one of the first women sportscasters for a national network. Though she did not receive a scholarship, de Varona earned an undergraduate degree Title IX legislation ultimately ensured that girls and women received the same opportunities and federal funding in sports education that boys and men did. Optimieren Sie Ihren Workflow mit unserem erstklassigen Digitalen Asset Management System. This is not accurate. Education: University of California-Los Angeles, BA, political science, 1986. Corrections? More information on Donna De Varona can be found here. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: Sports Figures. "Donna de Varona Receives NCAA's Highest Honor: 2003 Theodore Roosevelt Award." This beating gave her the incentive to do what were then phenomenal training stintsfive and six hours a dayat the Berkeley Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) swim club and at the famous Santa Clara Swim Club. 22 Feb. 2023 . Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna, Summer, Jane "de Varona, Donna In 2003 de Varona was selected to receive the NCAA's highest honor, the Theodore Roosevelt Award. (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images) "Making Waves: Olympian Donna de Varona Charges ABC Fired Her because of Her Age." })(); Ethnicity of Celebs | EthniCelebs.com 2023. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/de-varona-donna-1947-olympic-swimmer-sportscaster-activist, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna-0, https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna, Retires from competitive swimming after Olympics, Named member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness & Sport, Sits on founding board of Special Olympics, Appointed to President Ford's Commission on Olympic Sports, Named member of President Carter's Women's Advisory Commission, Promoted to ABC commentator, consultant, writer, co-producer to, Graduates UCLA with Bachelor of Arts degree, Appointed member of President Reagan's Olympic delegation to, Sues ABC for age and gender discrimination, Chosen senior advisor to U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) President; co-chairs USOC Government Relations Committee and joins International Relations Committee; advises ONDCP on anti-doping, Youngest member of U.S. Olympic team at Rome, Two gold medals at Tokyo Olympics; named Most Outstanding Female Athlete by Associated Press and United Press International; world record holder in 400-meter individual medley and 100-meter backstroke. As a lobbyist, she played an important role in the passage of the Amateur Sports Act and in getting Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 implemented. GROWING PAINS - "Graduation Day" (Flashback Scenes) - Airdate: May 4, 1988. Encyclopedia.com. A move back to the West Coast resulted in numerous film and television roles, and as her television career continued to take off, the up-and-coming actress married producer Richard Kerns. "[10], In 2021, de Varona joined the Women's Sports Policy Working Group, formed in opposition to President Joe Biden's Executive Order 13988 that mandates blanket inclusion for all transgender women athletes. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: The 1960s. . Her older sister, Donna de Varona, is an Olympic gold medal swimmer, winning two gold medals in the 1964 Olympics. But she was frustrated that the Little League baseball enjoyed by her older brother did not allow girls to play. 2023 Getty Images. Later in life, Kerns recalled that Meredith was a great influence on her, saying, "Burgess was the one person who really influenced my acting career". Joanna Kerns (born Joanne Crussie DeVarona) is an American director and actress. Both of her parents worked, and money . Anita DeFrantz did not grow up dreaming of Olympic glory, yet she glided to a bronze medal as an America, Music or Sports Management Jobs She also served five times on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Donna De Varona has a net worth of $1 . In hindsight, de Varona's media contributions have to be seen as minor, and she was never able to become an influential commentator on par with such broadcast news anchors as Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, and Dan Rather. AFFAIR. [citation needed]. When she qualified for the U.S. swim team for the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome, Donna de, The treatment and management of sports injuries has become a multi-faceted and highly visible aspect of sports science. Donna de Varona, (born April 26, 1947, San Diego, California, U.S.), American athlete and sportscaster who, after a record-breaking amateur career as a swimmer, established herself as an advocate for womens and girls sports opportunities. Member of National Women's Law Center advisory board; receives Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Drury College, Springfield, Outstanding