LUCKY
IS AS LUCKY
DOESAnd Irrepressible Masters Swimmer
Lucky Meisenheimer Does a Lot
by Christine Ennulat >>> Photos by Tom Reid
n the old tale of the blind went on to become an NCAA He wrapped a sock around his
I men and the elephant, one
man perceives the elephant
as resembling a wall. Another
likens it to a spear, and
another, a snake. It’s impossible
for them to experience the
whole elephant.
Scholar Athlete at Eastern
Kentucky University. He is
among the few Masters
swimmers who have never left
and then refound the sport,
and he’s a past Masters
national champion and world
toe and bit down, swam and
had a friend snap a Polaroid,
which Lucky ran in the small
newsletter he published for his
team. Its headline proclaimed
new world record for swimming
with foot in mouth. Friends
When people encounter John record holder. He’s taken suggested he send the photo to
“Lucky” Meisenheimer, some swimming with him wherever Guinness. “So I thought, well,
see Dr. John Meisenheimer, he’s been...or it’s taken him. maybe I could.” He worked up
dermatologist. During college, swimming to longer stretches swimming
Christine Ennulat
is a contributing Others see took Meisenheimer into the his new stroke. A publicity
writer for SWIMMER Coach Lucky, annals of Ripley’s Believe It or stunt took shape.
and a member of coach of the
the Virginia LMSC
Orlando Special
in Richmond.
Olympics swim
team and, until a few years
ago, Team Orlando Masters.
Many see Lucky from his dock
on Lake Cane hosting Lucky’s
Lake Swim. Others identify a
filmmaker. Still others see a
world-renowned yo-yo
collector and expert.
Community activist. Writer.
Husband. Dad.
But when Lucky Meisenheimer
looks in the mirror, he sees a
swimmer, and he can trace Not—for swimming a half-mile “One thing I’ve learned in my
nearly all the odd rabbit trails with his foot in his mouth. He life,” Meisenheimer continues,
his life has taken back to that describes it as “‘one of my early “if you ask somebody far enough
fact. He started at age 10 or 11... accomplishments’—and I put in advance, they’ll agree to
and never stopped. “My pillar that in quotes.” anything, even a personal
throughout my life has been One day, while stretching on hanging—‘In three years, could
the swimming,” he says. “When the pool deck, he pulled his we hang you out on the front
I started I was the asthmatic, foot up close to his face, Lucky lawn?’ ‘Oh, yeah, yeah, sure,
out-of-shape kid, and I guess I remembers, “and some kid goes, three years, no problem.’ So I
overcame a lot of physical ‘Oooo! Don’t swim with your asked my coach about six months
conditions to be able to swim.” foot in your mouth!’ And so I in advance, ‘Hey, on February
The competitive Meisenheimer immediately thought that I could.” the 14th, could I swim half a
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mile with my foot in my mouth that is much more complex.
and set a world record?’ Meisenheimer supposes the
“‘Yeah, Meisenheimer, fine, stunt may have been the impetus
fine.’” for his later interest in TV, if not
Meisenheimer kept practicing. his penchant for the over-the-top,
“I invented a little toe snorkel which permeates his core. He
so I could breathe,” he says. acknowledges that his unusual
Teammates posted fliers around childhood also may have
campus, landing the event in something to do with it: growing
the local paper. up in Richmond, Ky., dressing
The moment arrived, heralded up in frontier garb and shooting
by the opening strains of “Thus flintlock rifles competitively
Spake Zarathustra” (think 2001: with his father; appearing in
A Space Odyssey, the monolith the fishing section of the local
music) as the caped aspirant, paper holding a big octopus
lightning bolts painted on arms instead of a bass, like other kids;
and legs, waited in the wings. swimming with the original
The coach, with no inkling that Flipper at Florida’s Theater by
Feb. 14 was anything more the Sea.... “I experienced a lot
than another practice day, was of weird things growing up,” he
flummoxed. says. Perhaps inevitable for the
“We filled the stands,” son of an organic chemistry
Meisenheimer remembers. “We professor who offered bonus
had more people at that event points to students for dressing
than we’d ever had at any swim up as their favorite chemical
meet.” The coach was so happy reactions.
he paid for the 20 pizzas the Young Meisenheimer also
team had ordered in his name. spent many hours roaming
A local television station filmed, nearby fields and streams,
and local radio stations broadcast; catching snakes and other fauna
the AP wire picked up the that the biologist down the
news, then Paul Harvey, then
Ripley’s Believe It or Not. “The
one thing it didn’t get into was
Guinness,” says Meisenheimer,
explaining that the process for
LUCKY MEISENHEIMER moved
to Orlando for the sake of his medical
practice, but it’s not bad for swimming,
either. His lakefront home, “Aquatica,”
features a lap pool and an aquatic
basketball/volleyball court.
