Alfred M. Chapman (1976) - Hall of Fame - Brown University Athletics

Alfred M. Chapman

Induction:
1976
Class:
1958

Alfred M. Chapman '58
Sport: Swimming & Diving
Year Inducted: 1976

Alfred M. Chapman ’58, who was involved in smashing 12 Brown and New England records, was a first team All-American selection in 1958. In that season, Chapman had 12 first and two seconds in his two specialties, the butterfly and freestyle, set a new University record of 2:17.1 in the butterfly, and had a fourth in the 200-yard butterfly and a sixth in the 100-butterfly in the Nationals held in Ann Arbor, Mich. The graduate of Lawrenceville School started breaking records as a freshman, setting new marks for both the 120-yard individual medley and the 150-yard individual medley and swimming a leg on medley relay teams that set new marks at 120 and 150. During his sophomore year, Chapman broke four Brown records in the 150-yard and 200-yard individual medleys and twice in the 200-yard backstroke. As a junior, Chapman set a new Brown mark in the 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly and then won the New Englands in the butterfly with a NEISA record-breaking time of :59.1. Brown had one of its finest swimming teams in 1957-58, winning 10 and losing three. Al Chapman lowered his time in the butterfly to 2:17.1 and teamed with Ed Nicholson and Bill Zani to set a N.E. Intercollegiate record of 4:02.8 in the relay as the team tied defending champion Williams for first place in the New Englands. Chapman was captain of the freshman team and of the varsity in his junior and senior seasons. He earned a master’s degree in Latin from Columbia and taught at the Episcopal Academy, Ardmore, Pa., until forced to retire because of illness.