Evening Telegraph water polo and swimming correspondent Frank Jordan was saddened to hear of the recent death of Chic Mitchell.
Sadly, Dundonian Chic passed away while on holiday in Norway.
Frank held him in high regard, and said: “I first bumped into Chic Mitchell in the old Central Baths when he was a member of the Arnhall Club and I was with Whitehall.
“When my family moved to Dryburgh, he was our milk boy.
“From then on in, we kept bumping into one another through our lives.
“The next meeting was in the Marryat Hall, City Square.
“I was going in with my pals and I never knew that Chic was actually working on the door as a bouncer.
“He said to me: ‘Remember you Lochee lads, behave yourselves because I know what you’re like’.”
Frank continued: “Chic was Lochee born and bred.
“He went to Liff Road Primary School and moved to Logie Secondary School on the Blackness Road.
“He was in the building trade for many years and the first time he got involved in swimming was when he brought his children Scott and Karri to Menzieshill High School to join the swimming club.
“Both went on to be excellent swimmers and water polo players.
“Chic told me he’d like to help out at the club, so I agreed. He came back the following week and I had a club class with beginners in it.
“I left him with the kids and that was the first time he started coaching and he went on to become a very good representative and respected coach.
“When Karri left for Brisbane in Australia, Chic would often visit.
“During his stays, he’d watch Karri’s training sessions in the pool.
“One time, he was sitting up on the balcony taking notes when the coach on the poolside asked what he was doing.
“When Chic explained where he was from, the coach asked him to come down and could join.
“In the lane Chic ended up coaching was Grant Hackett, the Australian ‘wonderboy’.
“As soon as he came back to Dundee, he was in the house telling me about his experience in Brisbane.
“He brought back many good ideas to implement.”
Chic occupied many positions in the club, as Frank explained: “When the Menzieshill Whitehall club amalgamated with Dundee Whitehall, he was their first president of the new club.
“Before that, he held various posts in the Menzieshill Club — treasurer, coach and president — and was made a Life Member of the club.
“He always supported the club at any type of function.
“In fact, before he went to Norway, he phoned me and told me to put his name down for a reunion of the club in Queens Hotel on March 18.
“As a friend, when my wife Maureen was in hospital, he would bring up flowers and a packet of mints for her every fortnight.
“When she went to hospital, he helped me for lifts whenever I was stuck.
“When I had my problems, he was always right on hand for anything required.
“Chic was also a keen hillwalker and he made many friends in swimming.
“He had spells with other clubs in the Midlands area and Fife — Cupar, Forfar, Amphibious Ancients and Gleneagles Hotel.”
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