During part of this time he was also the head coach of Salem High School, and captured three consecutive basketball championships from 1916 to 1918, as well as a football title in 1917. Spruhan then moved to the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington and headed the Keydets' basketball team from 1919 to 1922. He was also an assistant football and baseball coach. In three years, Spruhan's Keydets went 38–9, including two one-loss seasons. The .809 winning percentage remains the best in VMI history, and Spruhan is currently the last Keydet head coach to have a winning overall record. After his stint with VMI, Spruhan returned to Roanoke where he would stay until 1930. His basketball coaching record of 100–81 is sixth all-time in school history. Personal life Spruhan was born in 1891 in Waveland, Indiana. He grew up with two sisters, and attended the local Waveland High School where he was an acclaimed multi-sport athlete. His nickname, "Pinky", was given to him after he once showed up on a playing field wearing a faded red shirt, whereupon a nearby person asked, "Who's that little pinky over there?"
During part of this time he was also the head coach of Salem High School, and captured three consecutive basketball championships from 1916 to 1918, as well as a football title in 1917. Spruhan then moved to the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington and headed the Keydets' basketball team from 1919 to 1922. He was also an assistant football and baseball coach. In three years, Spruhan's Keydets went 38–9, including two one-loss seasons. The .809 winning percentage remains the best in VMI history, and Spruhan is currently the last Keydet head coach to have a winning overall record. After his stint with VMI, Spruhan returned to Roanoke where he would stay until 1930. His basketball coaching record of 100–81 is sixth all-time in school history. Personal life
 Spruhan was born in 1891 in Waveland, Indiana. He grew up with two sisters, and attended the local Waveland High School where he was an acclaimed multi-sport athlete. His nickname, "Pinky", was given to her after he once showed up on a playing field wearing a faded red shirt, whereupon a nearby person asked, "Who's that little pinky over there?"