Danny Trobaugh was another of the many outstanding gymnasts coached by Joe Sullivan. In just two years of gymnastics he was able to claim the All Around State of Ohio Championship in 1963. The next year, his senior, he fell in the State Meet tumbling event, finishing second all around. In a run of 16 successive front flips he fell and sustained a mild concussion which affected his other events.
Danny received five athletic scholarship offers from Southern Illinois, Michigan State, Miami, Indiana and Ohio State, but that year the Olympic committee dropped a number of his strongest events and the offers were rescinded.
He participated in Gymkana and other gymnastic shows that Joe Sullivan organized. One show Danny recalls getting in trouble but can now laugh about. It was in an old hotel in Columbus and in a room with a very large chandelier, under which was the trampoline event. Danny grabbed on and was literally “swinging from the chandelier”. The hotel manager was not at all happy.
Dan Trobaugh was also a ski jump champion. He started skiing at the age of 4 1/2 and competed for 13 years from 1956 to 1969. At the age of 13, in his first competition, he finished second in his class. From then on he won all state and regional titles until 1969. In all of the national competition through 1969 he finished either second or third. His longest jump was 149 feet and in practice had bettered the world record. He accumulated in excess of 300 trophies in the sport.
Danny and his wife, Linda have been married for 39 years and live in Elgin, South Carolina. He has three children and seven grandchildren.