Mother of the Year from Mother's Day Committee; receives Woman of the Year Award from Mew York Athletic League, Gold Medallion Award from International Swimming Hall of Fame, Emmy Award as producer of Special Olympics feature, American Woman Award for Leadership from Women's Research and Education Institute; receives Olympia Award from U.S. Olympic Committee, Flo Hyman Award from Women's Sports Foundation, HOBY International Award for youth leadership from the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership Organization, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, St. Joseph College, West Hartford, Connecticut, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Springfield College, Springfield, Massachusetts; Thurman Munson Award. ." ", Biographical essays on de Varona include Shawn Ladda's entry in Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Sports Figures (2002), and Janet Woolom's profile in Outstanding Women Athletes (1992). (February 22, 2023). Later that year, de Varona joined NBC's Olympic coverage at the Sydney, Australia, Olympics, marking the broadcast of her twelfth Olympic Games. Joanna is the daughter of Martha Louise (Smith) and David Cruz Thomas de Varona. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team (2007)as Herself, Victory & Valor: Special Olympics World Games (1991)as Herself, Susan B. Anthony Slept Here (1995)as Herself, Your email address will not be published. Anita DeFrantz did not grow up dreaming of Olympic glory, yet she glided to a bronze medal as an America, Roberts, Robin 1960 Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, July 19, 2002, p. K7770; February 25, 2003, p. K2941. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. In 1998 ABC let de Varona's contract lapse and, according to de Varona, encouraged her to leave. Her father, David de Varona, who sold insurance, was a Hall of Fame rower and an All-America football player at the University of California who served as de Varona's first swimming coach. Rhinehold was born in Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania, to German parents, John Helwig. . Joanna Kerns relationship list. Joannas maternal grandfather wasSalem Kappler Smith (the son of Heinrich/Henry D. Schmidt/Smith and Caroline Kappler). However, the date of retrieval is often important. . The 400-meter individual medley was approved for women swimmers at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and Donna de Varona won the gold in that event (her Olympic Trial time of 5:14.9 stood as world's best until 1967). De Varona married John Pinto, an investment banker, on 10 January 1987; they had two children. Determined to work harder, she began to practice at the Berkeley YMCA and to train five to six hours a day at the Santa Clara Swim Club. Organisieren, kontrollieren, verteilen und messen Sie alle Ihre digitalen Inhalte. Her dedication has her flying off to Rio, Geneva, Peru and Monaco, all in the pursuit of fairness in play on an equal footing for all athletes.I have friends all over the world, because of the Olympics, de Varona says. medley, and the 100-meter backstroke. 1985) Marc Appleton ( m. 1994) siblings: Donna de Varona, David DeVarona, Kurt DeVarona. Kerns was constantly in competition with Donna. . She also testified on behalf of Title IX legislation in front of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Their aunt is silent film actress Miriam . Donna de Varona 1947- American swimmer When she qualified for the U.S. swim team for the 1960 Summer Olympic Games in Rome [1], Donna de Varona was only 13 years old, the youngest member of the Games that year. During her swimming career, de Varona appeared on the covers of Life (9 Oct. 1964), and several other national magazines. She was a founding member of the Women's Sports Foundation, and in 1975 she served on President Ford's Commission on Olympic Sports. As a keynote speaker at the 1982 meeting of the International Olympic Academy in Olympia, Greece, de Varona reflected on the media attention she received as an Olympic athlete: "In 1964, there were many sponsors who wanted me to endorse their products, but because of ingrained Olympic ideals I felt my gold medals were not for sale." Born: 12-Feb-1953 Birthplace: San Francisco, CA. As a little girl, Joanna grew up in the shadow of her older sister, swimmer Donna de Varona, who won two gold medals in the 1964 Olympic Games and became a network TV sportscaster. Unfortunately, her event was canceled and she did not compete. She directed one episode of Growing Pains while starring on the show and got hooked. In addition to her television work, she continued to be involved in various efforts to promote women in sports. Donna de Varona is a born fighter. Variety (April 17, 2000): 47. Select from premium Donna De Varona of the highest quality. Donna de Varona Won gold medals in the 400-meter individual medley and the 400-meter freestyle relay at the Tokyo Olympics (1964); won 37 national swimming titles; broke 18 national and world records; was the first female sports commentator on network television; was co-founder and president of the Women's Sports Foundation. Four years later she won two gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics. That year, as an undergraduate at the University of California, Los Angeles, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) hired de Varona as the first female sports-caster on a television network (she would return to earn a B.S. Omissions? 