Joseph J. Lyman (1982) - Hall of Fame - Brown University Athletics

Joseph J. Lyman

Induction:
1982
Class:
1935

Joseph J. Lyman '35
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Sport: Swimming & Diving
Year Inducted: 1982

Joseph J. Lyman ’35 achieved the hat trick of swimming, capturing the New Englands in his specialty – the “fancy” dives – for three straight years. During his senior year, Lyman went undefeated in eight meets, besting such luminaries as Buckingham of Yale, Smith of Dartmouth, and Merriam of Harvard. His success on the boards came as no surprise to Coach Leo Barry, since Lyman was a three-time National Champion while at Central High in Washington D.C., and a three-time high school All-American as selected by Swimming Guide. During his freshman year at Brown, Lyman dominated his field, posting a 7-0 record for the undefeated Cubs in 1931-32. His 15-4 varsity record gave him a 22-4 accumulative collegiate mark. Lyman’s 4-2 sophomore season could easily have been 6-0, since he finished a close second to Cates of Springfield and lost on a judge’s decision to Loud of Yale by a fraction of a point, at Yale. While the varsity was winning the New Englands at Deerfield that spring, Lyman pulled an upset by beating the two favorites – white of Springfield and Cates of Springfield – while amassing the phenomenal total of 109.75 points. Although he lost to both Harvard and Yale as a junior, Lyman won the other four meets and repeated as New England champion. Lyman’s eight victories as a senior came against the iron of Eastern competition – Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Colgate, Springfield, Syracuse, Boston University, and the Alumni. When Coach Leo Barry selected his all-time Brown swimming team for the years 1924-38, Joe Lyman was on the list. He attended George Washington Law School, became special assistant to the Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice prior to service in World War II, and is currently a partner in the Washington law firm of Lyman, Kyhos, and Rales.