Pools in Parks 

The Aquazines Perform at Astoria Pool, Early 1940s

Courtesy of the Parks Photo Archive. The Aquazanies were a troupe of boys who performed comedy and diving acts in the early 1940s at city pools, including East 54th Street in Manhattan and the Aquacade at Flushing Meadows. Their home base was Astoria Pool, where they trained under the guidance of pool supervisor Vic Zoble. One Aquazany, Whitey Hart, went on to become a professional diver and was eventually inducted into the Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Another, Ernest Haridopolos, later served as a Parks lifeguard before becoming a special agent with the FBI, working undercover on the "French Connection" drug investigation and "Abscam" sting operation.