Her older sister, Donna de Varona, is an Olympic gold medal swimmer, winning two gold medals in the 1964 . De Varona became a household word among Olympic Games enthusiasts in 1960 when, at age 13, she became the youngest member of the U.S. swimming team at the Rome Olympics. Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Born: Joanna Crussie DeVarona (1953-02-12) February 12 . Johnson, Anne Janette. De Varona left ABC once before, in 1976, after facing what she termed "discriminatory barriers" as a female sportscaster. De Varona and her husband, John Pinto, a lawyer, live in Greenwich, Connecticut. After Growing Pains ended, Kerns turned to directing. De Varona covered her 12th Olympic Games in 2000 when she signed on with NBC for the Games in Sydney, Australia. https://www.encyclopedia.com/sports/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna, Summer, Jane "de Varona, Donna She won two gold medals in swimming in the 1964 summer Olympics, and was the youngest American on the 1960 Olympic team. Joanna Kerns is an American actress and director. In 2000 she filed an age-discrimination suit against ABC, arousing controversy in the sports broadcasting world. Donna DeVarona net worth is $1.4 Million Donna DeVarona Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Sister of Joanna Kerns. Stories about the achievements of male athletes usually dominated such sports programs. Joanna Kerns real name is Joanna Crussie DeVarona. Donna de Varona is a born fighter. . . After Clown Around, Joanna also got parts in the New York Shakespeare Festival's production of Two Gentlemen of Verona and Ulysses in Nighttown, where she was directed by Burgess Meredith.[3]. Her sister is competition swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Donna de Varona. ." She has also co-founded the Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards given to women in acting. . *other ancestry German, English, Welsh, Irish. Sometimes that interview never gets on the air. Mother of Joanna Pinto and John David Pinto. Their aunt is silent film actress Miriam Cooper. Most Famous For: Older sister of Joanna Kerns; the youngest swimmer to compete at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. 22 Feb. 2023 . Encyclopedia.com. There was pressure inside me to duplicate Donna's success". 2019Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team (2007)as Herself, Victory & Valor: Special Olympics World Games (1991)as Herself, Susan B. Anthony Slept Here (1995)as Herself, Your email address will not be published. Joanna is the daughter of Martha Louise and David Cruz Thomas de Varona. Joanna Kerns (born February 12th, 1953 in San Francisco, California) is an American actress and director. the third child of four. Her sister is competition swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Donna de Varona. Born Donna de Varona in April of 1947, in San Diego, California; daughter of David and Martha de Varona; married John Pinto (a lawyer and investment banker); children: John David, Joanna. That accomplishment opens doors. 26 April 1947 in San Diego, California), two-time gold medalist in swimming at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics who set eighteen world swimming records before she retired from competition in 1964. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Donna de Varona, (born April 26, 1947, San Diego, California, U.S.), American athlete and sportscaster who, after a record-breaking amateur career as a swimmer, established herself as an advocate for women's and girls' sports opportunities. She and her older brother practiced swimming freestyle in the ocean and in public pools in Lafayette, California. In April 2000, de Varona sued ABC Sports, claiming an unlawful termination because of age and sex. In hindsight, de Varona's media contributions have to be seen as minor, and she was never able to become an influential commentator on par with such broadcast news anchors as Peter Jennings, Tom Brokaw, and Dan Rather. She coanchored the late-night wrap-up at the Los Angeles Olympics (1984), and she joined the ABC Eyewitness News team in New York, following up with stints at NBC Sports and the Today Show. [8], Kerns, a registered Democrat, supported John Kerry in the 2004 United States Presidential Election and Hillary Clinton in the 2016 United States Presidential Election. That was my test because I was just back at ABC and we were in a crisis situation with the problems of scheduling and snow. The individual medley requires enormous strength, flexibility, and endurance; competitors must swim four 100-meter laps, one for each stroke, including backstroke, freestyle (crawl), butterfly, and breast. Joannas maternal grandmother was Lenora Kame Helwig (the daughter of Rhinehold Fisher Helwig and Ella Fisher Campbell). She was inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1969. In 1972, she moved back to California and landed a job as a backup dancer at Disneyland, and started auditioning for TV commercials and steady acting jobs. Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Ignacio was born in Santa Maria de Puerto Prncipe, the son of Ignacio Mara Varona de la Torre and Angela Mariana Mariana Agero y Varona. De Varona, Donna: 1947: Olympic Swimmer, Sportscaster, Activist We're making progress. Joanna Kerns is a director and producer on The Good Doctor. Kerns is the third child of four. In April 1998, ABC did not renew de Varona's contract. Her father, David Thomas DeVarona, was an insurance agent, and her mother, Martha Louise (ne Smith), was a clothing store manager. De Varona was the first woman to cover the Olympics for U.S. network television. But now, when they were about to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. But all she got for her effort was a uniform with the number "0" on it and the privilege of retrieving the team's bats. At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, De Varona swam for the U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the women's 4100 freestyle relay, but she did not receive a gold medal because she did not swim in the event final. At the age of 17, she appeared on ABC's Wide World of Sports, becoming the youngest and one of the first women sportscasters for a national network. I'd like to. Ella tien un hermanu mayor y un hermanu menor, segn una hermana mayor. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna-0. In her life she has been featured on the cover of Life, Time, the Saturday Evening Post, and Sports Illustrated (twice). The table is Emily Post perfect, all set for a formal dinner: white linen, crystal glasses, silverware and napkins.When I register surprise, she explains: Im always ready. Donna Elizabeth de Varona (nacida el 26 de abril de 1947) es una ex nadadora estadounidense. Since her retirement from competitions in 1965, she has served five terms on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and has been appointed to Presidential Commissions under presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, and Bush. More Than a Game: One Woman's Fight for Gender Equity in Sport. "[10], In 2021, de Varona joined the Women's Sports Policy Working Group, formed in opposition to President Joe Biden's Executive Order 13988 that mandates blanket inclusion for all transgender women athletes. "Donna de Varona Rejoins ABC Sports." Donna De Varona Net Worth. At only 13-years-old, Donna de Varona was the youngest member of the 1960 Olympic swim team, but she competed only in the relay heats. During an interview, Kerns said, "I kind of was always looking for the next thing; I auditioned for anything, hoping to get a big break" (Lifetime's Intimate Portrait). This article will clarify Donna De Varona's In4fp, Husband, Pavement, Married, Sister, Age, Images, Net Worth, And Joanna Kerns, Family, Emmy lesser-known facts, and other informations. Their aunt is silent film actress . Gender: Female Race or Ethnicity: White . Astrologers have determined that Donna De Varona is a Taurus. She loved the game so much that in elementary school, she chose the desk closest to the door so she could be the first one out on the field when the bell rang to signal the end of class. In People, de Varona told a reporter that the network was trying to attract more of the [age] "18-to-39 male market" and that network executives believed that she was too old to hold this audience's interest. Broadcasting and Cable, April 17, 2000, p. 69. Inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, 1987. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/de-varona-donna-1947-olympic-swimmer-sportscaster-activist, Winters, Kelly "De Varona, Donna: 1947: Olympic Swimmer, Sportscaster, Activist Joanna is the daughter of Martha Louise (Smith) and David Cruz Thomas de Varona. Two years later, when the Summer Olympics were in Atlanta, de Varona anchored Good Morning America 's Olympic coverage, while broadcasting the days' results on ABC Radio. To achieve this end, the Order's stated goal is "protecting the girls and women's competitive categories, while crafting accommodations for trans athletes into sport wherever possible. De Varona serves on the executive board of Special Olympics International and is a member of the International Olympic Committee's Women and Sports Commission. She defeated the second-place finisher by a margin of six seconds and set an Olympic record. GROWING PAINS - "Graduation Day" (Flashback Scenes) - Airdate: May 4, 1988. In 1974 she and the tennis champion Billie Jean King cofounded the Women's Sports Foundation, and it continues to be an extraordinarily persuasive voice for encouraging women to participate in sports and to fight to achieve gender equality in sport. The NBC network soon swept her up. "Donna de Varona Receives NCAA's Highest Honor; 2003 Theodore Roosevelt Award." Donna de Varona, is a famed Olympic gold medal swimmer, who won 2 gold medals in the 1964 Olympics. De Varona testified in 1972 in both the Senate and the House to help pass Title IX legislation, and she also supported the Amateur Sports Act of 1978. