Clarence Pinkston

Clarence Elmer "Bud" Pinkston (February 1, 1900 – November 18, 1961) was an American diver and coach who competed in 10-meter platform and 3-meter springboard diving in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, and the 1924 Paris Olympics. He won two gold medals, and a silver medal in 1920, and two bronze medals in 1924. He had a distinguished career as a coach and aquatics director for the Detroit Athletic Club from 1927-1956 where he mentored several national champions and Olympic medalists. He later became the first San Diegan native to win an Olympic Gold Medal. He took most of his college studies at Stanford University where he competed in diving. Under the skilled tutelage of Stanford Coach Ernst Brandsten, Pinkston captured five consecutive AAU outdoor diving Championships beginning in 1920, as well as two championships in springboard diving with one in indoor diving and one in outdoor.

Olympics At the 1920 Olympic trials in Alameda, California, Pinkston won four out of five diving competitions, decisively defeated reigning diving champion Clyde Swendsen of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, and easily qualified to represent the U.S. team at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.

1920 Antwerp Olympics As part of the U.S. Olympic team, Pinkston captured a gold medal at the late August, 1920 Antwerp Olympics, diving on the 10 metre platform. Pinkston was the pre-game favorite for the platform contest in 1920, having placed first in the AAU Championship that year. A total of 15 men qualified to compete in platform diving that year from seven countries. The compulsory platform dives consisted on an inward dive, a front handstand dive, a 1½ somersault dive from handstand position and a reverse dive in pike position. In Platform, Erik Adlerz of Sweden placed second with 10 points, and American Harry Prieste placed third with 16 points. Pinkston also won a silver medal diving on the 1 and 3 metre springboard, where the Americans swept the medals with Lou Kuehn winning the Gold, and Louis Balbach taking the bronze. Pinkston also coached Clark Sholes, a 1952 Olympic 100-meter freestyle medal winner.

Pinkston's coaching theory focused on spending time with his athletes, believing that an athlete's ability to perform can best be achieved by spending time and focus on building their skills, known as the "one swimmer, one coach" theory.