Vernon Slovin
Vernon Lee Slovin was born on 6th Sep 1945, and he died by suicide on the 10th May 1990.
He was a Springbok butterfly swimmer from Cape Town, where he attended the St John's Christian Brothers College and matriculated in 1963. He swam in Cape Town as well as a stint with coach Frank Gray in Kimberley during 1969. Vernon was a member of the 1964 Springbok swim team that toured to West Germany and England.
At the 1964 South African Swimming Championships in Port Elizabeth, Vernon Slovin set a new South African record in the 200m butterfly, and finished second in the 100m event behind the local champion, Neil Oldridge. Vernon was then selected for the Springbok team that toured the United Kingdom
He took up a swimming scholarship at the Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Texas later in 1964, where he joined another South African, Tudor Lacey and later also Richard Bonney. He won All-American colours in the 200 yards butterfly in 1966 and 1967.
Vernon returned to South Africa to compete at the national championships in 1969 and 1970. Vernon's matchup against Rhodesian John Keyter was a highlight of the 1969 South African championships. Keyter was only 19 and had not competed outside southern Africa. Slovin was returning from 5 years in the USA, where he competed against the best swimmers in the world. In the end, Keyter was to beat Vernon Slovin in 1969 and again in 1970.
Vernon returned to SMU to complete an MBA, and eventually settled in California, where he competed as a master's swimmer with San Diego Imperial SC.
His life and death by suicide is the basis for a book by his son, Sebastian Slovin, called Ashes in the Ocean: A Son’s Story of Living through and Learning from his Father’s suicide
First Rebel Springboks to take part in British Championships in 1964: L-R: Basil Hotz; Brian Stewart; Geoff Grylls; Jon Reen; Vernon Slovin; Neil Oldridge (latter was only 0.8 off the world record for 110yds 'Fly. This team, together with Tich McLachlan and Tudor Lacey, won 9 out of 11 possible gold medals in the championships.
March 1969 - South African swimming championships - Newlands Pool, Cape Town. Men's 100m butterfly medal award - with Vernon Slovin on the right receiving a silver medal. The race was won by Rhodesian John Keyter, and another Rhodesian Rodney Hamilton finished in third place.
Oud-Springbok sterf in Perth
'n VOORMALIGE Springbokswemmer van Kaapstad, mnr. Vernon Slovin, is in Perth in Australië dood in sy motor aangetref. Geen misdaad word vermoed nie. Mnr. Slovin (44) het die laaste paar jaar in Australië gewoon. Na verneem word, het mnr. Slovin geldelike en huislike probleme gehad. Hy was twee jaar gelede by 'n aandelemark-transaksie in New York betrokke waarin beleggers $10 miljoen (sowat R26 miljoen) verloor het. Mnr. Slovin was negentien jaar lank die Suid-Afrikaanse rekordhouer in die 200-m-vlinderslag .
Ashes in the Ocean: A Son's Story of Living Through and Learning From His Father's Suicide
by Sebastian Slovin, 2018
Sebastian Slovin wrote:
Vernon Slovin was a legend—one of the best swimmers in his home country of South Africa, and for a time in the world. He prided himself on being the best—in sports, business, and life. He had it all: a big home, athletic prestige, fancy clothes and cars, and a beautiful wife and family. Everything was going his way until it all came tumbling down. He lost everything, including his own life.
In the wake of his suicide, he left his wife and two young children. In this riveting memoir, Vernon’s son, Sebastian Slovin, chronicles his experience of living in the shadow of a suicide and his journey to uncover why his father took his own life. A pilgrimage that led him around the world and eventually back to himself. Ashes in the Ocean is a powerful story about facing one’s fears and choosing a different path.
Read more about Sebastian on his website https://www.sebastianslovin.com/author
