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. Bob Richards was born on February 20, 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. 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 . 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. The Rev. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. Bob Richards. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. His father was a telephone lineman. I went over the crossbar by a foot. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Falcons released veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota, the team announced Tuesday. 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. Richards . INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Caterpillar and the United Auto Workers Union have reached a tentative agreement on a contract, possibly averting a strike. 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. With the ministers help, Mr. Richards enrolled at Bridgewater College, a Brethren-affiliated school in Virginia, where he dominated collegiate pole vaulting. Use the 'Report' link on 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 97. 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. degree in 1947. But pole vaulting, which he took up in junior high, was his obsession. 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. When he turned 20, Mr. Richards was ordained in the Church of the Brethren. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. Staff report. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. History of US Nationals Results: Pole Vault - Men. Olympic-winning pole vaulter, pastor Bob Richards dies at 97. Richards earned a bronze medal at the Olympics in 1948, then won gold in 1952 at Helsinki and in 1956 at Melbourne. Hes out there in the middle of the fight.. 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. 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, a two-time Olympic pole . His success in the air, combined with wholesome looks and an upbeat ministerial eloquence, made Mr. Richards a fixture in American households. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Atlanta Falcons release QB Marcus Mariota. 2021 (Eugene, Oregon, June 21) 1. 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. He fared much better in his next two Olympic appearances. Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy. After a difficult adolescence and the breakup of his home by divorce, he was reared by a minister in the Church of the Brethren. Matt Ludwig (unat) 19- | 5.80: 5. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Ill., the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. 0. I bawled like a baby., In many ways, the Summer Olympics are the Halleys Comet of sporting events. 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. In 1957, he played himself in Leap to Heaven on ABCs DuPont Cavalcade Theatre in a dramatization of his life. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before taking up the pole vault in junior high school. When I came down, I went running down the straightaway, and the Russians were running to me, saying, Boo-tiful! The UAW made an announcement on its website. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. You have permission to edit this article. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic pole vault gold medals, died at age 97 . News > Nation/World Bob Richards, pole vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes, dies at 97. He motivated millions of people to achieve their dreams through positive sports stories, Brandon wrote. Bob Richards is a remarkable human being. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois family lost one of its most decorated athletes with the passing of Bob Richards on Sunday, February 26, 2023. The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. Most of us say, Im the worst. He won the Helms Foundation Trophy and James E. Sullivan Award in 1951 as the outstanding amateur athlete in America. In his day, he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in history. 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. She died in 2019. Bengals slam door on 'ridiculous' Tee Higgins trade rumors. 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. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. Threats of harming another 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. ALLEN EYESTONE/ THE PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK, By CHARLIE MELTON INDIANAPOLIS (AP)Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. You have permission to edit this article. He was 97. 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.". His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. 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. A Facebook post by his son Brandon said that Richards "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". INDIANAPOLIS, March 1 (UPI) -- An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for Georgia football star Jalen Carter, a top NFL Draft prospect, for his alleged involvement in a fatal January car crash, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department said. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. Robert Eugene Richards is an American retired athlete, minister, and politician. Bob Richards Track and Field. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. Bob Richards. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. Waco's 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. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. Robert Eugene Richards (February 20, 1926 - February 26, 2023) was an American athlete, minister, and politician. Corrections? . 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. 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 . Bob Richards of La Verne . Bob Richards waves to the crowd after winning the pole vault gold medal at 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 26, 1956. He was also a successful businessman who formerly owned Bear Ridge Golf Course and Lake Waco Golf Club. "I saw it more as a mission than a job," says Richards, who was the General Mills cereal's . Don't knowingly lie about anyone Be Nice. 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. Chris Nilsen (Nik) 19-4 | 5.90: t2. A native of Pomona, California, Seagren was one of the world's top pole vaulters in the late 1960s and early 1970s. You have permission to edit this article. There is no feeling in the world that can match it, Richards said in 2016. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? They had never tried. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File He was 97. 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.. T. HE POLE VAULT -- the most technologically advanced, adventure-filled event in track and field -- represents all the innocence, bravado, and magic of childhood. USA Track . We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Updates? The group, which includes 810 residents, fellows and interns at UB, announced their intent to organize with the Union of American Physicians a. Article. 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. 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 . racist or sexually-oriented language. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. Feb. 20, 1926 - Feb. 26, 2023. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. Richards was born and raised in Illinois, but moved to the Waco area after his athletic career ended. He was 97. 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. 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. 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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 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. They had never gotten on a track. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. Time skulks along slowly between the arrival of each Olympics, an. Bears explore trade for No. Upload media . From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. Be Proactive. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears will continue to field offers for the No. 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. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Last month, union members overwhelmingly authorized union leadership to call a strike if the two sides could not reach an agreement. 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. RICHARDS, Robert Eugene ("Bob") (b. Lakers concerned injured LeBron James may miss more than a week. Robert Seagren (born October 17, 1946) is a retired American pole vaulter, the 1968 Olympic champion . Please use the button below to manage your account. He taught sociology at the University of Illinois in the late 1940s and later was a member of the faculty of La Verne College (California; now University of La Verne) as well as holding pulpits in the Church of the Brethren. Omissions? Richards competed at the 1948, '52 and '56 Olympics in the pole vault. The versatile athlete known as the "Vaulting Vicar" also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. 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. ), Mr. Richards started but didnt complete a doctorate in philosophy. Bobbing and weaving, his forehead glistening with perspiration, he is Rocky Marciano on the attack against Archie Moore. 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. 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. Please subscribe to keep reading. Carmel man on meth, weapons charges, Start-over is in the works for Mount Carmel City Pool fix plans, Richland Co. assessment multiplier issued. The Lakers also fear James could miss more than a week while healing. 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. Then, for the next hour, the floor was his. 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 built a pit in his backyard, jumping over a crossbar set between a tree limb and phone pole. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. You can cancel at any time. He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. Its the climax of all your dreams. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. article ul li { list-style: disc; padding: 5px 0; } Richards' exploits in track and field earned him three Olympic medals, a record, and 20 national titles. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Bengals don't plan to trade wide receiver Tee Higgins and consider the notion "ridiculous," director of player personnel Duke Tobin said Tuesday in Indianapolis. KC Lightfoot (Bay) 19-2 | 5.85: 4. And he was perfect on the Wheaties box: a muscular all American with a smile that radiated confidence, health and upright living. He became an ordained minister and preached at churches and gatherings all over the world, earning the monikers the Vaulting Vicar and the Pole Vaulting Pastor. Richards became a popular and prolific public speaker who gave more than 25,000 speeches to businesses and organizations worldwide, Brandon said. His father was a telephone lineman. Bob Richards, two time Olympic Gold Medalist in the pole vault, moved to Waco and the vision became a reality. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Actor: Cavalcade of America. Can you imagine going into a boxing ring thinking, Maybe Im not the greatest?. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. A year later, General Mills tapped him as its pitchman on the front of Wheaties cereal boxes and in television commercials. His father worked as a telephone lineman, and his mother was a homemaker. Bob Richards: 15-1 . Keep it Clean. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. How close is Florida's Trinity Thomas to the NCAA's perfect 10 record? 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