bob richards pole vaulterbob richards pole vaulter

Don't knowingly lie about anyone His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. I was lucky to even place, Richards told the Tribune-Herald in a 2016 interview. 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! I cant do anything. After winning a second goal medal, Mr. Richardss career as pitchman took off, buoyed not just by Wheaties but also his popular 1959 autobiography Heart of a Champion.. He added that his father "always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. The Lakers also fear James could miss more than a week while healing. 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 . But from 1947 to 1957, he dominated national and international competitions by clearing 15 feet more than 125 times. He began his higher education in 1944 at Bridgewater College (Virginia), where he played basketball and continued pole vaulting, and then transferred to the University of Illinois, where he received his A.B. 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 retired from athletics in 1957 and became a spokesman for Wheaties cereal. 1967 Winnipeg. Brandon Richards said that his father gave over 25,000 motivational speeches to companies and organizations. Olympic-winning pole vaulter, pastor Bob Richards dies at 97. He also appeared on a Wheaties box. He was 97. Richards' exploits in track and field earned him three Olympic medals, a record, and 20 national titles. [1955] Robert Eugene Bob Richards (born February 20, 1926) is an American athlete who 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 had the wonderful opportunity to interview Mr. Richards thanks to his son. A Facebook post by his son Brandon said that Richards "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". 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. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic pole vault gold medals and the first athlete to appear on the front of a Wheaties box, died at age 97 on Sunday. Be Nice. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 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. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. Richards was the first athlete to appear on the front of the Wheaties cereal box in 1958 and was a national promoter of physical fitness. Richards was elected to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983, and to the U.S. National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1975. I bawled like a baby., In many ways, the Summer Olympics are the Halleys Comet of sporting events. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. Low near 40F. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. Corrections? He motivated millions of people to achieve their dreams through positive sports stories, Brandon wrote. Bob Richards . He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. He got into some typical teenage troubles in high school, but was set straight by a minister of the Church of the Brethren. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. 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. London 1948, bronze (pole vault) Helsinki 1952, gold (pole vault) Melbourne 1956, gold (pole vault) . Richards competed at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics in the pole vault, and eventually appeared on a box of . A million guys stronger, faster, he continued. "He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly.". 1 vaulter for eight consecutive years. "He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be," Brandon Richards said. Richards was also a family man, and all four of his sons followed in their fathers footsteps as pole vaulters. History of US Nationals Results: Pole Vault - Men. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Illinois, the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. He built a pit in his backyard, jumping over a crossbar set between a tree limb and phone pole. 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. Long before modern athletes began . He was the second person ever to pole vault over 15 feet (4.6 metres), a feat he accomplished in 1947. He is an actor, . Media in category "Bob Richards" The following 7 files are in this category, out of 7 total. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Carmel man on meth, weapons charges, Start-over is in the works for Mount Carmel City Pool fix plans, Richland Co. assessment multiplier issued. His grandfather, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1948 games in London -- the same place the . Following a college career as a standout at the University of Illinois, he made his Olympic debut in 1948 in London and nabbed a bronze medal in a rainy competition. And he was perfect on the Wheaties box: a muscular all American with a smile that radiated confidence, health and upright living. 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. He earned a bachelors degree in 1947 and a masters in 1948. Richards ran for president in 1984. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. person will not be tolerated. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic gold medals for pole vaulting, died at 97 on Sunday. But he escaped the street life into religion and athletics. Several of his children and grandchildren became competitive pole vaulters, surpassing his 15 feet 6 inches by several feet - though they werent vaulting with a metal pole. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Bob Richards is Illinois' greatest pole vaulter in school history, while also earning a spot as one of the best U.S. vaulters in the history of the event. Growing up, he excelled in sports. It was the greatest jump of my life, Richards said. Joe Dial ('81) and nephew Bruce Dial ('93) both ranked No. 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. 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. Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds. Bob Richards, byname of Robert Eugene Richards, (born February 20, 1926, Champaign, Illinois, U.S.died February 26, 2023, Waco, Texas), American athlete, the first pole-vaulter to win two Olympic gold medals. Richards was the most successful pole vaulter in U.S. track and field history, in terms of Olympic success. The third of five children, Robert Eugene Richards was born in Champaign, Ill., on Feb. 20, 1926. Much has changed since Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vaulting champion, was Mr. Wheaties. Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson appear headed for the April 4 election. He was 97. He took gold medals at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, and the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. In his day, he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in history. 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. The two-time Olympic gold medalist watched as his . INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. They each will now pursue consideration to be the No. He was a three-time Olympic pole vaulter for the U.S. in 1948, 1952 and 1956, winning Gold in '52 and '56 after winning a Bronze medal in '48. Eighteen salesmen received awards. USA Track . Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic pole vault gold medals, has died at age 97, according to USA Track and Field. With the help of gynecologic oncology specialists at Providence, Amy beat cancerand found the courage to accomplish things shed never dreamed of. 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. He fared much better in his next two Olympic appearances. Share with Us. Can you imagine going into a boxing ring thinking, Maybe Im not the greatest?. 1 eight times in an . Richards himself never vaulted more than 15 feet 6 inches. In addition to the gold medals he won at the 1952 Olympics in Finland and the 1956 Games in Australia, Mr. Richards won 17 national pole vault championships and was ranked No. Bob Richards, a two-time . Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois family lost one of its most decorated athletes with the passing of Bob Richards on Sunday, February 26, 2023. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A two-time Olympic champion, Richards was going 15 feet when fiberglass poles were . But pole vaulting, which he took up in junior high, was his obsession. For The Hometown Register, Illinois quick hits: Pole vaulter Bob Richards passes away; Caterpillar reaches deal with union, 6 in 10 women still dont think theres enough body diversity in the media, Pritzker announces $60M park grants, declines to endorse Chicago mayor candidate, These trendy diets are the least healthy way to lose weight, AHA News: Mediterranean Lifestyle, Not Just Diet, May Greatly Improve Health, Judge clears portion of Flores v. NFL discrimination suit to proceed, Colts GM downplays desire to deal for No. Bob Richards, a three-time olympian and the first athlete to ever be featured on a Wheaties cereal box, has died, his son said on social media. Robert Eugene "Bob" Richards (born February 20, 1926), nicknamed the "Vaulting Vicar" or the "Pole Vaulting Parson" in his competitive days, was an American athlete who was known for pole vaulting in the Olympics.He competed in the 1948 (where he won a bronze medal), 1952 (gold medal), and 1956 Summer Olympics (gold medal) as a pole vaulter, and as a decathlete in 1956. 20 February 1926 in Champaign, Illinois), versatile track and field athlete who was the only man to win two Olympic pole vault titles, and who used his ministry and celebrity status to motivate millions of Americans.Richards was the third of five children of Leslie Richards, a telephone linesman, and Margaret Palfrey Richards, a homemaker. ; three children from his second marriage, Brandon Richards and Thomas Richards, both of China Spring, Tex., and Tammy Richards LeSure of Mansfield, Tex. T. HE POLE VAULT -- the most technologically advanced, adventure-filled event in track and field -- represents all the innocence, bravado, and magic of childhood. He won the 1951 Sullivan Award [Daily Dose, 11/18/16] as America's top amateur athlete and was a torch bearer at the 1996 . Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy. With the ministers help, Mr. Richards enrolled at Bridgewater College, a Brethren-affiliated school in Virginia, where he dominated collegiate pole vaulting. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. Wrote Brandon Richards of his dad: "We lost a national treasure." He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaker. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 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