Mary Sears (swimmer)
Sears at 17 in September 1956, shortly prior to Olympics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Mary Jane Parks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Mary Jane Sears May 10, 1939 Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 130 lb (59 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | William R. Parks | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Breaststroke, butterfly | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Walter Reed Swim Club, Washington D.C. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coach | James Campbell (Walter Reed) Stan Tinkham (Walter Reed) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Mary Jane Parks (née Sears, born May 10, 1939) is an American former competition swimmer, who swam for the Walter Reed Hospital team, and was a 1956 Olympic Bronze medalist in the 100-meter butterfly.
Mary Sears was born on May 10, 1939 at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia to Gladys and Harry E. Sears, then a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy who would complete his career with the rank of Rear Admiral. Mary grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland and studied at Bethesda, Maryland's Holton-Arms School, a girls college preparatory school, later attending their Junior College.