Sports
Clarence Pinkston
1900–1961 · Olympic diver and diving coach
Two-time Olympic diving gold medalist who spent nearly three decades as aquatics director and diving coach at the Detroit Athletic Club, training national and Olympic champions.
- Born
Wichita, Kansas- Died
Detroit, Michigan
aged 61- Birth name
- Clarence Elmer Pinkston
- Also known as
- Bud Pinkston
- Detroit years
- 1927–1961
- Field
- Sports
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Pinkston had already made his name as an American diving star, winning gold and silver at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics and two bronze medals at the 1924 Paris Games, when in 1927 he took over as diving coach and aquatics director at the Detroit Athletic Club, a post he held until 1956. Over those nearly thirty years he built one of the country's strongest diving programs, developing national champions and Olympic medalists including Richard Degener, Jeanne Stunyo and Barbara Sue Gilders, all sponsored through the club. He and his wife Betty remained fixtures of Detroit's swimming and diving scene for decades. Pinkston died in Detroit in November 1961 after a virus led to complications.
Highlights
- Won gold and silver at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics; two bronze medals at the 1924 Paris Olympics
- Diving coach and aquatics director at the Detroit Athletic Club, 1927–1956
- Trained Olympic medalists Richard Degener, Jeanne Stunyo and Barbara Sue Gilders
- Died in Detroit, November 18, 1961
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Worked here · 1927–1956
Detroit Athletic Club
Where he served as diving coach and aquatics director for almost three decades.