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block would help him key down there,” he continues, “I knew I Center). “And I’m saying, if this
and identify. President of the wanted to be a dermatologist.” is not a sign from God, I don’t Lucky’s yo-yo collection—including
science club at the Model Two weeks later, as they drove know what is.” Now, 18 years “yo-yo man”—is the largest in the world.
The cabinets in the background are
Laboratory School (“Think to an outlying clinic, Meisen- into a busy, high-tech medical filled with more than 5,000 of them.
about what comes out of there,” heimer told his mentor of his practice, “I’m a dinosaur—still a
he quips.) and perennial science plans, whereupon the man ran solo practitioner,” Meisenheimer
fair winner, he earned a biology off the road. “We’ve been says. “I see all of my patients. would have yo-yo contests and
scholarship to Eastern Kentucky friends ever since,” he says. I’m a firm believer that if all these awards, and different
and graduated pre-med in 1979. Dermatology, he notes, has you’re going in to see the varieties of yo-yos, and I was
In his fourth year of University been “a good fit. I still love my specialist, you ought to see just astounded.” Eager for more
of Kentucky med school, he job—I’m a skin cancer the specialist.” knowledge, Meisenheimer
settled on anesthesiology. “If it surgeon, and I love doing that.” Meisenheimer is absolutely began writing to some of the
hadn’t been for swimming, I Why Orlando? “Because of serious about his work. Despite older demonstrators and
wouldn’t be a dermatologist,” the aquatic center,” he answers. all appearances, in fact, he’s collectors, turning himself into
he recalls. “I love Florida, and my inter- absolutely serious about a repository of arcane yo-yo
In Meisenheimer’s world, that est was in cutaneous oncology, everything he undertakes; it’s lore gleaned from his many
apparent non sequitur makes and I wanted to do skin cancer the undertakings that are less interviews, undertaken simply
perfect sense: “There was a surgery, so you go where the so. Like yo-yos. because he was curious. He
dermatologist in my home town, cancer is, which is Florida.” To Soon after his 1987 arrival in began writing small articles for
so I called him up and said, narrow down further, Meisen- Orlando, he began swimming the newsletter Yo-Yo Times.
‘Listen, I’d like to do a derma- heimer mapped out the location with “whatever team would let “Then I sent out to the collectors
tology rotation, but I’d like to be of every dermatologist in the me get in and swim with them,” a color copy of what I had for
done early enough so I can work Sunshine State (“I’m very including the small Masters trade. And nobody had ever done
out with the swim team while obsessive-compulsive,” he group. Which led him into—or that before.” Driven as he was,
I’m there.” Meisenheimer laughs admits.) and found a spot in back to—yo-yos and ultimately and with a collection that now
a sly, deep laugh. “That was central Florida that had none, into his enthusiastic collecting. numbers more than 5,000 yo-yos,
very brash.... But he was a about a mile from the relatively In the early ’70s, he says, “I he became the pre-eminent
great guy, and he said, ‘Sure, new Orlando International picked the yo-yos up like national authority on yo-yo
come on in.’ Aquatic and Fitness Center (now anyone else, and, being a little collecting and served on the
“By the second day I was the YMCA Aquatic and Family obsessive-compulsive, I got a board of the American Yo-Yo
little better at playing than the Association from its inception
average kid.” He put the toy in 1993 through its first few years.
down and forgot it until med “Somewhere along the line I
school, when he happened decided that I was going to
across a yo-yo and an old trick write a book on collecting,”
book and began practicing says Meisenheimer. “I thought
tricks to relax between classes it would take about six months.”
