Google celebrated Hawaiian hero Duke Kahanamoku's 125th birthday in a Doodle on Monday, Aug. 24. Kahanamoku was a five-time Olympic medalist in swimming. The Honolulu native is credited with introducing the sport of surfing to nations around the world beyond its birthplace, Hawaii.
Monday's Google Doodle features a wooden surfboard, which depicts a scenic view of Hawaii with palm trees, a volcano, sand, ocean, flowers, and of Kahanamoku surfing on its waters. At the middle of the Doodle is Kahanamoku's face and he is flashing his pearly whites in a wide, hospitable smile.
"Despite his charisma on the screen and two decades of Olympic triumphs, it is perhaps for moments like these--for his character, his ease in the water, his deep and unending love of Hawaii and her oceans--that Duke Kahanamoku is remembered most," wrote Google.
"He brought surfing to the world, and by force of his magnetism and singularly Hawaiian spirit helped The Islands achieve statehood. Today, on his 125th birthday, Matt Cruickshank recalls the legend of the "Ambassador of Aloha" with a Doodle of his iconic, 16-foot wooden surfboard and his warm, blithe smile."
Kahanamoku travelled to various countries in between Olympic competitions for swimming exhibitions. In the international exhibitions, the surfer showcased and popularized surfing, a sport previously known only in the state of Hawaii. Kahanamoku travelled to Freshwater Beach in Sydney, Australia on Dec. 24, 1914. This particular visit is regarded by historians to have triggered the development of surfing in Australia.
Today, surfing is common in Australia. In fact, two of the world's top professional surfers are Australian; Mick Fanning and Julian Wilson. Fanning is a three-time ASP champion and Wilson is an ASP Triple Crown champion. The two Australian surfers made global headlines for their heroic plight against a shark in the ocean during a surfing competition.
Bravery also existed in The Duke, as he saved eight fisherman from drowning in the Pacific ocean at Newport Beach, California in 1925. The Thelma, a 40 ft. fishing vessel capsized at sea, killing 17 men out of 29. His two surfing companions saved the lives of 4 other men.
The three men dragged the fishermen onto their surfboards and took them to safety by the shore. A Newport police chief described the heroic act as "the most superhuman surfboard rescue act the world has ever seen."
Kahanamoku was thought to have been of Hawaiian royalty by the public because of his first name. The Big Kahuna addressed the rumors and set the record straight, informing the public that "Duke" was not a title, but his given name. His full name is Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku.
The surfer preferred wooden traditional surfboards. His 16 ft. long surfboard was made from the wood of a koa tree. It weighed 114 lbs. (52 kg) and it did not have a skeg.
