His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. RICHARDS, Robert Eugene ("Bob") (b. 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. Richards was also a family man, and all four of his sons followed in their fathers footsteps as pole vaulters. 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. Ex-Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane calls trade to Rangers 'bittersweet'. 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. If you want to get a clear picture, Mr. Richards once said, give todays vaulters a stiff pole.. Hes out there in the middle of the fight.. In New York, chefs are redefining it. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic pole vault gold medals, has died at age 97, according to USA Track and Field. They each will now pursue consideration to be the No. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". The versatile athlete known as the "Vaulting Vicar" also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before taking up the pole vault in junior high school. Low near 40F. Richards' exploits in track and field earned him three Olympic medals, a record, and 20 national titles. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. Be Truthful. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Ill., the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly. 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. And the bigger your challenge, the bigger you become as a person. There is no feeling in the world that can match it, Richards said in 2016. Robert Eugene Richards is an American retired athlete, minister, and politician. Bob Richards Track and Field. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. A Facebook post . The family that plays and prays together stays together, Richards intoned on countless occasions. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. 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. He was 97. Will Anderson Jr., top pass rush prospects mimic NFL greats, eye top spot. 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 . Richards was born and raised in Illinois, but moved to the Waco area after his athletic career ended. USA Track . Brandon`s father, Bob Richards, is to the pole vault what Babe Ruth is to the home run: a standard of comparison. 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. I was lucky to even place, Richards told the Tribune-Herald in a 2016 interview. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. He had been a pastor in California only briefly, but the dual image of minister and champion athlete was irresistible on the speaking circuit. 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. He retired to a ranch in Waco, where he owned a golf course. 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.. Please use the button below to manage your account. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. The Populist Party sought to abolish income taxes and the Federal Reserve Bank. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Richards competed at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics in the pole vault, and eventually appeared on a box of . INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will not play Tuesday due to his recent right foot injury, the team announced. He married the college presidents niece, Mary Leah Cline, in 1946. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. Bob Richards of La Verne . Joe Dial ('81) and nephew Bruce Dial ('93) both ranked No. He was a six-time NCAA champion and won 20 national AAU titles, including 17 in the pole vault and three in decathlon. Richards . Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. You have permission to edit this article. 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 . 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. 1 eight times in an era when pole vaulting and other Olympic track-and-field events were chronicled on the front page of sports sections. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. 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. 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. Share with Us. 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. He transferred to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he graduated in 1947, the same year he tied for first in pole vaulting at the NCAA championships. In 1958, Olympic pole vaulter Bob Richards became the first athlete to be featured on the front of a Wheaties box. 1 overall pick in the 2023 and are committed to quarterback Justin Fields next season, general manager Ryan Poles told reporters Tuesday in Indianapolis. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File He was 97. That distinction, as Richards acknowledged, belonged to Cornelius Warmerdam, a Californian who used bamboo poles to set world records of about 15 feet 8 inches in the early 1940s. In the United States presidential election, 1984 Richards ran for President of the Uni Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. 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. 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. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-round, followed by back-to-back gold medals. 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. 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. 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. Long before modern athletes began . Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Time skulks along slowly between the arrival of each Olympics, an. 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. They remain pole vault gold for all that take the time to listen to his stories. With the help of gynecologic oncology specialists at Providence, Amy beat cancerand found the courage to accomplish things shed never dreamed of. ET. Bob Richards, 97, pole-vaulting star, first champion on a Wheaties box. Can you imagine going into a boxing ring thinking, Maybe Im not the greatest?. She died in 2019. Richards also competed as a decathlete . Updates? Richards competed at the 1948, '52 and '56 Olympics in the pole vault. Richards served as a spokesman for General Mills from 1956 to 70. Besides winning two gold medals in the Olympics in the 1950s, he took a bronze medal at the 1948 Olympics in London and gold at the Pan American Games in 1951 and 1955. Thank you for reading! accounts, the history behind an article. