1 vaulter for eight consecutive years. It is a Monday night, and he is to address the annual awards dinner of the Evansville Sales and Marketing Executives Club, attended by some 200 salesmen and their ladies.. 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. I went over the crossbar by a foot. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. . He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly.. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father 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. 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! He retired to a ranch in Waco, where he owned a golf course. Richards' exploits in track and field earned him three Olympic medals, a record, and 20 national titles. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was also a football quarterback in high school. 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 . Bob Richards is a remarkable human being. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. We had the wonderful opportunity to interview Mr. Richards thanks to his son. Bob Richards was born on 20 February 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. The only other person to win two Olympic pole vault titles is Yelena Isinbayeva from Russia. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Green Bay Packers want to know Aaron Rodgers' 2023 playing plans within the next three weeks, but have not set a date to meet with the quarterback, general manager Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday in Indianapolis. To this day, Richards three Olympic medals (two gold, one bronze) are more than any other mens competitor in history. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. How close is Florida's Trinity Thomas to the NCAA's perfect 10 record? But they didnt believe they could win the Olympics. Bears explore trade for No. And the bigger your challenge, the bigger you become as a person. ET. Article. The most colorful pole-vaulter . He had been a pastor in California only briefly, but the dual image of minister and champion athlete was irresistible on the speaking circuit. Growing up, he excelled in sports. Bob Richards. July 15, 2010. 0. 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. He won six National AAU and four NCAA titles indoors and outdoors. He also won 17 AAU championships in indoor and outdoor vaulting competitions, and United States decathlon championships in 1951, 1954 and 1955. He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. Feb. 20, 1926 - Feb. 26, 2023. Richards ran for president in 1984. 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 . Although he broke Olympic records and Russian hearts, and he became one of Americas most lionized and familiar celebrities a motivational speaker and Wheaties pitchman who personified wholesome values and once ran for president of the United States on a third party ticketRichards, even at the peak of his athletic power, was not the greatest American pole-vaulter of all time. "I saw it more as a mission than a job," says Richards, who was the General Mills cereal's . His track and field legacy will endure, too. 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, 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. In 1970, he married Vonda Joan Beaird. Chris Nilsen (Nik) 19-4 | 5.90: t2. Matt Ludwig (unat) 19- | 5.80: 5. INDIANAPOLIS (AP)Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. RICHARDS, Robert Eugene ("Bob") (b. American pole vaulter Bob Richards won the bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in London in 1948. Robert E. "Bob" Richards came to Bridgewater in 1944 and was a two-sport athlete. In between pole vaulting competitions, he taught at LaVerne College, a Brethren-affiliated school in Southern California. By then, Mr. Richards was hopscotching around the country delivering what would add up to more than 25,000 motivational speeches at sales conferences, awards dinners and corporate retreats. He also was the oldest living Olympic track and field champion before his death. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. He is the only two-time male Olympic gold medal winner in the pole vault, and also won gold medals at the 1951 and 1955 Pan American Games, while earning silver in the decathlon at the 55 Pan American Games. 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. Richards himself never vaulted more than 15 feet 6 inches. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Sabres place Alex Tuch on injured reserve; top-line winger's status is uncertain, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Paula's Donuts to move Clarence store that faced backlash for tax breaks to Amherst. He was 97. 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. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. So did his grandson Riley, who won two state championships for China Spring High School before going on to compete at Baylor. Former Wheaties Spokesman Said to Back Racist Party. 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. Share with Us. Threats of harming another In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. He was also a successful businessman who formerly owned Bear Ridge Golf Course and Lake Waco Golf Club. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. 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. The versatile athlete known as the "Vaulting Vicar" also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. With none of the nine candidates running for Chicago mayor achieving more than 50% of the vote for an outright victory, the election moves to a runoff. A year later, General Mills tapped him as its pitchman on the front of Wheaties cereal boxes and in television commercials. ', 'Saturday Night Live' skit with Woody Harrelson takes place at Naval Submarine Base New London, Los Charros Cantina closes in Essex, will relocate to Branford, Second winter storm could hit parts of CT Friday, National Weather Service says, Bo Hickey, former New Canaan hockey, football coach and NFL player, has died. He fared much better in his next two Olympic appearances. February 28, 2023 at 11:15 a.m. EST. 