Robert Lynn Clotworthy (May 8, 1931 – June 1, 2018) was an American diver. He competed in the 3 m springboard at the 1952 and 1956 Olympics and won a bronze and a gold medal, respectively. He also won two medals at the 1955 Pan American Games. In 1980 he was inducted into the
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the stu ...
.
Early life
Clotworthy was born in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Westfield. He began training for his Olympic career in high school, spending hours each day practicing dives and perfecting them. Clotworthy dove for the
Westfield High School Westfield High School may refer to:
* The Westfield School, Perry, Georgia
* Westfield High School (Westfield, Indiana)
* Westfield High School (Massachusetts), Westfield, Massachusetts
* Westfield Technical Academy, Westfield, Massachusetts
* West ...
team, Plainfield Swim Club and Westfield YMCA, where coaches Ed Gillen and Stan Dudeck coached him. When he competed for the Olympics, he participated and dove for the
New York Athletic Club
The New York Athletic Club is a private social club and athletic club in New York state. Founded in 1868, the club has approximately 8,600 members and two facilities: the City House, located at 180 Central Park South in Manhattan, and Travers ...
. He went on to be coached in Ohio State by Mike Peppe. Others who helped Clotworthy during his career were Hobie Billingsley, Phil Moriarty, Charlie Batterman, Glen and Pat McCormick. He competed in the 1955 Pan-American Games in Mexico City, where he met Cynthia Gill, a member of the U.S. swimming team. They married the following year. After retiring from competition, Clotworthy coached at Army, Dartmouth, Princeton, Arizona State, Texas, and New Mexico. From 1981 through 1984, he produced six NAIA champions at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Clotworthy attended Ohio State University where he majored in Physical Education. He graduated in the 1954, then leading him to retire from diving in 1956 and coaching in August 2006.
National titles and accomplishments
* 1951 AAU Outdoor Nationals 3 meter champion.
* 1953 AAU Indoor Nationals 1 meter champion.
* 1953 AAU Outdoor Nationals 3 meter champion.
* 1956 AAU Indoor Nationals 1 meter champion.
* 1956 AAU Outdoor Nationals 3 meter champion.
Coaching accomplishments
* 1955–56 Coached diving at West Point.
* 1958 Coached diving at Dartmouth College.
* 1958 Coached diving at Dartmouth College.
* 1958–70 Coached swimming and diving at Princeton University.
* 1970–71 Coached diving at the Arizona State University.
* 1972–76 Coached diving at the University of Texas.
* 1980–1984 Coached diving at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
* 1984–1996 Coached diving at Albuquerque Academy, New Mexico.
* 1997–2006 Coached Age Group Swimming – Taos Swim Club, Taos, New Mexico.
See also
*
List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests a ...