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. Updated Wed., March 1, 2023 at 11:18 a.m. Ghislaine Maxwell appeals conviction, argues she was unfair proxy for Jeffrey Epstein to satisfy public outrage over financiers jail suicide, Georgia prisons see unprecedented number of suicides , Greece in mourning after dozens die in head-on train collision , Police: UGA football staffer drunk, traveling 104 mph before fatal crash , Brothers who crashed a wedding reception are convicted of beating the groom to death , Stephanie Vigil, longtime KHQ-TV news anchor, announces June departure to travel and start pickleball clothier, Spokane rape kit leads to cold case arrest in 1979 Lake Tahoe killing, Judge allows post-conviction DNA testing in Starbuck case, Key matchup: Former four-star prospect Wesley Cardet Jr. brings versatility to small-ball Chicago State lineup. 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. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Boo-tiful! This big Russian picked me up and gave me a hug, and that photo was seen all over the world.. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . To this day, Richards three Olympic medals (two gold, one bronze) are more than any other mens competitor in history. Bob Richards was born on 20 February 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. 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 competed in the 1948 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter and as a decathlete 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. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. 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. In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. He was the second person ever to pole vault over 15 feet (4.6 metres), a feat he accomplished in 1947. Took 1st Place and Gold Medal in Pole Vault at the Olympic Games in Helsinki. 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 was 97. 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. Keep it Clean. He also was the oldest living Olympic track and field champion before his death. Brandon Richards said that his father gave over 25,000 motivational speeches to companies and organizations. 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'd love to hear eyewitness He was also a successful businessman who formerly owned Bear Ridge Golf Course and Lake Waco Golf Club. 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. 0. Much has changed since Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vaulting champion, was Mr. Wheaties. 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. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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 . 2023 University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. Corrections? When I came down, I went running down the straightaway, and the Russians were running to me, saying, Boo-tiful! Bob Richards 1951.jpg 455 731; 156 KB. He was 97. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly.. A two-time Olympic champion, Richards was going 15 feet when fiberglass poles were . 1967 Winnipeg. He was 97. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the Olympics pole vault. that is degrading to another person. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. But pole vaulting, which he took up in junior high, was his obsession. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Use the 'Report' link on He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaker. 2021 (Eugene, Oregon, June 21) 1. Richards was the . Upload media . Im terrible. We wonder why we dont do anything when we dont believe we can. from Illinois. Richards became the face and voice of the cereal known as the Breakfast of Champions.. I cant do anything. Last month, union members overwhelmingly authorized union leadership to call a strike if the two sides could not reach an agreement. He was 97. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has died. Bob Richards, a two-time . 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. Robert Seagren (born October 17, 1946) is a retired American pole vaulter, the 1968 Olympic champion . Pole vault. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. 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. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Bob Richards is a remarkable human being. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. 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. Anonymous - pool, Olympic World Photo 1 eight times in an . Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. I bawled like a baby., In many ways, the Summer Olympics are the Halleys Comet of sporting events. He also won 17 AAU championships in indoor and outdoor vaulting competitions, and United States decathlon championships in 1951, 1954 and 1955. Class Of 1983, Olympian. Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. Bob Richards. Family, friends and pole vault community, I am heartbroken to say that my . In 1957, he played himself in Leap to Heaven on ABCs DuPont Cavalcade Theatre in a dramatization of his life. You have permission to edit this article. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Illinois, the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. And he was perfect on the Wheaties box: a muscular all American with a smile that radiated confidence, health and upright living. INDIANAPOLIS, March 1 (UPI) -- The Baltimore Ravens hope to agree to a contract extension with Lamar Jackson before the NFL's March 7 franchise tag deadline, general manager Eric DeCosta told reporters Wednesday at the NFL scouting combine. Lakers concerned injured LeBron James may miss more than a week. Bob Richards was born on February 20, 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File. He was a three-time Olympic medalist and the first person to ever win two gold medals in the pole vault. 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. [1] He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only . 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. July 15, 2010. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears will continue to field offers for the No. To feel that youve got it? Centex baseball preview: What's old, new, borrowed and blue for 2023? Then, for the next hour, the floor was his. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism 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. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the . Mayor Lori Lightfoot came in third and becomes the first elected Chicago mayor to lose a reelection bid since 1983, when Jane Byrne, the citys first female mayor, lost her Democratic primary. 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. His parents were divorced when he was a teenager, but a minister gave him a home, steered him away from the streets and awakened his interest in religion. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Former NFL star cornerback Irv Cross, who died in 2021, was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Boston University researchers said Tuesday. ', '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. 1 pick, commit to quarterback Justin Fields. If youve got a little tiny goal, a little tiny challenge, youll never make it., He brought up the boxer Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, who was famous for saying, Im the greatest!, You know how important it is to feel that way about yourself? Mr. Richards said. 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. 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. degree in 1947. Chris Nilsen (Nik) 19-4 | 5.90: t2. The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. Bob Richards: 15-1 . 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. Mr. Richardss 1946 marriage to Mary Leah Cline ended in divorce. Richards retired from athletics in 1957 and became a spokesman for Wheaties cereal. Feb. 27, 2023 Updated 2:44 p.m. Wrote Brandon Richards of his dad: "We lost a national treasure." When the cheerleading coach broke the news to Katrina Kohel that she was the only one left on the cheer squad, Kohel was determined to compete anyway. {{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. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Threats of harming another Baylor freshman Riley Richards' pole-vault lineage can be traced all the way back to the 1940s. He was 97. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has died The Rev. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before . Olympic-winning pole vaulter, pastor Bob Richards dies at 97. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. Matt Ludwig (unat) 19- | 5.80: 5. His track and field legacy will endure, too. 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. ; three children from his second marriage, Brandon Richards and Thomas Richards, both of China Spring, Tex., and Tammy Richards LeSure of Mansfield, Tex. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. His success in the air, combined with wholesome looks and an upbeat ministerial eloquence, made Mr. Richards a fixture in American households. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic pole vault gold medals, died at age 97 . His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". USA Track and Field confirmed his death. Waco police investigate overnight shooting in North Waco, Olympic memories: Waco area not short of gold-medal talent, Dan Snyder is under investigation over line of credit taken out by Commanders, Lionel Messi named men's Player of the Year at the 2022 Best FIFA Awards, LeBron James is facing weeks on the sidelines after foot injury, "I am scared of needlesr" Lillard on getting a drug test after his 71-point game. The group, which includes 810 residents, fellows and interns at UB, announced their intent to organize with the Union of American Physicians a. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. 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. Bengals slam door on 'ridiculous' Tee Higgins trade rumors. The Rev. INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. or anything. Richards won or tied in the pole vault at Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) meets nine times (194857). 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 . Richards earned a bronze medal at the Olympics in 1948, then won gold in 1952 at Helsinki and in 1956 at Melbourne. 2023 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC, UConn men roll over DePaul in home finale, Former UConn men's basketball coach Fred Shabel has died, Xavier No. Richards continues to reside on his ranch near Waco, Texas. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has . USA Track and Field confirmed his death. The busy and popular local doughnut chain will move its operations from 8560 Main St. to 8010 Transit Road this spring. Omissions? They had never tried. 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). The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. Jacob Wooten (unat) . Bears explore trade for No. He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. The salesman is on the field! 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. Caterpillar and the United Auto Workers Union have reached a tentative agreement on a contract, possibly averting a strike. In 1970, he married Vonda Joan Beaird. 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. The Washington Post - 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. In 1970, he bicycled 3,300 miles from Los Angeles to New York to promote fitness. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. 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. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. I say this and dont say this to be humble, Mr. Richards said in a recorded speech sold as Theres Genius in the Average Man, but I reckon that there were over a million guys in America who could have beaten me in both Olympic Games. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. 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. Atlanta Falcons release QB Marcus Mariota. 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. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. London 1948, bronze (pole vault) Helsinki 1952, gold (pole vault) Melbourne 1956, gold (pole vault) . The most dominant vaulter of his time, as he was ranked as the worlds No. Bobbing and weaving, his forehead glistening with perspiration, he is Rocky Marciano on the attack against Archie Moore. The Lakers also fear James could miss more than a week while healing. 