He also appeared on a Wheaties box. Bob Richards, the only male two-time winner of the Olympic pole vault, who in the 1950s became a hero of American Cold War competition with the Soviet Union and a . Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. In 1970, he bicycled 3,300 miles from Los Angeles to New York to promote fitness. Updated Wed., March 1, 2023 at 11:18 a.m. Bob Richards, an ordained minister who became the first athlete to appear on the front of a Wheaties box after he won two Olympic gold medals in the pole vault during the 1950s, an accomplishment he parlayed into a successful career as a motivational speaker, died Feb. 26 at his home in Waco, Tex. They had never tried. INDIANAPOLIS (AP)Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. that is degrading to another person. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. A two-time Olympic champion, Richards was going 15 feet when fiberglass poles were . USA Track and Field confirmed his death. Class Of 1983, Olympian. Growing up, he excelled in sports. There is no feeling in the world that can match it, Richards said in 2016. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bob-Richards, The Olympic Movement - Biography of Robert Richards. Be Truthful. Can you imagine going into a boxing ring thinking, Maybe Im not the greatest?. But it also came to be known for the far-right extremist views of one its founders, Willis Carto, a Holocaust denier and neo-Nazi hero. Larry Keller. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. He made three U.S. Olympic Teams in two events: the 1948, 1952, and 1956 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter and as a decathlete in 1956. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly., AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports. Richards earned a bronze medal at the Olympics in 1948, then won gold in 1952 at Helsinki and in 1956 at Melbourne. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. In 1984, saying the country must work to get rid of these tyrants who rule us, he ran for president on the Populist Party ticket. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. And the bigger your challenge, the bigger you become as a person. His success in the air, combined with wholesome looks and an upbeat ministerial eloquence, made Mr. Richards a fixture in American households. Richards did it for schools in 2 statesas a junior in Texas, then as a senior in California) All in the family: 4 great pairs are represented here, topped by Mondo and his father Greg, who ranked twice, including a No. He competed in the 1948 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter and as a decathlete in 1956. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. He earned a bachelors degree in 1947 and a masters in 1948. Bob Richards was the second man to vault 15 feet and, like the first man over this height, Cornelius "Dutch" Warmerdam, he dominated the event for a number of years. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Robert Seagren (born October 17, 1946) is a retired American pole vaulter, the 1968 Olympic champion . Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. He also was the oldest living Olympic track and field champion before his death. 1 pick, Rep. Niemerg Office helps with Professional Licensing Applications and Renewals, Abbott Elementary: Chris Perfetti on Jacobs Mural Meltdown & Big SAG Awards Win, Bust-up! Packers await Rodgers' decision on future, cite potential contract restructuring. His grandfather, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1948 games in London -- the same place the . He was 97. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. 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Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy. At the 1948 Olympic Games in London, he won a bronze medal, and he won his first gold medal at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, repeating this accomplishment at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only male two-time champion in the event in Olympic history. To this day, Richards three Olympic medals (two gold, one bronze) are more than any other mens competitor in history. They had never gotten on a track. Eighteen salesmen received awards. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. Chris Nilsen (Nik) 19-4 | 5.90: t2. Story Links. Pole vaulter Bob Richards passes away. By Robert D. McFadden Bob Richards, the only male two-time winner of the Olympic pole vault, who in the 1950s became a hero of American Cold War competition with the Soviet Union and a breakfast-table hero to millions as the first champion on the front of the Wheaties box, died Sunday at his home in Waco, Texas. Richards was also a family man, and all four of his sons followed in their fathers footsteps as pole vaulters. or anything. In his life after sports, Richards portrayed himself in a television biography, Leap to Heaven (1957); hosted a weekly childrens television program in Los Angeles; reported for NBC, CBS and ABC on the Olympic Games in Rome; Innsbruck, Austria; Tokyo and Montreal; and delivered some 12,000 motivational speeches to corporate sales forces, high school students and community organizations. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Atlanta Falcons release QB Marcus Mariota. The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. You have permission to edit this article. I went over the crossbar by a foot. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. person will not be tolerated. A Facebook post by his son Brandon said that Richards "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones." Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before taking up the pole vault in junior high school. Much has changed since Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vaulting champion, was Mr. Wheaties. degree in 1947. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). In 1957, he played himself in Leap to Heaven on ABCs DuPont Cavalcade Theatre in a dramatization of his life. Richards continues to reside on his ranch near Waco, Texas. He was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983 after a career that included winning at the Millrose Games 11 straight times. Richards also competed as a decathlete . Jacob Wooten (unat) . Feb 27 (Reuters) - Double Olympic pole vault champion Bob Richards died on Sunday aged 97, his family said on Facebook. The two-time Olympic gold medalist watched as his . In between pole vaulting competitions, he taught at LaVerne College, a Brethren-affiliated school in Southern California. The most dominant vaulter of his time, as he was ranked as the worlds No. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. Took 1st Place and Gold Medal in Pole Vault at the Olympic Games in Helsinki. Bears explore trade for No. In the same period he also won eight indoor championships. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. The Lakers also fear James could miss more than a week while healing. FILE - American pole vaulter Bob Richards, left, talks with Brazilian pole vaulter Helcio Buck-Silva during a break in a training session in Helsinki, July 11, 1952. When he turned 20, Mr. Richards was ordained in the Church of the Brethren. July 15, 2010. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has died The Rev. In 1951, he became the second pole vaulter to clear 15 feet. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. He was also a successful businessman who formerly owned Bear Ridge Golf Course and Lake Waco Golf Club. 2023 University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. Bengals slam door on 'ridiculous' Tee Higgins trade rumors. FILE - American pole vaulter Bob Richards, left, talks with Brazilian pole vaulter Helcio Buck-Silva during a break in a training session in Helsinki, July 11, 1952. That marriage ended in divorce. His athletic success was celebrated on the cover of Wheaties cereal boxes for 13 years after he became the first athlete to appear on the front of a Wheaties box in 1958. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Carmel man on meth, weapons charges, Start-over is in the works for Mount Carmel City Pool fix plans, Richland Co. assessment multiplier issued. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File Wrote Brandon Richards of his dad: We lost a national treasure. He added that his father always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. 1 overall pick in the 2023 and are committed to quarterback Justin Fields next season, general manager Ryan Poles told reporters Tuesday in Indianapolis. In the wake of his sporting success, Wheaties made Richards the first athlete to grace the cover of its cereal box, a tradition that continues to this day. Centex baseball preview: What's old, new, borrowed and blue for 2023? Richards is the only man in history to win two Olympic gold medals in the pole vault, and these came after an Olympic bronze in 1948. Known alternatively as the Vaulting Vicar and the Pole Vaulting Pastor, Mr. Richards was one of the most dominating athletes of his time, leaping as high as 15 feet 6 inches with a stiff metal pole in the days before flexible fiberglass helped Olympic vaulters cross over bars nearly 20 feet in height. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Please subscribe to keep reading. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Advertisement. He was 97. American pole vaulter Bob Richards, left, talks with Brazilian pole vaulter Helcio Buck-Silva during a break in a training session in Helsinki, July 11, 1952. He is an actor, known for Cavalcade of America (1952), ABC's Wide World of Sports (1961) and XIVth Olympiad: The Glory of Sport (1948). In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. The only other person to win two Olympic pole vault titles is Yelena Isinbayeva from Russia. Until 2012, he had lived on a ranch in Santo, Texas, which he named the Crossbar Ranch and which was involved in numerous commercial activities, including oil and gas exploration and horse and cattle grazing. General Mills. He got into some typical teenage troubles in high school, but was set straight by a minister of the Church of the Brethren. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly. He was 97. His son Paul confirmed the death. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. Bob Richards, a two-time . He was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983 after a career that included winning at the Millrose Games 11 straight times. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. He made three U.S. Olympic Teams in two events: the 1948, 1952, and 1956 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter and as a decathlete in 1956. We'd love to hear eyewitness Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson appear headed for the April 4 election. American athletics competitor, pole vaulter. He was 97. ", Olympic pole vault champ Richards dies at 97, Companies charged in Tokyo Olympic bid-rigging, Serbia grabs last spot in Basketball World Cup, Olsen earns WC slalom win after Ginnis DQ'd, US Olympic Sailing Team executive director quits. 1 pick, commit to quarterback Justin Fields. Feb. 27, 2023 Updated 2:44 p.m. Bob Richards waves to the crowd after winning the pole vault gold medal at 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 26, 1956. Capitalizing on his fame, Richards became director of the Wheaties Sports Federation, founded in 1958 after President Dwight D. Eisenhower called for a national physical fitness campaign. 1 pole vaulter. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. If you want to get a clear picture, Mr. Richards once said, give todays vaulters a stiff pole.. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. Please use the button below to manage your account. But he escaped the street life into religion and athletics. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). With his wife by his side and his dog in his lap, Bob Richards sat on a couch in the Zero G Elite Pole Vault Club that's on his ranch in Waco. Richards excelled in basketball, where he was an All Mason/Dixon selection in 1945. . ), Mr. Richards started but didnt complete a doctorate in philosophy. Im terrible. We wonder why we dont do anything when we dont believe we can. Its the climax of all your dreams. 1 pole vaulter, Geno Auriemma gives bleak assessment as UConn womens basketball looks to find footing in March: 'Poorly coached team. Bob Richards 1951.jpg 455 731; 156 KB. Richards is survived by two sons, Paul and Robert Jr., and a daughter, Carol Stasiewicz, from his first marriage; two sons, Thomas and Brandon, and a daughter, Tammy Richards LeSure, from his second; a brother, Kenny; 12 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. To hear eyewitness Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson appear headed for the April 4 election 15 feet when poles... 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