and entertain kids on rounds He finished Lucky’s Collectors’
in the pediatric ward. Meisen- Guide to 20th Century Yo-Yos,
heimer realized—and other “pretty much the bible of yo-yo
people noted—that he had collecting,” he says, four-and-a-
become “about as good a yo-yo half years later. Soon after, his
player as I’d ever seen.” But he collection entered Guinness
never thought about the history World Records as “Largest
of the yo-yo until he began Collection of Yo-Yos,” with a
AD
traveling for events like the listed total of 4,251, the point
Masters nationals and open at which he’d tired of cataloging
water swims, which have a lot them. And he’s slowed his
of down time. “So I would go collecting, demonstrating a
to a lot of antique shops, and healthy perspective despite
just on a whim I started picking appearances to the contrary:
up yo-yos. And I started finding “If I did add a yo-yo to the
these wooden ones, and I’m collection,” he begins, then
going, ‘What’s up with that?’” stage-whispers, “no one would
Thus did Lucky Meisenheimer know.” His most expensive item?
enter into a whole new world On eBay, a boxed set identical
of yo-yo history. “I just became to one Meisenheimer traded for—
fascinated,” he says. “It was did not purchase—just sold for
this huge rite of passage for $6,500. The largest expenditure
young boys from the ’30s to on one of his yo-yos is a $300
the ’60s—the yo-yo man would gift from his wife, Jacquie.
come in the spring, and they Three guesses how
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LUCKY MEISENHEIMER with his
wife, JACQUIE, and their three
sons, JOHN VII, 10; JAKE, 7;
and MAXIMUS, 5.
doors,” Meisenheimer recalls,
and tells of how local hotelier
and Masters swimmer Harris
Rosen, “a very powerful person
here in town,” went for his
workout one day and found one
of the Special Olympians also
standing at the locked door. “He
looked up at Rosen and said,
‘Did we do something wrong?’
‘No, you did not do anything
wrong.’ ‘Can you get them to
reopen the pool?’ the youngster
asked—not knowing that
[Rosen] was probably the one
person in the entire city who
actually could do something,
and he said, ‘I’m going to.’”
Meisenheimer mustered
Meisenheimer met Jacquie. coach and new member caught mornings. “I never thought...,” grassroots support while Rosen
In 1989, when the Masters each other’s eye right away. she begins, and then chuckles, “held the big club—he had
team at the aquatic center lost Despite Meisenheimer’s policy “that I would ever be amidst enough power to bring in
its coach, Meisenheimer was never to date his swimmers, all this, because I’m kind of, congressmen.” After a six-
the only one around with they married in 1995, and you know, private.” month fight, the center
coaching experience. He took started their family immediately. If she wasn’t sure early what reopened, as a YMCA.
it on in 1989 and, “being the They have three boys, John VII, she was getting into, the marriage Lost in the shuffle, though,
obsessive-compulsive type” 10; Jake, 7; and Maximus, 5. proposal, involving an elaborate was the fledgling Special
(no, no echo here), built the (“You don’t get pregnant treasure hunt—and fire ants— Olympics program, which was
program from a couple dozen during the time that Gladiator should have been a clear sign. now without a coach. YMCA
to a 200-member-strong has been released,” explains Asked what has surprised leaders came to Meisenheimer
powerhouse that boasted movie buff Meisenheimer.) her most about her husband, and, reminding him that the tiny
several national champions Jacquie, a pretty, soft-spoken she answers not with some Special Olympics program had
and USMS Top 10s. Along the brunette, has a master’s in wacky “Lucky”-type antic, but been a highly touted reason for
way, Meisenheimer also exercise physiology and worked with this: “How he can say he’s keeping the center open, asked
achieved ASCA’s Level 5 as a medical sales rep—and going to do something, and him to coach. Unable to say no,
coaching certification, served occasional swim coach—until then accomplish what he does. he signed on for one year. “Now,
as president of the Masters taking on full-time parenting. People say a lot of things—they 11 years later...,” he laughs.