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. [1] He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only . In his day, he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in history. The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. Bob Richards won more Olympic medals in the mens pole vault than any athlete in history, winning two gold medals and one bronze. They remain pole vault gold for all that take the time to listen to his stories. He was 97. In 2000, Richards was inducted as a Laureate of The Lincoln Academy and awarded the Order of Lincoln (states highest honor) by the state of Illinois. Richards also competed as a decathlete in the 1956 Olympics. The busy and popular local doughnut chain will move its operations from 8560 Main St. to 8010 Transit Road this spring. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before . 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. She died in 2019. His father was a telephone lineman. For 100 years, Wheaties has been a source of morning nutrition and . But from 1947 to 1957, he dominated national and international competitions by clearing 15 feet more than 125 times. 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. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. 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. person will not be tolerated. After finishing last season strong, CJ Abrams is ready for more, son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father, release he held the ranking as the No. Be Nice. Mr. Richards is still the only Olympic pole vaulter to win two gold medals, but hes not the familys lone record holder. The most dominant vaulter of his time, as he was ranked as the worlds No. Some clouds. 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. 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. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. Brandon Richards said that his father gave over 25,000 motivational speeches to companies and organizations. ), Mr. Richards started but didnt complete a doctorate in philosophy. His son Paul confirmed the death. 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. Thank you for reading! Bob Richards, two time Olympic Gold Medalist in the pole vault, moved to Waco and the vision became a reality. He graduated from high school in 1943, and in 1944 he enrolled at the Brethren affiliated Bridgewater College in Virginia. He was 97. March 1, 2023 Updated Wed., March 1, 2023 at 11:18 a.m.. Bob Richards was featured on a Wheaties box in the . The Lakers also fear James could miss more than a week while healing. Richards continues to reside on his ranch near Waco, Texas. In the United States presidential election, 1984 Richards ran for President of the Uni Long before modern athletes began . At 20, he had been ordained a minister of the Church of the Brethren, an Anabaptist denomination, and the news media had reflexively called him the Vaulting Vicar and the Pole Vaulting Pastor. 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. 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. 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. They had never tried. Eighteen salesmen received awards. Anonymous - pool, Olympic World Photo article ul li { list-style: disc; padding: 5px 0; } Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. In 1970, he bicycled 3,300 miles from Los Angeles to New York to promote fitness. Bob Richards of La Verne . 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. That marriage ended in divorce. She died in 2019. With the help of gynecologic oncology specialists at Providence, Amy beat cancerand found the courage to accomplish things shed never dreamed of. (The first was Cornelius Dutch Warmerdam. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears will continue to field offers for the No. There was a time when former Olympic athlete Bob Richards seemed the personification of the all-American man: A two-time gold medal winner in the pole vault, he was the first jock to appear on the front of boxes of Wheaties "the breakfast of champions . Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Former NFL star cornerback Irv Cross, who died in 2021, was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Boston University researchers said Tuesday. He was 97. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. Todays top male vaulters, with refined techniques and springy fiberglass poles that bow almost to U shapes, routinely soar over crossbars set above 19 feet. The Populist Party sought to abolish income taxes and the Federal Reserve Bank. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaker. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism He also appeared on a Wheaties box. If you want to get a clear picture, Mr. Richards once said, give todays vaulters a stiff pole.. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. Be Proactive. Pan American Games. 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. Bob Richards Gold Medalist Monday, February 15, 2016, 7:30 p.m.. A two-time Olympic gold medalist in pole vaulting - and the first person ever to appear on a Wheaties cereal box - will be this year's speaker at the Hill College Alden J. Blanar Smith Speaker Series on Feb. 15 in the Vara Martin Daniel Performing Arts Center in Hillsboro. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Survivors include three children from his first marriage, Carol Stasiewicz of Reno, Nev., Robert Richards Jr. of Garden Grove, Calif., and Paul Richards of Waco, Tex. Im terrible. We wonder why we dont do anything when we dont believe we can. 1 pole vaulter, Geno Auriemma gives bleak assessment as UConn womens basketball looks to find footing in March: 'Poorly coached team. