Adolph Kiefer's parents, German immigrants, called the fourth of their seven children "Sonny," a nickname that more or less stuck, though less than he'd have liked.
Kiefer took to water early out of necessity after nearly drowning in a canal. At 16, still a high school student in Chicago, he set a world record in the 100-yard backstroke with a little technical help from the captain of Michigan's swim team.
Tex Robertson's tutelage shortly changed the course of swimming in general and at the University of Texas in particular.
First, the worldwide: Employing a technique that would become the industry standard, Kiefer, just 18, won gold in the 100 backstroke at the Berlin Olympics with a time of 1:05.