News > Nation/World Bob Richards, pole vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes, dies at 97. 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 is a remarkable human being. 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. INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. 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. Bob Richards was born on February 20, 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. ", Olympic pole vault champ Richards dies at 97, Companies charged in Tokyo Olympic bid-rigging, Serbia grabs last spot in Basketball World Cup, Olsen earns WC slalom win after Ginnis DQ'd, US Olympic Sailing Team executive director quits. He had become a Brethren minister in 1946 and in 1948 received his M.A. The Buffalo Sabres' mostly injury-free season at forward took a decidedly darker turn Saturday night when the club placed top-line right winge. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. Richards competed at the 1948, '52 . He won the Helms Foundation Trophy and James E. Sullivan Award in 1951 as the outstanding amateur athlete in America. 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.. Please subscribe to keep reading. The next year, he competed with the U.S. Olympic team in London, winning a bronze medal. 1 vaulter for eight consecutive years. 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. He was 97. When I came down, I went running down the straightaway, and the Russians were running to me, saying, Boo-tiful! Boo-tiful! This big Russian picked me up and gave me a hug, and that photo was seen all over the world.. His father was a telephone lineman. His track and field legacy will endure, too. Centex baseball preview: What's old, new, borrowed and blue for 2023? Thank you for reading! Much has changed since Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vaulting champion, was Mr. Wheaties. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. I was lucky to even place, Richards told the Tribune-Herald in a 2016 interview. {{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. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. Be Truthful. And the bigger your challenge, the bigger you become as a person. Bears explore trade for 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. 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. But he escaped the street life into religion and athletics. He played basketball. Pole vault. Lakers concerned injured LeBron James may miss more than a week. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bob-Richards, The Olympic Movement - Biography of Robert Richards. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Falcons released veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota, the team announced Tuesday. The Lakers also fear James could miss more than a week while healing. that is degrading to another person. 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. 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. I bawled like a baby., In many ways, the Summer Olympics are the Halleys Comet of sporting events. Ex-Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane calls trade to Rangers 'bittersweet'. The Populist Party sought to abolish income taxes and the Federal Reserve Bank. So did his grandson Riley, who won two state championships for China Spring High School before going on to compete at Baylor. Can you imagine going into a boxing ring thinking, Maybe Im not the greatest?. The most colorful pole-vaulter . 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. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. He was the second person ever to pole vault over 15 feet (4.6 metres), a feat he accomplished in 1947. Class Of 1983, Olympian. Upload media . 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 gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only male two-time champion in the event in Olympic history. He also appeared on a Wheaties box. 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. Jacob Wooten (unat) . Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. February 28, 2023 at 11:15 a.m. EST. 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. A Facebook post . 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. ET. Hospital food is a punchline. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. He received the James E. Sullivan award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete. He retired to a ranch in Waco, where he owned a golf course. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. His daughter Tammy Richards LeSure confirmed the death but did not cite a specific cause. 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 . She died in 2019. ALLEN EYESTONE/ THE PALM BEACH POST / USA TODAY NETWORK, By CHARLIE MELTON The last UAW strike against Caterpillar was in 1994 and lasted 18 months. March 1, 2023 In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. 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. Growing up, he excelled in sports. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. 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. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File 1 pole vaulter, Geno Auriemma gives bleak assessment as UConn womens basketball looks to find footing in March: 'Poorly coached team. She died in 2019. Its the climax of all your dreams. Bob Richards waves to the crowd after winning the pole vault gold medal at 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 26, 1956. A year later, General Mills tapped him as its pitchman on the front of Wheaties cereal boxes and in television commercials. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. He is Bart Starr on third down., Mr. Richards told them, I want to set you on fire; I want to get you to go, to act. And: Youve got to go through that line, youve got to figure out ways to beat the opposition. Corrections? 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. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic gold medals for pole vaulting, died at 97 on Sunday. 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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. We'd love to hear eyewitness 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. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. [1952] Was the Gold Medalist in Pole Vault at the Pan American Games in Mexico City. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears will continue to field offers for the No. 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. But from 1947 to 1957, he dominated national and international competitions by clearing 15 feet more than 125 times. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. March 1 (UPI) -- Veteran winger Patrick Kane says it was "bittersweet" to learn he was traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the New York Rangers, but the move puts him in a "better spot" for a fourth championship. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. Richards excelled in basketball, where he was an All Mason/Dixon selection in 1945. . He was 97. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the . Richards earned a bronze medal at the Olympics in 1948, then won gold in 1952 at Helsinki and in 1956 at Melbourne. ; a brother; and 31 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 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 also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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 . INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. 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. 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. Mr. Richards purchased a 300 acre ranch on the Brazos River in Waco, known as the Crossbar Ranch. He was 97. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? To this day, Richards three Olympic medals (two gold, one bronze) are more than any other mens competitor in history. Bob Richards 1951.jpg 455 731; 156 KB. They had never gotten on a track. After a difficult adolescence and the breakup of his home by divorce, he was reared by a minister in the Church of the Brethren. 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. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Former NFL star cornerback Irv Cross, who died in 2021, was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Boston University researchers said Tuesday. 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. But pole vaulting, which he took up in junior high, was his obsession. 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. He fared much better in his next two Olympic appearances. 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. Richards was the . He is an actor, . The Rev. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. His eyes shut tightly, his hands knifing through the air, he carries the salesmen to successive peaks of grim determination, Sports Illustrated noted. Richards also became involved in politics, and he was the Populist Partys presidential candidate in the 1984 election; he received approximately 66,000 votes. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has died The Rev. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. 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. "He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be," Brandon Richards said. Hall Of Fame Member. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. ', '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. 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. 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 for eight consecutive years. 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. 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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. 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. Richards served as a spokesman for General Mills from 1956 to 70. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . He had been a pastor in California only briefly, but the dual image of minister and champion athlete was irresistible on the speaking circuit. Former Wheaties Spokesman Said to Back Racist Party. 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. You have permission to edit this article. T. HE POLE VAULT -- the most technologically advanced, adventure-filled event in track and field -- represents all the innocence, bravado, and magic of childhood. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? A Facebook post by his son Brandon said that Richards "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. Feb. 27, 2023 Updated 2:44 p.m. from Illinois. accounts, the history behind an article. He started at quarterback for his high school football team. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. Story Links. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. They remain pole vault gold for all that take the time to listen to his stories. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the Olympics pole vault. When he turned 20, Mr. Richards was ordained in the Church of the Brethren. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. He got into some typical teenage troubles in high school, but was set straight by a minister of the Church of the Brethren. 1 in '79. He built a pit in his backyard, jumping over a crossbar set between a tree limb and phone pole. American pole vaulter Bob Richards won the bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in London in 1948. 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 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. Feb 27 (Reuters) - Double Olympic pole vault champion Bob Richards died on Sunday aged 97, his family said on Facebook. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. 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. person will not be tolerated. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy. Richards also competed as a decathlete in the 1956 Olympics. I cant do anything. Arrest warrant issued for NFL prospect Jalen Carter on reckless driving, racing charges. You can cancel at any time. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-round, followed by back-to-back gold medals. 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. Richards was born and raised in Illinois, but moved to the Waco area after his athletic career ended. "He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly.". In his day, he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in history. 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. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. 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. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. His grandfather, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1948 games in London -- the same place the . Photo from Wikimedia Commons, Ravens hope to extend Lamar Jackson by Tuesday, but will consider options. Richards became the face and voice of the cereal known as the Breakfast of Champions.. 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! Your capacity is only discovered, ladies and gentlemen, in challenge. The salesman is on the field! Packers await Rodgers' decision on future, cite potential contract restructuring. American athletics competitor, pole vaulter. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. 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. Richards competed at the 1948, '52 and '56 Olympics in the pole vault. [1] He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only . In between pole vaulting competitions, he taught at LaVerne College, a Brethren-affiliated school in Southern California. Richards did it for schools in 2 statesas a junior in Texas, then as a senior in California) All in the family: 4 great pairs are represented here, topped by Mondo and his father Greg, who ranked twice, including a No. RICHARDS, Robert Eugene ("Bob") (b. 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. 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