Looks like it was taken yesterday...

Have you ever seen a photograph from decades ago and almost refused to believe that it is so old.  So it was with this one.  While researching an upcoming article for Kuriositas on Flickr’s The Commons (where various organisations upload their archive pictures) I came across the picture above.  Of course, it is in black and white, but I was immediately struck by how modern the subject of the picture looked. The picture has not been upscaled or put through AI. He looks like a model for Abercrombie & Fitch, Nike or Calvin Klein, with his tanned body, gently tousled hair and (slightly moody) good looks.

In fact, this photograph was taken in 1922.  That’s 103 years ago…

It really is one of those double-take moments.  This is someone from 2025 who has access to the Tardis, surely?

So, who is this athletic time-traveller? Thomas Edward 'Tom' Blake (March 8, 1902 – May 5, 1994) was an American athlete, inventor, and writer, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of surfing. He played a crucial role in evolving the sport from a local Hawaiian tradition into a nationally recognised pastime.  It is thought that this was taken at  Brighton Beach (situated along the southern coast of Brooklyn, right next to Coney Island) where he competed with a certain Johnny Weissmuller in an open water swimming race.

Looks like it was taken yesterday.