He also swam a [6] Wolf won a silver medal as a member of the second-place U.S. team in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay, together with teammates Ralph Flanagan, John Macionis and Jack Medica at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

[10] As a collegiate swimmer at USC, Wolf served as team captain and was co-national champion in the 100-yard freestyle at the 1939 NCAA championships.

His time of 52.9 at the 1939 NCAA Championships tied with Charles Barker, who swam for the winning college team, the University of Michigan.

[11] At the National AAU Championships in Ann Arbor Michigan in March, 1939, Wolf placed second in the 50-yard freestyle and would hold the world record time in the event of 25.4.

[12][13][4] After graduating from USC in June 1940, Wolf worked as a lifeguard at Hermosa Beach and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Los Angeles as a Chief Boatswain's Mate and became part of their physical education program, under the direction of Lieutenant Commander James J.