Rob Sprung
UT Track: 1969-1970; Pole Vault; SEC Champion — Indoor Pole Vault (1969 & 1970); Outdoor Pole Vault (1969); NCAA Place Winner — Indoor Pole Vault (5th in 1969)
Military Service: USMC, January 1971 – November 1972; Lance Corporal
Unit, MOS: Quantico, Virginia, HMX-1, President Nixon’s helicopter that picked him up at the White House. Marine Corps track and field team (made it to the finals in the 1972 Olympics trials; I finished 12th.
Comments by Rob Sprung: : It has been a long time battle with news people who did not know me and the separation between Bob Seagren and me. Bob graduated from Pomona High School in 1964 and I graduated from the same school in 1967. He is a great friend still today and we did not want to be known as Bob & Bob. So I am Rob. We graduated from the same high school and were in the top five in completions in the late 60’s and early 70’s. He was west coast and I had to be east coast as all the California colleges had the full scholarships spent. I was warned by all the California coaches that no California athlete was successful on the east coast. Oh well, I was the exception. During the 1969 indoor circuit I defeated Bob Seagren in Cleveland, Ohio, and ended his three year streak of being undefeated. 1969 was my best year. Check the LA Times for his kind and respectful response to the defeat. I retired from teaching and coaching high school for 34 years in June 2009. My job now is travel, Love it!!!!