By Agnes Eaton

Contributing Writer

Reporting on the 1974 NYSPHSAA Intersectional Swimming and Diving Championships, the following news article appeared in The Evening Sun, March 11, 1974, and was written by correspondent, Randy Harner:

<em>The Norwich team had to wait until the fourth event to see their teammate Paul Eaton in action again. When the time came Paul was ready. “Let’s really go for it, huh? Ok?,” the coach told of Eaton just as he was leaving for the starting platforms. “Let’s really burn it Paul.” And “burn it” Eaton did, as he outstroked the field to capture the crown with a time of 22.18. The race was the closest of the day as the second- and third-place swimmers touched with times of 22.43 and 22.49 respectively. “It must be my time (to win),” beamed an ecstatic Eaton. “It was my time,” he kept repeating and Section 4 has its first state champion.

Eaton had a few minutes to rest and wait for event six, the 100-yard butterfly final and then the tension started all over again. In the preliminaries Eaton had easily finished first but these were the all-important finals and the various coaches were saying, “Anything can happen.” Something did happen and it was not the unexpected. Eaton took the final in 53.807 followed by a swimmer from Liverpool High in 54.30. “Swimmers would come up to me and say, ‘Norwich? Where the hell is Norwich?”

Well now they know roared the tired but unbeaten Bucky Eaton!