Robert Earl Hughes (December 15, 1930 – October 11, 2012) was an American water polo player and breaststroke swimmer who competed in the 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics.
He was born in Lennox, California. He attended the University of Southern California (USC), where he swam for the USC Trojans swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition.
Hughes was a member of the U.S. water polo team which finished fourth in the 1952 tournament. He played in all nine matches for the U.S. team.
Four years later he finished fifth with the American team the water polo tournament at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. He played five matches. He also participated in the 200-meter breaststroke, but did not advance beyond the preliminary heats.
In 1976, he was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame.