Jack worked at the Bakersfield Inn as a lifeguard before he entered the navy. Johnny Weissmuller, famous for the Tarzan movies, used to visit. Once, according to Jack, the pool was being cleaned and was empty. Weissmuller was drunk and was about to dive into the pool. Jack convinced him to come down and saved his life. I make no claims to the truth of this story: it may well be part of family mythology. I remember seeing the Bakersfield Inn when we would drive down from Fresno to visit my grandparents. (The image is of Weissmuller at a swim meet in 1924 and is a public domain image by George Grantham Bain. Images of Weissmuller in 1944 would tend not to be in the public domain.)
Cheetah the Chimp was an eye witness and verified young Jack Leddy's account: "Yeah Johnny had too much to drink that night well that's about all we did in those days. I could never get him off of that bathtub gin I guess it was an acquired taste from his youth but it was rot gut. Anyway I was sippin on my Banana Martini when Johnny sez let's go for a swim. I sez you're crazy Chimps don't swim get outa here go sleep it off Johnny I sez. Well he almost did sleep it off with da fishes that is good thing Leddy was there to save the day. Can I get another drink ova here?
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