RONALD ANDERSEN

2002 INDUCTION TO THE RHODE ISLAND AQUATIC HALL OF FAME

Ron Andersen was a product of the highly successful Cranston Swim Club coached by Ed Golden and Jim Lynch. He competed for the Park View Junior High and ultimately for Cranston High School East where he became one of the most dominant interscholastic swimmers of his time, specializing in the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events. Versatility, however, was what made Ron truly valuable to his teams.

As a member of Ed Golden’s Cranston East dynasty, Ron received All-State accolades in the 50 free, 1 00 free, and 200 I.M. in 1 960 and as a member of the 200 yard freestyle relay team, which won the New England Interscholastic title in 1959. It was Ron’s outstanding anchor leg in that race that brought Cranston East’s team from fourth place to victory in the last 50 yards, clinching Cranston East’s first New England Interscholastic team championship!

Ed Golden has described Ron Anderson as the quintessential “team swimmer”. He was unselfish and always put the team first rather than looking for personal fame. Ron was team co-captain in 1960.

In AAU competition, Ron won both Rhode Island and New England titles, including the Rhode Island Senior title in the 200 fly and the New England title in the 160 yard individual medley, in which he set a New England record, in 1960.

Rpn entered the Coast Guard after high school and later served as a police officer for the City of Cranston and coached at both the age group and high school levels. Ron presently lives in Foster, Rhode Island.