Duke Kahanamoku

Here's the report on Duke Kahanamoku, the godfather of modern surfing. He was not, as I previously thought, Hawaiian royalty. He was named Duke. Born in 1890 on the outskirts of what is now modern day Waikiki, he grew up as a beachboy, swimming and surfing and getting GOOD at it. He took gold medals in swimming at the 1912 and 1920 Olympics and lost the gold to Johnny Weismuller in 1924. He traveled the world, giving swimming demonstrations and surfing wherever he could. And infecting beach boys around the world with the desire to surf. Duke's first board was 17 feet long, all koa wood, and weighed 114 pounds. He used shorter boards over the years, but always preferred wood. For a while he lived in Southern California, working as an extra in many films, and making friends with many up and coming celebrities. Duke served as sheriff of Honolulu from 1932 to 196?. and died of a heart attack at the age of 67. I've seen the photos and he was a hunk well into middle age.