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Oldest living Jones Beach Lifeguard
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I was recently put in touch with what could be our oldest living Jones Beach lifeguard. Thanks to an e-mail I received and my follow up phone calls I spoke to Albert Kahn who worked as a Jones Beach Lifeguard during the 1930 season at 17 years old. Al worked in Zachs Bay and East Overlook which later was renamed Field Nine. Al didn't last too long as a guard as he was averse to the cold water that prevailed at Jones Beach in the early season. He did work a number of years at the Concession and Restaurants at Jones Beach and spent a long career in the Printing business in Manhattan. It was exciting to get the opportunity to talk about the beach in those years with someone who was actually there. Al remembered Captain Johns and Lt Bill Mullahey and Whitey Nekton among others. He confirmed that Lt Bill Mullahey introduced the surfboard to Jones Beach lifeguards as a rescue tool. He also confirmed that they used poles and lines similar to Coney Island in those early years, but got rid of them due to large surf and crowds that the Park experienced in their early years. Many injuries resulted from the ropes and poles.
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While Albert Kahn is 98 years old and started at Jones Beach during the 1930 lifeguard season. I am also in touch with Bobby Knapp who was a rookie lifeguard taking the test during the 1937 season. Bobby Knapp was a top swimmer from Flushing High School and worked a number of seasons as a lifeguard before moving over to Swimming Instructor and Pool Performer. Bobby lives down in Florida and is still actively swimmer and working at over 90 years of age.
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If anyone out there is aware of any other Jones Beach Lifeguard Alumni out there who worked during the 1930's at Jones Beach please get in touch with us. They would be over 90 years old, but would beba great source of information for our Lifeguard History. I have many group shots of Lifeguards from our early years, and would like to try and identify lifeguards in those photos. Phil Packard had been a great help in identifying lifeguards and letting me know what colleges they swam for and stories about them. You can contact us here at the Alumni group using e-mail address <alumni@JBLC.net>.
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