One of the most difficult things for people who have been successful in sports is adapting to the daily world where you can't get an answer from someone until 5 o'clock tomorrow. There is always an excuse. Living 40 or 50 years like that doesn't get too exciting after a while.

Spitz went to work for ABC Sports in 1976 and worked on many sports presentations including coverage of the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. They have two sons Matthew (born October 1981) and Justin (born September 1991). Russell did briefly match Spitz's world record in late August 1967 holding the world record equally with Spitz for five days before Spitz regained it solely on October 2 1967.

Since the year 1900 no other swimmer has ever gained so great a percentage of all the medals awarded for Olympic events held in a single Games. He was the third athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals. He was the most successful athlete at the 1972 Summer Olympics.