In between pole vaulting competitions, he taught at LaVerne College, a Brethren-affiliated school in Southern California. He also won decathlon championships in the 1951 and 195455 AAU meets. Richards earned a bronze medal at the Olympics in 1948, then won gold in 1952 at Helsinki and in 1956 at Melbourne. Mr. Richards is still the only Olympic pole vaulter to win two gold medals, but hes not the familys lone record holder. 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. 1 pole vaulter, Geno Auriemma gives bleak assessment as UConn womens basketball looks to find footing in March: 'Poorly coached team. 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. 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. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. Please subscribe to keep reading. The third of five children, Robert Eugene Richards was born in Champaign, Ill., on Feb. 20, 1926. 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 . 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. 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. 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. In his day, he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in history. 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! "I saw it more as a mission than a job," says Richards, who was the General Mills cereal's . 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 most dominant vaulter of his time, as he was ranked as the worlds No. Feb. 27, 2023 Updated 2:44 p.m. Richards also became involved in politics, and he was the Populist Partys presidential candidate in the 1984 election; he received approximately 66,000 votes. He was 97. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. Boo-tiful! This big Russian picked me up and gave me a hug, and that photo was seen all over the world.. After a difficult adolescence and the breakup of his home by divorce, he was reared by a minister in the Church of the Brethren. 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. 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. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. American pole vaulter Bob Richards won the bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in London in 1948. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. Ex-NFL star Irv Cross, who died in 2021, diagnosed with CTE. 1 in final CT wrestling poll for second straight year, 2023 NHC Boys Hockey Tournament Schedule / Scoreboard, Girls ice hockey top performances from conference tournaments, GameTimeCT Top 10 Girls Basketball Poll (March 1), CIAC boys basketball tournament scoreboard and schedule, UConn men kick off March with last home game of season vs. DePaul, CT native named Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Coordinator, Latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Boys Hockey Poll, son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father, release he held the ranking as the No. He competed in the 1948 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter and as a decathlete in 1956. Updates? 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. The most colorful pole-vaulter . "He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly.". From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. 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. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic pole vault gold medals, died at age 97 . 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. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly. Richards competed at the 1948, '52 . 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. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. (The first was Cornelius Dutch Warmerdam. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. Bob Richards, a two-time . London 1948, bronze (pole vault) Helsinki 1952, gold (pole vault) Melbourne 1956, gold (pole vault) . 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. 1 in '79. In 1957, he played himself in Leap to Heaven on ABCs DuPont Cavalcade Theatre in a dramatization of his life. He was also a football quarterback in high school. Mr. Richardss daughter said her father regretted running on the Populist Party ticket given the extremism that developed in the party.. Bob Richards waves to the crowd after winning the pole vault gold medal at 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 26, 1956. The group, which includes 810 residents, fellows and interns at UB, announced their intent to organize with the Union of American Physicians a. He won six National AAU and four NCAA titles indoors and outdoors. In the same period he also won eight indoor championships. 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. 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. Richards retired from athletics in 1957 and became a spokesman for Wheaties cereal. 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 became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaker. Robert Eugene 'Bob' Richards nicknamed the Vaulting Vicar or the Pole Vaulting Parson in his competitive days was a versatile athlete who made three US Olympic Teams in two events. Family, friends and pole vault community, I am heartbroken to say that my . 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. USA Track . 1 overall pick in the 2023 and are committed to quarterback Justin Fields next season, general manager Ryan Poles told reporters Tuesday in Indianapolis. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. 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. 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. 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. Atlanta Falcons release QB Marcus Mariota. degree in 1947. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, Ravens hope to extend Lamar Jackson by Tuesday, but will consider options. 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. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. News > Nation/World Bob Richards, pole vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes, dies at 97. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. Feb. 20, 1926 - Feb. 26, 2023. Pole vaulter Bob Richards passes away. 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 UAW made an announcement on its website. He received the James E. Sullivan award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. 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. 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. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. The last UAW strike against Caterpillar was in 1994 and lasted 18 months. Bobbing and weaving, his forehead glistening with perspiration, he is Rocky Marciano on the attack against Archie Moore. Mr. Richardss 1946 marriage to Mary Leah Cline ended in divorce. 1 pole vaulter. ; three children from his second marriage, Brandon Richards and Thomas Richards, both of China Spring, Tex., and Tammy Richards LeSure of Mansfield, Tex. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. RICHARDS, Robert Eugene ("Bob") (b. 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.. 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.. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? In the United States presidential election, 1984 Richards ran for President of the Uni 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. Bob Richards was born on 20 February 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. [1955] Class Of 1983, Olympian. 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. He was a three-time Olympic medalist and the first person to ever win two gold medals in the pole vault. 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. His son, Brandon, w Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. He married the college presidents niece, Mary Leah Cline, in 1946. With the help of gynecologic oncology specialists at Providence, Amy beat cancerand found the courage to accomplish things shed never dreamed of. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. 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. 2023 University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. 2021 (Eugene, Oregon, June 21) 1. Matt Ludwig (unat) 19- | 5.80: 5. Growing up, he excelled in sports. The busy and popular local doughnut chain will move its operations from 8560 Main St. to 8010 Transit Road this spring. 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. Arrest warrant issued for NFL prospect Jalen Carter on reckless driving, racing charges. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. In a matter of minutes he has the Evansville salesmen in his grip. Some clouds. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He was the second person ever to pole vault over 15 feet (4.6 metres), a feat he accomplished in 1947. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The Lakers also fear James could miss more than a week while healing. Even Richards son Brandon, as a teenager using a fiberglass pole in 1985, vaulted 18 feet 2 inches, which was then a national record for a high schooler and stood for 14 years. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. [1] He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only . 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 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. His son Paul confirmed the death. 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 eyes shut tightly, his hands knifing through the air, he carries the salesmen to successive peaks of grim determination, Sports Illustrated noted. He built a pit in his backyard, jumping over a crossbar set between a tree limb and phone pole. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Former NFL star cornerback Irv Cross, who died in 2021, was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Boston University researchers said Tuesday. 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. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . USA Track and Field confirmed his death. 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