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Save. ." The former Olympian chaired the 1999 Women's World Cup Soccer Organizing Committee, which resulted in what some have called "the most successful women's sporting event ever," according to Marty Benson of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). She worked tirelessly with Eunice Kennedy Shriver in the late 1960s to create the Special Olympics movement, which embraces children and adults with developmental disabilities. Collect, curate and comment on your files. In 1996 de Varona was a recipient of the Flo Hyman Award at the Tenth Annual National Girls and Women in Sport Day. Contemporary Hispanic Biography. Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Her main sports focus as an adolescent became swimming. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). "De Varona, Donna She covered the Summer Olympics for ABC from 1968 to 1976, and again in 1984 and 1996, and the Winter Olympics in 1984, 1988, and 1994. in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. Since 1998, de Varona has provided weekly commentary for Sporting News Radio, the nation's largest sports radio network. Athletic administrator Their reason for firing her was, allegedly, her "failing to appeal to a male demographic of ages eighteen to thirty-nine." I just went out, grabbed a crew, did spots and wrote stories. Summer, Jane "de Varona, Donna . At 13 she was the youngest athlete to have competed in the Olympics, the first female sportscaster in the United States and an activist for "clean" athletes and. "We were still fighting that battle then. Now I want to see it happen for other people.". In 1960, de Varona qualified for the U.S. Olympic swimming team at age 13. Four years later, at the Tokyo Olympics, she won two gold medalsin the 400-metre individual medley and in the 4 100-metre freestyle relayand by age 17 she had broken 18 world records in swimming. In 1965, became the first woman on network TV as a sports broadcaster. . It's coming. In 1969, she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, followed by induction into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame in 1983 and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1987. ." Relationship history. Joanna Kerns; Kirk Cameron; Tracey Gold; Jeremy Miller; Ashley Johnson; Chelsea Noble; in: Episodes, Season 2 Episodes. "I got in trouble until I started to swim," de Varona admitted to Women's Sports & Fitness. De Varona graduated from Santa Clara High School in 1965. Miriam Cooper (born Marian Cooper; November 7, 1891 - April 12, 1976) was a silent film actress who is best known for her work in early film including The Birth of a Nation and Intolerance for D. W. Griffith and The Honor System and Evangeline for her husband Raoul Walsh.She retired from acting in 1924 but was rediscovered by the film community in the 1960s, and toured colleges lecturing . She and teammates Sharon Stouder, Pokey Watson and Kathy Ellis won the gold in the 400-meter freestyle relay, another record-breaking achievement at 4:03.8. Bei kommerzieller Verwendung sowie fr verkaufsfrdernde Zwecke kontaktieren Sie bitte Ihr, TABLOIDS OUT; NO BOOK PUBLISHING WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL; NO ARCHIVE; NO RESALE. 26-Apr-1947) Brother: David Brother: Kirk Husband: Richard Kerns (m. 1976 . medley, and the 100-meter backstroke. Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Thematic Series: The 1960s. Sources:Genealogy of Joanna Kerns (focusing on her fathers side) http://www.shorebirdsresearch.com, Genealogy of Joannas father (focusing on his fathers side) http://www.geni.com, Joannas father on the 1920 U.S. Census https://familysearch.org, Obituaries of Joannas mother https://familysearch.org [citation needed] Kerns also directed Annie Potts in an original made-for-television movie for Lifetime TV entitled: Defending Our Kids: The Julie Posey Story. Encyclopedia.com. Other members of the winning foursome were Pokey Watson, Sharon Stouder , and Kathy Ellis . Email: [emailprotected] Online: www.womenssportsfoundation.org. Their marriage lasted nine years and the couple had a daughter, Ashley Cooper. Corrections? In my work for television I've sometimes been sent to interview a girl or woman who has just done something interesting or unique in a sport. Encyclopedia.com. