Richard W. Hoagland, Class of 1957
Richard climaxed his three-year career at Peddie by winning three gold medals at the State Prep Championship meet and taking two first places at the Eastern Interscholastic Track and Field Championships. In the prep championships, he tied the state record for the broad jump, won the 220-yard low hurdles event and tied for first place in the high jump. He personally accounted for more than half of Peddie’s total points at the meet. At the Eastern Championships, Dick was the only dual winner taking both the board jump and the 180-yard low hurdles events – this in spite of the fact that he had never run the 180-yard low hurdles until that meet.
Dick’s overall excellence in track was epitomized by the more than 200 points he contributed during his career. In his senior year he averaged 23 points per meet – equal to four first places and a second – in the six meets that Peddie contested. His total of 152 points in a season established a new Peddie individual scoring record. During the winter, Dick was the anchorman on Peddie’s undefeated relay team and tied the state record in the 60-yard low hurdles, an event he never lost in nine dual meets.
On and off the field, Dick set a shining example for his peers. He combined academics and athletics earning the Ingersoll Prize for the greatest academic development and progress during the year as well as the Varsity Club Prize as Peddie’s outstanding athlete of the year.