Aquatics Coaches Association The Meisenheimer household don’t really ever do them. He “We have one of the largest,
and worked hard to promote is a high-traffic area, not only just does.” Jacquie knows a if not the largest, Special
the sport locally and nationally. with kids but also with the thing or two about that quality Olympics teams in the country,”
When Jacquie, a triathlete innumerable people who pass herself, having been the first he says. “We have a group of
looking to improve her through for the daily 1K lake female runner at the University fantastic volunteer coaches
swimming, joined in 1993, swim, especially on Saturday of Central Florida. Recently, who come in and work hard,”
she started piano lessons for and 50-plus athletes ranging in
When the aquatics center went under the first time—a challenge if age from 8 to 42, some of whom
ever there was one, in that house. swim for their high schools and
and closed its doors in 1992, he and other Although Meisenheimer’s even in Masters events. Seven
community leaders had a fight on their hands. After capacity to make things happen of them, Meisenheimer exults,
a six-month fight, the center reopened, as a YMCA. has stood him in good stead, have done Lucky’s Lake Swim.
it’s been eminently valuable to “I tell their parents, ‘Your
Lost in the shuffle, though, was the fledgling others, as well. When the children are now in the top one
Special Olympics program, which was now aquatics center went under and percentile in the world as far as
without a coach. Unable to say no, closed its doors in 1992, he swimming accomplishments.
and other community leaders They may never be in the top
he signed on for one year. had a fight on their hands. one percentile in anything in
“Now, 11 years later...,” he laughs. “They literally chained the their life except for that, but
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they have that to wrap their commercial spots honoring funny short pieces (starring and activist components. The
arms and legs around. And that local swimmers (and plugging Meisenheimer and assorted documentary chronicles a
makes a difference.’” the YMCA). Rose, meanwhile, family members), one of which season with the Special Olympians
Although no longer coaching had been looking to expand into won a prize at an underground working toward the state meet...
Masters, Meisenheimer continues videography. A change at the film festival. Their latest release and the heartbreak when
to tirelessly promote swimming station opened the way for the is Yo-Yo Kings, distributed by swimmers don’t get to go
and the aquatic center, which two to collaborate on the Fogware Publishing, and fea- because of limited slots in that
has led him into yet another project. So began Lucky-Rose turing yo-yo champions as well meet. “Through the years, I’ve
career, as filmmaker. Over the Films, with Rose’s wife, as instruction for newbies and had to tell about half of our
years, various TV shows had Jennifer, also at the helm. a look at Meisenheimer’s col- athletes, who’ve qualified for
filmed segments about his The commercials they made lection. All the work is done state meet, that they can’t go,”
famous yo-yo collection, and went over well, and the trio’s in-house, with Meisenheimer protests Meisenheimer. “How
one day Jerry Rose, a soundman next project presented itself writing and directing. “Doc do you do that? You’ve got kids
from one of the shows, came when the world yo-yo champi- comes up with the initial idea, crying, you’ve got parents crying—
into Meisenheimer’s office with onship came to town. Quite a and we all kind of take it and how do you do that?” After
eczema on his hand. “You don’t few other projects have followed run from there,” says Rose. talking to the organization from
forget this guy,” says Rose of that documentary from PSAs “He just runs a little farther.” the local level to the national,
his meeting with Lucky. on drowning to The Finger, a Lucky-Rose’s current film the answer he’s gotten is,
At that time, Meisenheimer spoof on 1950s monster movies, project is also the vehicle for “That’s just the way it is.”
was working with the local cable to medical informational videos Meisenheimer’s latest crusade, Meisenheimer’s response: “It
station on a series of weekly for Meisenheimer’s practice, to enlisting his filmmaker, coach doesn’t have to be.”
“His attitude, his motivation
never stops,” says Rose of his
friend, “and that’s what carries
you, too, his motivation, his
belief in how far this thing can
go. And he’s right. He’s a no-
guts-no-glory kind of guy. If
you don’t buy the Lotto ticket,
you’re not going to win.”
Jacquie puts it simply: “He’s
got such a big heart, such a
heart for people.” Thanks to
that, as Meisenheimer has shown
again and again, just about
anything can happen. >>
Lucky Meisenheimer rarely knows who’ll show up mornings at
his Lake Cane dock (right). Since 1988, beginning with a small
group of folks a couple times a week, that’s been the site of
Lucky’s Lake Swim, a 1K course across the lake and back.
In 1999, just for fun, Meisenheimer designated a blank wall
on the back of his house as the Wall of Fame (above), which
anyone who completes the swim can sign and get a patch.
Recent signers include Meisenheimer’s mother and his two
older sons. “We swam one on each side of the 6-year-old,”
says Meisenheimer. “There are gators in the lake—not a
problem for an adult, but a 6-year-old might make a tasty
little breakfast.”
Members of the newly instigated 100K club get a hat. See
www.luckyslakeswim.com.
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