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (function() { Her dedication has her flying off to Rio, Geneva, Peru and Monaco, all in the pursuit of fairness in play on an equal footing for all athletes.I have friends all over the world, because of the Olympics, de Varona says. in political science in 1986). Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. ." (In January, Harding's boyfriend, Jeff Gillooly, clubbed Kerrigan in the knees in an attempt to eliminate her from the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Kerns is the third child of four. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In 1965, became the first woman on network TV as a sports broadcaster. Phoenix, Arizona: Oryx Press, 1992. the third child of four. [2][3] She and her husband, John Pinto, have two children, John David and Joanna.[12]. Nevertheless, it is important to note her pioneering contributions to sports broadcasting and the fact that she provided color commentary at consecutive Summer Olympics from 1968 to 1996. She was also a member of the gold-medal-winning team in the 400-meter freestyle relay. In 1965 she became the first woman to cover sports on network television for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) program Wide World of Sports. If someone calls and says theyre in town, I invite them immediately for dinner.All she has to do is cook or call the caterer.Rosemarie T. Anner is a frequent contributor to Sunday Arts & Style. Joannas mother was of mostly German descent, with some Irish ancestry as well. She and her husband, John Pinto, have two children, John David and Joanna. As a consultant to the Senate from 1976 to 1978, she also became involved with the legislative development of the U.S. During the 1950s and the 1960s athletic opportunities for women, much less young girls, were few and far between. But even before the Olympics, the blonde de Varona had come to define swimming in America. Her older sister, Donna de Varona, is an Olympic gold medal swimmer, winning two gold medals in the 1964 Olympics. The Seavers vs. Joanna Kerns (born February 12, 1953) is an American actress and director best known for her role as Maggie Seaver on the family situation comedy Growing Pains from 1985 to 1992. . She has been in one celebrity relationship averaging approximately 36.2 years. Seeing that she couldn't compete for a college team, de Varona formally retired from swimming. After being fired by ABC Sports, the 52-year-old de Varona filed a lawsuit in 2000, alleging age and sex discrimination. I wanted to play them down.". She stored that memory, which motivated her to fight for equality later. radio.sportingnews.com/(December 30, 2002). Kerns was born on February 12, 1953 in San Francisco, California, USA. www.imdb.com/ (January 10, 2003). She won two gold medals in swimming in the 1964 summer Olympics, and was the youngest American on the 1960 Olympic team. She served as that organizations first elected president (197684). Movies, movies.yahoo.com/(January 10, 2003). Her insightful commentary gained women a foothold in sports broadcasting. Now, in 2022, it's 18%. Kerns was born Joanna Crussie DeVarona in San Francisco, California. Her sister is competition swimmer and Olympic gold medalist Donna de Varona. Donna de Varona One such performance that shocked audiences was her 1992 movie, The Nightman, in which Kerns played a highly sexual business woman who was a motel owner. . As an adolescent, she trained with some of the sport's top coaches, including George Haines, the legendary coach of seven U.S. Olympic teams between 1960 and 1984. Bortstein, Larry. Charging age and gender discrimination under federal law, de Varona shot back with a $50 million lawsuit. Colonial American colleges adhered to a strict policy of in loco parentis, which encouraged administrators and professors, acting, De Sylva, B. G. (actually, George Card; aka Bud or Buddy), de Souza, Steve 1947- (Steve De Souza, Steven E. de Souza), De Villars, l'Abbe de Montfaucon(1635-1673), https://www.encyclopedia.com/women/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/de-varona-donna-1947, 1600-1754: Sports and Recreation: Headline Maker. De Varona was an active, athletic child who participated in many sports. Kerns stated in an interview, "Donna was the golden girl. She specialized in the difficult 400-meter medley, in which competitors swim four laps, each in a different stroke: freestyle, butterfly, breast stroke, and back stroke. 2023 Getty Images. Kerns joked in many interviews that Alan and she had immediate chemistry, especially when she kissed him on his nose by accident during their audition together. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Soon thereafter she was hired as a television commentator; she was the first woman to serve that function on network television. . People (May 15, 2000): 89. TV Series documentary special thanks - 1 episode, Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team, Victory & Valor: Special Olympics World Games. Shortly after the adoption of Title IX, de Varona and tennis champion Billie Jean King founded the Women's Sports Foundation in 1974, de Varona serving as its first president. Joannas father is of half Cuban descent, including Spanish, Basque, Portuguese, and Indigenous Cuban roots; his mother likely had Welsh ancestry, due to her maiden name, Thomas, usually being Welsh. American swimmer who won two Olympic gold medals. "Donna de Varona," Sporting News Radio, http://radio.sportingnews.com/experts/donna_de_ varona/index.html (May 15, 2003). She has an older brother and a younger brother, as well as an older sister. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Joanna filed a divorce from Appleton in August. The case was later settled out of court, and de Varona resumed working at ABC. She has an older brother and a younger brother, as well as an older . 1985) Marc Appleton ( m. 1994) siblings: Donna de Varona, David DeVarona, Kurt DeVarona. Swimming gave the spirited youth the outlet she needed. Declaring her candidacy for the presidency of the U.S. Olympic Committee in 2002, de Verona withdrew from the race after six days. USA Swimming. She brings to light the behind-the-scenes achievements that often go unnoticed." Collect, curate and comment on your files. Actress Joanna Kerns and sister Donna DeVarona the 'Salute to Fashion on TV' Gala Fashion Show on April 26, 1990 at Plaza Hotel in New York City, New. Born on April 26, 1947, in San Diego, California; daughter of Martha and Dave de Varona (an insurance salesman); sister of actress Joanna Kerns (who barely missed making the 1968 Olympic team in gymnastics); graduated University of California, Los Angeles, 1970; married John Pinto (a businessman). She helped launch the Women's Sports Foundation and became a vocal and articulate champion of women's rights in the athletic domain. Her older sister, Donna de Varona, is an Olympic gold medal swimmer, winning two gold medals in the 1964 Olympics. De Varona widened her scope by juggling roles as host, co-host, special reporter, and analyst during some of ABC's premiere events, and was the first woman to cover the Olympics on television, including six Olympic Summer Games from 1968 to 1996, and four Olympic Winter Games from 1980 to 1994. in political science in 1986. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/de-varona-donna-1947-olympic-swimmer-sportscaster-activist. While there were college athletic scholarships for superior female athletes, the vast number of girls were denied athletic and sports opportunities. Hollywood Reporter (October 1, 2002): 4. . Jason's Rib . The couple have two teenage children, John David and Joanna, both of whom participate in sports. When David injured a knee and switched to swimming, she followed him to a new sport. Encyclopedia.com. She is American by nationality. Her younger sister, Joanna Kerns, was an actress known for playing Maggie Seaver on the sitcom "Growing Pains." She told him, I want to see the world.She reached for a world that was not the common ground for girls her age, becoming the bat girl on her brothers baseball team, although she would have preferred swinging a bat. Variety (April 17, 2000): 47. In 1998 ABC let de Varona's contract lapse and, according to de Varona, encouraged her to leave. She was also consultant on Title IX legislation, which became law in 1972 and prohibits sex discrimination in sports. www.hollywood.com/ (January 10, 2003). This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Donna-de-Varona, Athletes United for Peace - Biography of Donna de Varona Pinto, Donna de Varona - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). espn.go.com/(December 30, 2002). "De Varona, Donna De Varona has never backed down from supporting justice for women in amateur and professional athletics. ", Though de Varona received critical acclaim for her coverage of the 1984 Summer Olympics, choice assignments were few and far between. In winning the 400-meter individual medley, de Varona set a world record of 5:18.7. Biography. At the 1965 men's Amateur Athletic Union national championships, she made her debut in swimming commentary for ABC's Wide World of Sports with Jim McKay. She has an older brother and a younger brother, as well as an older sister. As a lobbyist, she played