Buster Crabbe, age 20, at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam
Wikipedia
Born: February 7, 1908
Died: April 23, 1983
Married: Adah Virginia Held
Children: Sande, Susan, Cullen
Buster Crabbe, born Clarence Linden Crabbe II, was a two-time Olympic swimmer who won the 1932 Olympic gold medal for 400-meter freestyle swimming event. The Olympic gold launched his movie career: he starred in a variety of popular feature films and serials between 1933 and the 1950s. He starred in more than a hundred movies, and was the only actor to portray the top three syndicated comic-strip heroes of the 1930s: Tarzan, Flash Gordon, and Buck Rogers.
When Crabbe's Hollywood career waned in the 1950s and 1960s he became a stockbroker and businessman, forming a California swimming pool company. In the mid-1950s, Crabbe purchased the Adirondack campus of the Adirondack-Florida School, a swim camp for children aged eight to fourteen.
Plattsburgh Press-Republican, July 21, 1958
Buster Crabbe Visits City, Tells of His Future Plans
If you've said to yourself, “I've seen that guy somewhere before," you're probably right.
Buster Crabbe, film and television swimming personality is a frequent visitor to Plattsburgh where he comes to have his four "aqua-lung" devices filled, with compressed air.
Interviewed at Larkin's Drug Store, where he has this service performed, Crabbe remarked on Friday that Plattsburgh was one of the very few cities in the east where compressed air service is available.
Crabbe for the past seven years, has run the camp which is situated on the shore of Rainbow Lake, near Saranac Lake. As one would naturally assume, swimming is a principal activity there among the 117 or so boys enrolled.
Buster is currently instructing 62 of the older campers in the mysteries of the aqualung. A large compressed air cylinder made of steel or aluminum, is strapped on the swimmer's back. A close-fitting mouthpiece is inserted into which the swimmer is able to breathe under water.
The kids go for it in a big way," Crabbe stated. '"'Of course the sport has its dangers, especially in deep water, and it has to be properly supervised."
Swimming isn't the only activity at his camp, Crabbe was careful to point out. Baseball, archery, arts and crafts and many activities are held there.
Camp closes Aug, 28, following which Crabbe takes off for Hollywood to make two short under-water films for TV. About Oct. 1, he and two business associates will leave for Italy where they will make a film on underwater life in the Mediterranean.
"At least we'll go if there isn't a war over there," Buster laughed. We'll be there about eight months and then I’ll be back to open up camp again."
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, April 25, 1983
Buster Crabbe dead, owned Onchiota camp
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (UPI) — A memorial service will be held Tuesday for actor Buster Crabbe, who died Saturday at the age of 75.
The athlete-actor owned a camp in the Onchiota area of the Tri-Lakes during the 1960s. Known as the Florida-Adirondack School for Boys or Camp Meenahga (but dubbed the Buster Crabbe Camp by local residents), the 20-plus buildings were on the shore of Rainbow Lake in Franklin County.
Boys 6-15 from all over the world came to the camp to experience the adventure of camp life. Crabbe was well-known here for his congenial personality, and he and his campers, were part of the summer scene each year as they joined in local activities from baseball games to picnics. Many area children enjoyed a day's outing to the camp as his guests.
Crabbe, who starred in movies as Tarzan, Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon, won a 1932 Olympic goid medal for swimming, finishing first by a 10th of a second.
“That one-tenth of a second changed my life,” he said. “They (Hollywood) immediately discovered latent histrionic talents in me.” Three days after his win, Paramount Pictures signed Crabbe to star in “King of the Jungle.”
Crabbe was survived by his wife, Virginia. A public memorial service will be held Tuesday afternoon at the Shepherd Ox on the Hill Church in Phoenix. His body will be cremated.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, October 11, 1985
AUCTION
Sun., Oct. 13th Starting at 10 a.m Preview starting at 9 a.m.
Location: BUSTER CRABBE'S BOY'S CAMP, on Clear Pond (next to Rainbow Lake). From Plattsburgh take Route No. 3 toward Saranac Lake, turn right on County Route No. 30 toward Onchiota and Buck Pond — (watch for auction signs). Continue to Onchiota, at STOP sign bear left, then turn right at Onchiota Post Office and follow the signs. From Saranac Lake take Route No. 192 to Gabriels, turn right on County Road No. 30 toward Onchiota (watch for auction signs) turn left at Onchiota Post Office.
AUCTIONEERS NOTE: We have been commissioned to sell by auction the contents of the former movie actor and Olympic swimming champion, BUSTER CRABBE'S boy's camp, plus some personal items. This auction is filled with many interesting and useful items. Due to the large quantity of some items, they will be sold in dealer lots.
Buster Crabbe Items: Western boots, travel trunk, mahogany twin beds (cannonball), oak gateleg table, oak dresser and chest, postcards and glossy prints. (Statements of origin supplied).
Antique Furniture: Player piano/rolls (exc. signed Church), OAK: S roll top desk, commodes, chests of drawers (signed Prescott-Keeseville), (2) Stickley style tables, bookcase/glass doors, kneehole desks, chairs (pressed, hoopback, Windsor)
OTHERS: Eastlake partners desk, turned leg tables, frames, cast iron fireplace units, iron single beds, plus other items too numerous to mention.
Boats/Motors/Automobiles: Starcraft 15' Model V150 Deluxe fiberglass outboard, boat trailer, 12' aluminum boats, (3) sailboats, (2) 20' war canoes, Johnson 40 h.p. motor, Mercury 65 h.p., surf boards, paddles, oars, swimming perimeter buoys, water skis, 1967 Chevy station wagon, 1951 Frazer (neither running), (2) Wisconsin V-4cyl. air cooled engines, large Ingersol-Rand air compressor.
General Items: 100' galvanized steel observation tower (must be dismantled), John Deere 10 h.p. lawn tractor, Bolens Ride-a-Matic lawn tractor, John Wood salamander, Econo electric ceramic kiln (new), Curtis Dyna-Fogger, complete body building unit, gymnastic mats, trampoline, swimming pool filtering and heating system, basketball hoops, large outside lighting fixtures, flag pole, woodworking benches/vices, large quantity of bunk beds, large quantity of folding tables and folding benches, work tables, Janitrol gas ceiling heater, large quantity of cast iron radiators, large quantity of hot water heaters, commercial laundry equipment, Kalamazoo wood/coal stove, cord wood, saw/moving table, large quantity 4' and 8' fluorescent fixtures, pool tables, Coca-Cola cooler, Cascade stainless pool steps, folding tennis table, aluminum diving board, plus other items.
Restaurant Equipment: Hobart Model A-200 100 volt mixer/grinder, Hobart Model C-44 220 volt dish/glass washer, Vulcan gas pizza oven, Blodgette gas pizza oven, gas steam table, stainless single sinks, potato peeler, stainless walk-in cooler (needs compressor), porcelain walk-in cooler (complete), 6 hole ice cream freezer, flatware, dishes.
Salvage Rights: Salvage rights will be auctioned under the time limits and insurance requirements of the owner.
TERMS: Cash or approved check. Sale under tent but, please consider the possibility of brisk temperatures and dress accordingly.
LUNCH AVAILABLE
Stefanick's Auction Service
Route #3, Saranac, N.Y. 12981
