Construction of the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center (1976)

Duration: 0:01:05

Year Published: 1976

Format: 16mm

Sound: No Sound on Film

Description: Wally Pryor tours the construction site of the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center on the University of Texas campus in this 1976 news footage. Pryor was once an All-American Longhorn water polo player and later coach of the Aqua Aquatic Club. He became a huge advocate for UT swimming and served as president of the Working Exes for Texas Swimming for 35 years. It was during this time that he spearheaded the construction of the Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. He was later inducted into the Texas Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame in 2010. In this footage, the huge scale of the project is well illustrated. Opening in 1977, the swim center was modeled after the pool used in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich and can seat over 3,000 spectators.