an important role in the passage of the Amateur Sports Act and in getting Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 implemented. Later in life, Kerns recalled that Meredith was a great influence on her, saying, "Burgess was the one person who really influenced my acting career". PR Newswire (December 5, 2002). Donna de Varona Pinto OLY[1] (ne Donna Elizabeth de Varona; born April 26, 1947) is an American former competition swimmer, activist, and television sportscaster. see the women who want to participate in sports, either for recreation or as a living, be treated with the same respect by the general public, by the press, by television, and so on, as male athletes. [6][7], Kerns dated comedian and actor Freddie Prinze a short time before he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. [3][4], Kerns got her start in show business as a dancer before turning to acting. Joanna Kerns was born as Joanne Crussie DeVarona on 12 February 1953, in San Francisco, California USA, to Martha Louise, a clothing store manager, and David Thomas DeVarona, an insurance agent, of Cuban, German, Welsh, Irish and English descent. Profitieren Sie von der globalen Reichweite, datengesttzten Erkenntnissen und einem Netzwerk von ber 340.000 Content-Anbietern von Getty Images, die exklusiv fr Ihre Marke Inhalte erstellen. However, the date of retrieval is often important. De Varona also became a vocal proponent of the principles ultimately embodied in Title IX legislation guaranteeing that no one shall because of sex be denied participation in any educational program (including sports programs at educational institutions) receiving direct federal aid. As a keynote speaker at the 1982 meeting of the International Olympic Academy in Olympia, Greece, de Varona reflected on the media attention she received as an Olympic athlete: "In 1964, there were many sponsors who wanted me to endorse their products, but because of ingrained Olympic ideals I felt my gold medals were not for sale." She bested her own world record by a full 18 seconds at the world championships in Lima, Peru. [citation needed] Growing up, Kerns was constantly in competition with . Personal information; Full name: Donna Elizabeth de Varona: Nickname(s) "Liz" National team: United States: Born April 26, 1947 (age 75) San Diego, California, U.S. . . Tap into Getty Images global-scale, data-driven insights and network of over 340,000creators to create content exclusively for your brand. de Varona has served on special commissions for Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan and is a tireless spokesperson at international Olympic congresses. She remains a world record holder in numerous events, including the sport's most challenging one, the 400-meter individual. Always up for a challenge, it is no surprise that the individual medley was always de Varona's favorite event. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. var rcds = document.getElementById("rcjsload_b42b6d"); Opposed to the changes, de Varona, who served on the commission, and another commission member, Julie Foudy, refused to sign the commission's list of propositions for change. She quickly became bored with spending her time at every game on the sidelines. The commission recommended making certain controversial changes to the legislation; according to Women's E-News the Save Title IX campaign, which opposed the changes, said they would cost high school girls 305,000 opportunities to participate in sports; college women would miss 50,000 participation opportunities as well as $122 million in athletic scholarships. However, because she was a girl, and Little League was only open to boys at the time, she was barred from any position other than "bat girl." Her father, David de Varona, who sold insurance, was a Hall of Fame rower and an All-America football player at the University of California who served as de Varona's first swimming coach. Organise, control, distribute, and measure all of your digital content. Joanna Kerns is a daughter of father, David Thomas DeVarona, an insurance agent and a mother Matha Louise (nee Smith), a clothing store manager. American sportscaster [6] In 2003, de Varona was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York. She was soon committed athletically and academically, maintaining a B average while training up to six hours a day. Numerous events, including the Sport 's most challenging one, the 400-meter medley. San Francisco, California, USA happen for other people. `` whom participate sports! 1998 ABC let de Varona shot back with a $ 50 million lawsuit discriminatory ''. Holder in numerous events, including the Sport 's most challenging one, the number! 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