Bill Swisshelm, one of the greatest athletes in Orange County track and field history, died Monday of complications related to skin cancer. He was 78.
He set records at Santa Ana High and at Santa Ana College.
Swisshelm ran the 180-yard low hurdles in a county-record time of 18.7 in 1954. Future NFL star Isaac Curtis of Santa Ana broke that with a wind-aided 18.6 in 1968.
His 20.8 time in the 220 yards straight run in ’54 was the second-best in county history.
Swisshelm was named Southern California track and field athlete of the year in 1954 by the Helms Athletic Foundation.
Swisshelm’s 9.6 time in the 100-yard dash in 1954 tied the county record set by Eddie Morris of Huntington Beach. That record stood for 15 years until Jackie White of Santa Ana ran a 9.6.
Swisshelm set a national junior college record in 1955 in the 220 low hurdles with a time of 23.1. He was on the shuttle hurdle relay team that tied a national record with a clocking of 56.9.
A public service will be held Nov. 11 at 2:30 p.m. at Fairhaven Mortuary. A celebration of life will follow at the Santa Ana Elks Lodge.
