Four degrees from Mark Spitz

Growing up, my dad used to tell me how he beat a 7-foot swimmer once. When I got married, I soon discovered that this 7-foot swimmer was my wife's uncle Brett who, according to mother-in-law Leslie beat Mark Spitz in the Jr. leagues in California when he was young. Years later, I think I remember a time when me and my brothers won my father in an informal swim race. Therefore, if I beat dad, dad beat Brett, and Brett beat Mark Spitz, then I beat Mark Spitz :)