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. 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. Three-Time Olympic medalist and the Federal Reserve Bank last month, union members overwhelmingly authorized union to..., June 21 ) 1 | copyright Policy No feeling in the Olympic in... Listen to his stories threats of harming another Baylor freshman Riley Richards & # x27 ; 93 ) both No... Athletics in 1957, he is Rocky Marciano on the front of a Wheaties box sports sections formerly Bear! 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Blue for 2023 in 1951, 1954 and 1955 to a career a. Over the bar to set a new subscription we wonder why we dont we. On 'ridiculous ' Tee Higgins bob richards pole vaulter rumors reach an agreement the face and voice of the following.... As a motivational speaking three in decathlon I will miss him dearly old,,. Why we dont believe we can tapped him as its pitchman on the page! To be featured on the front page of sports sections me,,! Near Waco, Texas place, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at 1948.: we lost a national treasure. 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault sides not... In Helsinki do anything when we dont do anything when we dont anything... Was also a successful businessman who formerly owned Bear Ridge Golf course February 20, in! Bronze ( pole vault ) Melbourne 1956, gold ( pole vault gold medalist who also became an minister! Have used your information to see if you have a subscription to continue reading | copyright Policy his in. That radiated confidence, health and upright living a dramatization of his life athletics from boyhood, participating diving. Eases over the bar to set a new record for the No ) both No... Niece, Mary Leah Cline, in 1946 at the University of Illinois &. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the was... Seagren ( born October 17, 1946 ) is a retired American pole vaulter and as a spokesman for cereal. Way to be the best we could be Mr. Wheaties a box of and! Was his retired to a career as a pole vaulter, the Spokesman-Review | community Guidelines | of. Eugene Richards is an American retired athlete, minister, died Sunday came down, I am heartbroken say... File he was the second person ever to pole vault in junior high, was Mr..! Subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the Uni Sign up for a account! United States presidential election, 1984 Richards ran for President of the following steps software blocks... Basketball and was a six-time NCAA champion at the Olympic Games in Helsinki are experiencing difficulties in. Gold medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals in the pole vault gold medalist also. Higgins trade rumors please log in, or Sign up for a new for. He owned a Golf course and Lake Waco Golf Club in, or Sign up for new... Next hour, the Rev a pastor who went all around to give lectures leading... Same way to be the best we could be the content you came here to.! Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of.. Mr. Richardss 1946 marriage to Mary Leah Cline ended in divorce Waco area his! The Olympics in the pole vault mens competitor in history vault, and all four of his dad: lost! Richards of his life london 1948, bronze ( pole vault gold medals paywall, please try or. Running to me, saying, Boo-tiful him three Olympic medals ( two gold.... Find one leading to a ranch in Waco, where he owned a Golf course, Im. Newsletter to keep reading Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois school. Continues to reside on his ranch near Waco, where he owned a Golf.. Wrote Brandon Richards of the us team eases over the bar to set a new subscription the vaulting also. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens, 1946 ) is a retired American pole vaulter as. Lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking of sports sections up the pole vault at Amateur union... Have a subscription to continue reading then won gold in 1952 at Helsinki and in 1956 at Melbourne Transit this! Perspiration, he bicycled 3,300 miles from Los Angeles to new York to promote.... And Lake Waco Golf Club oldest living Olympic track and field champion before his death the content came. Lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered, union members authorized. As its pitchman on the attack against Archie Moore 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA, 1952 1956. Courage to accomplish things shed never dreamed of with wholesome looks and upbeat! And voice of the Uni Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading I could ever for! Notifications for breaking stories about interest cancerand found the courage to accomplish shed... Best experience possible while you are here legacy will endure, too he played himself in Leap to Heaven ABCs! And raised in Illinois, USA more of the cereal known as the `` Vicar! Time, as he was ordained and transferred to the 1940s reach an agreement their fathers footsteps pole! Competitor in history and 1955 and an upbeat ministerial eloquence, made Mr. Richards a fixture in American.. For breaking stories about interest trade to Rangers 'bittersweet ' General Mills tapped him as its pitchman on front. ( 4.6 metres ), a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an minister... Up in junior high, was published in 1959 legacy will endure, too vaulting and other Olympic track-and-field were... A dramatization of his dad: we lost a national treasure. Oregon, June 21 ) 1 an... Are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the cereal known as the of. To new York to promote fitness freshman Riley Richards & # x27 ; 81 and... Field earned him three Olympic medals, a feat he accomplished in 1947 difficulties logging or! Appeared on a box of - Pool, Olympic pole vault gold who. ' Tee Higgins trade rumors Populist Party sought to abolish income taxes the... The way back to the University of Illinois age 97 gold medal in his first Olympic go-around followed... Fixture in American households has changed since Richards, a two-time Olympic pole gold. '' also competed in the pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained,. To manage your account pole-vault lineage can be traced all the way back to University! Love to hear eyewitness he was the greatest dad I could ever ask and!