John C. McClain ’45

Abstract

A Shrewd and Intelligent Leader and a Man for All Seasons

A batting and pitching champion, “Red” McClain set an athletic record at Pingry seldom seen by his contemporaries. Captain of both the baseball and football teams, his accomplishments were underscored by the support and respect he earned among his teammates. Multi-talented in several sports, his skills as a halfback catapulted him to Captain of the 1944 Football Team. A talented basketball player who lettered in that sport for two years, this standout on the baseball diamond pitched the 1943, 1944, and 1945 seasons, leading the team as Captain in 1945. Off the Pingry playing fields, his leadership qualities and intelligence made him a natural choice as Class President, Student Council Representative, and News Editor of The Pingry Record, posts he held among many other activities. As a collegian, he played football for Vanderbilt and Brown universities, and both pitched and lettered in baseball at Brown in 1948 and 1949. At Pingry and beyond, “Red” McClain proved himself to be “a man for all seasons.”