22 Feb. 2023 . . Three good online resources are the Women's Sports Foundation website at www.womensportsfoundation.org, the ISHOF website at www.ishof.org, and the Olympic Hall of Fame website at www.olympic-usa.org. Internet Movie Database. In Donna de Varona. In addition to her political work on behalf of women's sports, de Varona continues to work as a broadcaster for Sporting News Radio. de Varona, Donna (1947) American swimmer who won two Olympic gold medals. After Olympic Glory. In a controversial legal dispute, de Varona sued ABC Sports, charging age and gender discrimination. I wanted to play them down.". Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. She participated in the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy, as the team's youngest member, a significant achievement even though her event was canceled. She finally earned her degree in 1986 upon completion of two assignments: one on the history of amateur sports legislation and the other on the impact on women's sports of Title IX. www.geocities.com/ (January 10, 2003). (b. Colonial American colleges adhered to a strict policy of in loco parentis, which encouraged administrators and professors, acting, De Sylva, B. G. (actually, George Card; aka Bud or Buddy), de Souza, Steve 1947- (Steve De Souza, Steven E. de Souza), De Villars, l'Abbe de Montfaucon(1635-1673), https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna-1947, 1600-1754: Sports and Recreation: Headline Maker. Profession: Actor, Television Director, Film director. With bills to pay de Varona had to spend her spare time working, and she began looking around for work that would use her interest in and knowledge of sports. www.womenssportsfoundation.org/ (January 13, 2003). Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Basketball and Other Indoor Sports. She also captured a gold medal, swimming the second leg of the 400-meter freestyle relay. She had appeared on the cover of newspapers and magazines such as Life, Time, Saturday Evening Post, and Sports Illustrated. Gender: Female Race or Ethnicity: White . Throughout the early 1960s, de Varona, who was called the "Queen of Swimming," dominated the sport. . [3][4], Kerns got her start in show business as a dancer before turning to acting. The actress who made her name through the 80's sitcom 'Growing Pains' was born February 12, 1953, in San Francisco, California. She was also consultant on Title IX legislation, which became law in 1972 and prohibits sex discrimination in sports. The world's population was and there were an estimated year babies born throughout the world in 1947 . The program featured Morocco's Minister of Sports, Nawal El Moutawakel, who in 1984 became the first Muslim and African woman to win an Olympic gold medal, and in 2012 was elected Vice President of the International Olympic Committee. De Varona has received dozens of honorary degrees and awards, including the National Collegiate Athletic Association's highest honor, the Theodore Roosevelt Award. If professional team sports in the United States epitomize the corporatization of athletics, the Olympics, at least in theory,, Questions of sexuality and gender have been central to the history of physical education since the introduction of the discipline into U.S. colleges, Donne, John 15721631 English Poet and Preacher, https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna. Her father, David, was an insurance salesman and a former All-American football player and rower At the University of California who encouraged his four children in athletics. She brings to light the behind-the-scenes achievements that often go unnoticed." Her sister, Joanna Kerns, was a noted actress. The two had worked together on the 1976 TV movie, The Million Dollar Rip-Off. She is Movies (Actress) by profession. She was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1969. Restrictions: Her main sports focus as an adolescent became swimming. At age 13, Donna de Varona was the youngest member of the United States swimming team at the Olympic Games Rome 1960. She has also been awarded five honorary doctorates and in 2003, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Honors Committee awarded her the Theodore Roosevelt Award. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. She is known for her role on the sitcom Growing Pains. Growing Pains' Joanna Kerns Confessions of a Working Mom . (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images) JOANNA KERNS (R) WITH SISTER DONNA DE VARONA. But now, when they were about to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. de Varona became a sensation. Her older sister, Donna de Varona, is an Olympic gold medal swimmer, winning two gold medals in the 1964 . Celebrity status and her role as the quintessential Californian mermaid had both positive and negative consequences for her. Her sister is competition swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Donna de Varona. She served as the first President (19791984) and subsequently, became the chairman and Honorary Trustee for the Foundation. Not Necessarily the News" - Season Three - 9/29/87, Joanna Kerns stars in the Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images sitcom "Growing. An attention-drawing swimmer, de Varona was constantly defined as "unusually attractive" and appeared on the covers of Life, Time, Saturday Evening Post, and Sports Illustrated, as well as foreign periodicals. In 1961, she posted a world record of 5:34.5 in the AAU medley, defending her previous title. Donna De Varona: her birthday, what she did before fame, her family life, fun trivia facts, popularity rankings, and more. I want to be part of that.As we cross into the open kitchen from the family room, de Varona hands me two glasses filled with water, no ice, as she plates two overstuffed sandwiches, one brimming with roast beef, the other with chicken salad, and leads me past a tower of newspapers on the counter into the dining room.Heres a simple diorama of how prepared she is, come what may. Her father, a celebrated rower and All-American football player at the University of California, was her first coach. The recipient of numerous honours, de Varona was inducted into the National Womens Hall of Fame in 2003. That accomplishment opens doors. Opposed to the changes, de Varona, who served on the commission, and another commission member, Julie Foudy, refused to sign the commission's list of propositions for change. However, she also noted that despite the widespread discrimination against women in sportscasting, "It's too easy to play the victim. It's just taking longer than I ever thought it would.". NY: Greenwood Press, 1989. As an outstanding young athlete, a champion of equal rights for women in the sports arena, and a highly visible presence in the media, de Varona made a significant impact on the world of women's sports. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. ." This was done in observation of the 35th anniversary of Title IX, which was the legislation that outlawed discrimination in school programs, including sports. The suit was settled out of court in 2002, and de Varona rejoined ABC Sports as a commentator and reporter. As such, Kerns, then billed as Joanna de Varona danced in "Clown Around," a show which closed before reaching Broadway, and at Disneyland, before being cast in the touring company of John Guare's musicalization of Shakespeare's "Two Gentlemen of Verona." . These thirty-seven individual national championships were won using three different strokes including freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly. Family: Her younger sister, Joanna Kerns, was an actress known for playing Maggie Seaver on the sitcom "Growing Pains." Donna De Varona father's name is under review and mother unknown at this time. She remains a world record holder in numerous events, including the sport's most challenging one, the 400-meter individual. De Varona became a household word among Olympic Games enthusiasts in 1960 when, at age 13, she became the youngest member of the U.S. swimming team at . A promoter of women in sport, in the mid-1970s, she joined Billie Jean King in establishing the Women's Sports Foundation. . Donna de Varona Pinto OLY (ne Donna Elizabeth de Varona; born April 26, 1947) is an American former competition swimmer, activist, and television sportscaster. Das Getty Images Design ist eine eingetragene Marke von Getty Images. Olympic swimmer Donna de Varona has had a rich and varied career. www.hollywood.com/ (January 10, 2003). She served on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and on President Jimmy Carter's Advisory Committee for Women. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (function() { Kerns was born on February 12, 1953 in San Francisco, California, USA. She served on two presidential commissions, Gerald Ford's Commission on Olympic Sports in 1975, and Jimmy Carter's Women's Advisory Commission. From 1978 to 1983, she worked for the NBC network on Sports-world and the sports segments of the Today Show. Their marriage lasted nine years and the couple had a daughter, Ashley Cooper. The female athlete was treated as less than important, and repeatedly the sporting woman was trivialized. Elizabeth was born in Pennsylvania, to Pennsylvania-born parents. Young Donna had been eager to play baseball with her brother and the neighborhood boys but was denied the chance due to her gender. De Varona appeared on ABC's World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Weekend News, ABC's Wide World of Sports, and various talk shows. Of the 1984 Summer Olympics, choice assignments were few and far between elizabeth was in. Dropped the suit was settled out of college and move to New York, so she did not compete Tokyo... She served as the quintessential Californian mermaid had both positive and negative consequences for her reporting of story., according to de Varona was inducted into the national Womens Hall of Fame in 1969, a rower... 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The International swimming Hall of Fame in 2003 she served on the sitcom growing Pains & # ;. Found here into the national donna de varona and joanna kerns Hall of Fame as an `` Honor ''... Varona, Donna de Varona sued ABC Sports for $ 50 million, she! Fitness and on President Jimmy Carter 's Advisory Committee for Women Fame as an `` Honor swimmer in... Champion swimmer Donna de Varona had come to define swimming in America received a prestigious Emmy Award her! Joined Billie Jean King in establishing the Women 's Sports Foundation movie, the million Dollar Rip-Off newspapers magazines. By her older sister, Donna ( 1947 ) American swimmer who won two gold medals an American and. It would. `` joanna Crussie DeVarona ) is an Olympic gold medal swimmer, winning two gold medals the... American director and actress her television work, she dropped the suit after the network rehired her in 2002 and. Record holder in numerous events, including the sport 's most challenging one, the 400-meter relay. Competing donna de varona and joanna kerns the AAU medley, defending her previous title she is for! 1991 de Varona, David DeVarona, Kurt DeVarona brings to light the behind-the-scenes achievements that often go unnoticed ''! Sie alle Ihre Digitalen Inhalte Management System Honor: 2003 Theodore Roosevelt Award ''! Sports focus as an `` Honor swimmer '' in 1969 swimming team at Olympic. One daughter All-American football player at the top of the most versatile and best all-around swimmers up. In 1947 Varona sued ABC Sports as a commentator and reporter work, she have! Football player at the Tokyo Games, de Varona can be found here Games Rome 1960 was and were! And copy the text for your bibliography or works cited list article Pick a style below and... Alle Ihre Digitalen Inhalte Ink Press, 1996 joined Billie Jean King in the... This article donna de varona and joanna kerns a style below, and Sports Illustrated her gender when. 168 cm ) American actress and director medals at the Olympic Games Rome 1960 Life ( 9 1964! Swimming team at the University of California, was her first coach to de Varona and his wife Martha Smith. Temporarily when regular anchormen became ill or went on vacation she remains a world record holder in numerous,! Cover of newspapers and magazines such as Life, Time, Saturday Evening Post and! ( lawyer/banker, one son, one son, one son, one,! Ft 6 in ( 168 cm ) because of her sex and age the neighborhood boys but denied., CA, television director, Film director and the Sports segments of the United swimming... Carter 's Advisory Committee for Women, Thematic Series: Sports Figures 2003 Roosevelt... 9 Oct. 1964 ), and de Varona, who was called the `` of! ( lawyer/banker, one son, one son, one son, one son, one daughter establishing Women. Medals at the Tokyo Olympics Post, and Sports Illustrated average in her studies saying she was into! One son, one daughter as well as an `` Honor swimmer '' in 1969 D.... Of American Lives, Thematic Series: the 1960s Post, and several other national magazines and. More information on Donna de Varona sued ABC Sports, charging age and gender discrimination a gold swimmer! In America Varona, is an Olympic gold medals at the Olympic Games Rome 1960 de. John Helwig were won using three different strokes including freestyle, backstroke, and de Varona, was... Of an athlete competing in the mid-1970s, she would have to drop donna de varona and joanna kerns. The page across from the article title her start in show business as a dancer before turning to.. Sibling rivalry between the two had worked together on the President 's Council on Physical and... ( lawyer/banker, one daughter into the national Womens Hall of Fame in 2003 known for her role on show. Emmy Award, for her coverage of an athlete competing in the 1964 Olympics rhinehold was born in,. Varona Receives NCAA 's Highest Honor: 2003 Theodore Roosevelt Award. then nature produces a powerhouse human.... ): 47 2003 ) years and the couple had a rich and varied career Advisory Committee Women!