He had become a Brethren minister in 1946 and in 1948 received his M.A. Updates? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. He was 97. 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 competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. Class Of 1983, Olympian. Took 1st Place and Gold Medal in Pole Vault at the Olympic Games in Helsinki. Richards was born and raised in Illinois, but moved to the Waco area after his athletic career ended. He played basketball. Some clouds. ALLEN EYESTONE/ THE PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK, By CHARLIE MELTON Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. 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. Omissions? Boo-tiful! This big Russian picked me up and gave me a hug, and that photo was seen all over the world.. 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. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . 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. It sounds cornball, but when you finally realize that dream and you walk up that podium and The Star-Spangled Banner plays, Im telling you, the tears just start flowing. 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 competed in the 1948 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter and as a decathlete in 1956. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. March 1, 2023 Updated Wed., March 1, 2023 at 11:18 a.m.. Bob Richards was featured on a Wheaties box in the . Robert Eugene Richards is an American retired athlete, minister, and politician. 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. The Populist Party sought to abolish income taxes and the Federal Reserve Bank. Robert E. "Bob" Richards came to Bridgewater in 1944 and was a two-sport athlete. 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.. Bob Richards. [1952] Was the Gold Medalist in Pole Vault at the Pan American Games in Mexico City. Bob Richards 2.jpg 801 1,000; 128 KB. It was the greatest jump of my life, Richards said. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. 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. After a difficult adolescence and the breakup of his home by divorce, he was reared by a minister in the Church of the Brethren. 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. News > Nation/World Bob Richards, pole vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes, dies at 97. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He fared much better in his next two Olympic appearances. 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 . The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. The versatile athlete known as the "Vaulting Vicar" also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. 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. from Illinois. Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy. His grandfather, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1948 games in London -- the same place the . Larry Keller. 1 pick, commit to quarterback Justin Fields. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly. 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 became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. 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. A Facebook post by his son Brandon said that Richards "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". Your capacity is only discovered, ladies and gentlemen, in challenge. Richards' exploits in track and field earned him three Olympic medals, a record, and 20 national titles. There is no feeling in the world that can match it, Richards said in 2016. 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. 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. 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. Hes out there in the middle of the fight.. Use the 'Report' link on Low near 40F. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. or anything. 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. He dove. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. Travis Scott caught on camera howling Back the f*** up at DJ before alleged nightclub assault, Jimmy Kimmel: Im fighting to lose weight before Oscars because I looked like a homemade sausage!, Olivia Wilde ready to date again after Harry Styles split but only with amazing guy, Drug task force arrests Mt. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before . He had been a pastor in California only briefly, but the dual image of minister and champion athlete was irresistible on the speaking circuit. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. A Facebook post . Wacos Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic gold medals in pole vaulting, died Sunday at age 97, his son Brandon confirmed in a social media post. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. 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. ), Mr. Richards started but didnt complete a doctorate in philosophy. Thank you for reading! Corrections? Richards himself never vaulted more than 15 feet 6 inches. His daughter Tammy Richards LeSure confirmed the death but did not cite a specific cause. Bob Richards 1951 (cropped).jpg 345 503; 81 KB. Bob Richards was born on 20 February 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. His image was on Wheaties boxes from 1958 to 1970, and from 1958 to 1972 he was a ubiquitous presence on television and radio and made numerous national tours, speaking to school and community groups, presenting awards at athletic banquets and generating torrents of publicity. Share with Us. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Falcons released veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota, the team announced Tuesday. Bob Richards waves to the crowd after winning the pole vault gold medal at 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 26, 1956. To feel that youve got it? Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . [1955] Bobbing and weaving, his forehead glistening with perspiration, he is Rocky Marciano on the attack against Archie Moore. He started at quarterback for his high school football team. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. 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. They had never tried. In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. Can you imagine going into a boxing ring thinking, Maybe Im not the greatest?. that is degrading to another person. 1 pole vaulter. 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 theme for the next few days is clear: Hey Kevyn, the lonely eyes of Sabres fans are turned to you,"Mike Harrington writes. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. He was 97. "I saw it more as a mission than a job," says Richards, who was the General Mills cereal's . Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. He also was the oldest living Olympic track and field champion before his death. Richards was the most successful pole vaulter in U.S. track and field history, in terms of Olympic success. Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has . But they didnt believe they could win the Olympics. Some clouds. 2-time Olympic pole vault champion Bob Richards dies at 97, Wizards show plenty of heart early but cant find an edge late in Chicago. 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. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. ET. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. A native of Pomona, California, Seagren was one of the world's top pole vaulters in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. 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. Lakers concerned injured LeBron James may miss more than a week. He married the college presidents niece, Mary Leah Cline, in 1946. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois family lost one of its most decorated athletes with the passing of Bob Richards on Sunday, February 26, 2023. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? General Mills. Family, friends and pole vault community, I am heartbroken to say that my . A Facebook post by his son Brandon said that Richards "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones." One recent night, Sports Illustrated wrote in 1968, Mr. Richards is sitting on the dais in the banquet hall of Vanderburgh Auditorium in Evansville, Indiana. 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. Then, for the next hour, the floor was his. He was the second person ever to pole vault over 15 feet (4.6 metres), a feat he accomplished in 1947. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Sportswriters called him "the Vaulting Vicar" because he was an ordained minister. Party sought to abolish income taxes and the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame 1983! Information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not a. Also was the most successful pole vaulter and as a decathlete in 1956 the.... The floor was his youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article media post that his always... 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