Joe Dial ('81) and nephew Bruce Dial ('93) both ranked No. He was 97. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic pole vault gold medals, died at age 97 . Please use the button below to manage your account. Bob Richards of La Verne . Richards was the most successful pole vaulter in U.S. track and field history, in terms of Olympic success. Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. Hall Of Fame Member. Don't knowingly lie about anyone The salesman is on the field! Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. His eyes shut tightly, his hands knifing through the air, he carries the salesmen to successive peaks of grim determination, Sports Illustrated noted. Pole vaulter Rev. 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. person will not be tolerated. 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. 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. Bob Richards won more Olympic medals in the mens pole vault than any athlete in history, winning two gold medals and one bronze. The most dominant vaulter of his time, as he was ranked as the worlds No. 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 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! 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. And he was perfect on the Wheaties box: a muscular all American with a smile that radiated confidence, health and upright living. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. He graduated from high school in 1943, and in 1944 he enrolled at the Brethren affiliated Bridgewater College in Virginia. 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. 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. 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. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File. 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 . Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. 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. There is no feeling in the world that can match it, Richards said in 2016. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . Larry Keller. 1 in '79. His son Paul confirmed the death. Mr. Richardss 1946 marriage to Mary Leah Cline ended in divorce. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. They remain pole vault gold for all that take the time to listen to his stories. Bob Richards. Don't Threaten. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. Bob Richards. Mr. Richards is still the only Olympic pole vaulter to win two gold medals, but hes not the familys lone record holder. Anonymous - pool, Olympic World Photo 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. July 15, 2010. He was 97. "The theme for the next few days is clear: Hey Kevyn, the lonely eyes of Sabres fans are turned to you,"Mike Harrington writes. For 100 years, Wheaties has been a source of morning nutrition and . INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears will continue to field offers for the No. Actor: Cavalcade of America. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has died The Rev. 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. Matt Ludwig (unat) 19- | 5.80: 5. Richards served as a spokesman for General Mills from 1956 to 70. He was 97. 1 pick, commit to quarterback Justin Fields. Bob Richards: 15-1 . Richards excelled in basketball, where he was an All Mason/Dixon selection in 1945. . 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. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. When he turned 20, Mr. Richards was ordained in the Church of the Brethren. Jeff's good friend and old training partner, Brandon Richards had an 8th grade son that vaulted at the school that Jeff was coaching at. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. He played basketball. Mr. Richardss daughter said her father regretted running on the Populist Party ticket given the extremism that developed in the party.. Chris Nilsen (Nik) 19-4 | 5.90: t2. 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. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly.. Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Media in category "Bob Richards" The following 7 files are in this category, out of 7 total. A two-time Olympic champion, Richards was going 15 feet when fiberglass poles were . In 1958, Olympic pole vaulter Bob Richards became the first athlete to be featured on the front of a Wheaties box. He motivated millions of people to achieve their dreams through positive sports stories, Brandon wrote. 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. 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. 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 also appeared on a Wheaties box. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. 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.. 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. 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 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. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Packers await Rodgers' decision on future, cite potential contract restructuring. Brandon Richards said that his father gave over 25,000 motivational speeches to companies and organizations. 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. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. I bawled like a baby., In many ways, the Summer Olympics are the Halleys Comet of sporting events. 1 eight times in an . Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. 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. General Mills. Can you imagine going into a boxing ring thinking, Maybe Im not the greatest?. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Bob Richards waves to the crowd after winning the pole vault gold medal at 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 26, 1956. 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.. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. Bobbing and weaving, his forehead glistening with perspiration, he is Rocky Marciano on the attack against Archie Moore. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Although he mentioned religion, telling the salesmen that faith in God will translate into enthusiasm for life, the heart of Mr. Richardss motivational routine was telling stories of athletes who tried harder and trained longer to overcome insurmountable challenges, ultimately winning because they set seemingly impossible goals that they believed they could achieve. 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 Richards was born on February 20, 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. With the help of gynecologic oncology specialists at Providence, Amy beat cancerand found the courage to accomplish things shed never dreamed of. She died in 2019. 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 . 1. Bob Richards . He retired to a ranch in Waco, where he owned a golf course. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before . 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. 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. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. 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. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, Ravens hope to extend Lamar Jackson by Tuesday, but will consider options. She died in 2019. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. ; a brother; and 31 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. The last UAW strike against Caterpillar was in 1994 and lasted 18 months. Robert Eugene Richards is an American retired athlete, minister, and politician. He was 97. He also won decathlon championships in the 1951 and 195455 AAU meets. He was 97. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He was a six-time NCAA champion and won 20 national AAU titles, including 17 in the pole vault and three in decathlon. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. With the ministers help, Mr. Richards enrolled at Bridgewater College, a Brethren-affiliated school in Virginia, where he dominated collegiate pole vaulting. The year 1951 also saw Richards become just the second man in history to clear the 15-foot mark in the pole vault, which he accomplished at the Millrose Games, and subsequently . His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. 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. 0. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will not play Tuesday due to his recent right foot injury, the team announced. ALLEN EYESTONE/ THE PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK, By CHARLIE MELTON 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. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic gold medals for pole vaulting, died at 97 on Sunday. His father was a telephone lineman. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? Richards himself never vaulted more than 15 feet 6 inches. Story Links. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. 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. The versatile athlete known as the "Vaulting Vicar" also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. The No does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week lasted 18 months the No his... 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