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You are here: Home / OCC Archives / Life Members / Life Member: Lillie Elizabeth Bowmer Mackenzie

Life Member: Lillie Elizabeth Bowmer Mackenzie

Lillie Bowmer Mackenzie
Lillie Bowmer Mackenzie
OCC 1920s swimmers: Helen Moses, Estrelle Cassidy, Mariechen Wehselau, Dorothy Waters, Lillie Bowmer, Christine Smoot.
OCC 1920s swimmers: Helen Moses, Estelle Cassidy, Mariechen Wehselau, Dorothy Waters, Lillie Bowmer, Christine Smoot.
Mariechen Wehselau, Josephine Hopkins, Christine Smoot, Helen Ellis, Lillie Bowmer.
Mariechen Wehselau, Josephine Hopkins, Christine Smoot, Helen Ellis, Lillie Bowmer.

 

Oral History

Lillie Elizabeth Bowmer Mackenzie, one of Hawaii’s all-time swimming greats, joined the Outrigger Canoe Club in March 1920 and swam for OCC from 1920 to 1930.  She was a prodigy of the late George “Dad” Center, Hawaii’s swimming coach and long-time Club member. “Dad” coached her both at Punahou and OCC.

During her ten years of competitive swimming, Lillie competed in the following events: diving, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, relays and open water ocean races.  She won 39 gold, 21 silver, and 12 bronze medals plus a galaxy of ribbons and trophies.  She competed in Senior National swimming meets in 1926 (Florida) and 1928 (New York).

She set four world records:

  • In 1921 her OCC Relay Team broke the world record in the 100-yard open water course in 4:45 2/5. Teammates were Estelle Cassidy, Ruth Scudder and Helen Moses.  Lillie swam the anchor leg.
  • In 1923 she broke the world record in the 50 yard freestyle dash in 28 seconds.
  • In 1926 she set the world record for the 50 yard freestyle dash in 27 seconds.
  • In 1928 she set a world record in the 100 meter freestyle event.

A young mother by the 1928 Olympics, Mackenzie, traveled from Honolulu to New York for pre-Olympic trials.  She qualified for and swam in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke events but failed to make the Olympic team. Lillie also paddled canoes and surfed at OCC.

Lillie was given an Honorary/Life Membership in the Outrigger Canoe Club by the Board of Directors in the 1920s for her swimming feats, and was re-named to Life Membership in 1964 when the criteria was changed.

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