Clinton I. Sprout
Clinton began coaching baseball in 1929 and had state teams in 1932 and 1936. In the winter of 1920, a group of boys urged Clinton I. Sprout of the faculty to revive the sport, and for 35 years Mr. Sprout continued as swimming coach. In 1921, he organized the first team to enter the state championships, and the following year a full schedule was arranged with outside schools, all of the meets being held in foreign pools. For 31 years, Clinton coached the Peddie teams under the handicap of swimming in the Geiger-Reeves “enlarged bathtub.” Mr. Sprout courageously continued with the sport in spite of the handicaps and achieved great results.
When Peddie moved into its new gymnasium in 1951, the teams showed the results of superior facilities. The 1951 team, with Mr. Sprout still coaching, initiated the new pool with a team which not only won nine of its 10 meets, including, victories over Blair, Columbia Freshman, and for the first time over Trenton High school and Princeton Freshmen, but also won the state championship. His 1952 team won eight dual meets and lost only two and gained the Eastern Interscholastic Championships. Five members of his 1952 team made the All-American prep school swimming team. Six members of the 1953 team received the same honor while winning nine of its 10 dual meets. The Peddie Board of Corporators honored Clinton’s years of coaching and accomplishments by naming the new pool the Clinton I. Sprout Pool.