Bob Hughes was a member of the bronze medal winning team at the 1951 Pan American Games and of the silver medal winning team at the 1955 Pan American Games. Extremely tall for the era at almost 6-7 (199 cm), Hughes was a formidable 2-metre man. He competed at the 1956 Olympics both in water polo and in the 200 metre breaststroke in swimming. In 1956 Hughes set the American record of 1:11.2 for the 100 metre breaststroke. He attended El Camino College and served in the US Coast Guard during the Korean War. Hughes later became a high school teacher and artist/sculptor. He was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame, the El Camino College Hall of Fame, the California Community College Coaches Hall of Fame, the United States Swimming Hall of Fame and the USC Hall of Fame.