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. He married the college presidents niece, Mary Leah Cline, in 1946. Bob Richards. Feb. 27, 2023 Updated 2:44 p.m. Upload media . INDIANAPOLIS, March 1 (UPI) -- Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. and several other top pass rushers say they model their games after today's NFL stars. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before taking up the pole vault in junior high school. 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. Pole vaulter Bob Richards passes away. Bob Richards, a two-time . 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. His eyes shut tightly, his hands knifing through the air, he carries the salesmen to successive peaks of grim determination, Sports Illustrated noted. "The theme for the next few days is clear: Hey Kevyn, the lonely eyes of Sabres fans are turned to you,"Mike Harrington writes. His grandfather, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1948 games in London -- the same place the . T. HE POLE VAULT -- the most technologically advanced, adventure-filled event in track and field -- represents all the innocence, bravado, and magic of childhood. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the . Omissions? Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. Ex-Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane calls trade to Rangers 'bittersweet'. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. 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. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. 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. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Richards was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983 and the U.S. National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1975. Actor: Cavalcade of America. At the 52 Games, the United States was very much engaged in the Cold War with Russia, but Richards befriended his Russian competitors, who in turn cheered when Richards cleared the bar to claim gold. Please use the button below to manage your account. He was 97. Bob Richards, 97, pole-vaulting star, first champion on a Wheaties box. Warmerdam, known as Dutch, might have been an odds-on Olympic favorite, but he never got to compete because the quadrennial Games were suspended in 1940 and 1944 for World War II, when he was serving as a Navy officer. 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. The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. Robert Seagren (born October 17, 1946) is a retired American pole vaulter, the 1968 Olympic champion . Arrest warrant issued for NFL prospect Jalen Carter on reckless driving, racing charges. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. He continued participating in track and field events as he aged, joining the World Masters Games in quadrennial competitions popular with retired professional athletes and former Olympic competitors. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. 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 . Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Richards competed at the 1948, '52 and '56 Olympics in the pole vault. They had never gotten on a track. 1 min read. American Bob Richards waves his hands to the crowd after winning the pole vault final at the Olympic Stadium at the Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 26, 1956. Carmel man on meth, weapons charges, Start-over is in the works for Mount Carmel City Pool fix plans, Richland Co. assessment multiplier issued. In fact, as a youth Richards, the son of a broken home, had run with a gang of thieves and brawlers, and five of his friends went to prison for robbery. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. 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. [1955] He is an actor, . The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. He received the James E. Sullivan award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete. He built a pit in his backyard, jumping over a crossbar set between a tree limb and phone pole. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. After a difficult adolescence and the breakup of his home by divorce, he was reared by a minister in the Church of the Brethren. Robert E. Richards, an ordained minister nicknamed the Vaulting Vicar, won Olympic gold medals in 1952 at Helsinki and in 1956 at Melbourne, Australia, using aluminum poles to clear bars set at just under 15 feet. "He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be," Brandon Richards said. During his travels, Mr. Richards became frustrated that the American Dream was slipping away for farmers and blue-collar workers struggling to buy homes and hold steady jobs. London 1948, bronze (pole vault) Helsinki 1952, gold (pole vault) Melbourne 1956, gold (pole vault) . Jacob Wooten (unat) . When he turned 20, Mr. Richards was ordained in the Church of the Brethren. Some clouds. Media in category "Bob Richards" The following 7 files are in this category, out of 7 total. Took 1st Place and Gold Medal in Pole Vault at the Olympic Games in Helsinki. 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, 2-time Olympic pole vault champion Bob Richards dies at 97. 1 pick, commit to quarterback Justin Fields. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bob-Richards, The Olympic Movement - Biography of Robert Richards. Baylor freshman Riley Richards' pole-vault lineage can be traced all the way back to the 1940s. A million guys stronger, faster, he continued. Originally published on thecentersquare.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. You have permission to edit this article. He was 97. Richards passed at the age of 97 "peacefully in his sleep and surrounded by loved ones" according to his son Brandon's social media post.. 7 files are in this category, out of 7 total the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983 the! 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