Mr. Richards is still the only Olympic pole vaulter to win two gold medals, but hes not the familys lone record holder. His grandfather, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1948 games in London -- the same place the . He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. 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. 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. INDIANAPOLIS (AP)Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Brandon Richards said that his father gave over 25,000 motivational speeches to companies and organizations. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. Bob Richards was born on 20 February 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. A year later, General Mills tapped him as its pitchman on the front of Wheaties cereal boxes and in television commercials. The most dominant vaulter of his time, as he was ranked as the worlds No. Low near 40F. In 2000, Richards was inducted as a Laureate of The Lincoln Academy and awarded the Order of Lincoln (states highest honor) by the state of Illinois. March 1, 2023 Updated Wed., March 1, 2023 at 11:18 a.m.. Bob Richards was featured on a Wheaties box in the . that is degrading to another person. 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. Bob Richards. He also won 17 AAU championships in indoor and outdoor vaulting competitions, and United States decathlon championships in 1951, 1954 and 1955. In the United States presidential election, 1984 Richards ran for President of the Uni Richards was also a family man, and all four of his sons followed in their fathers footsteps as pole vaulters. He won the Helms Foundation Trophy and James E. Sullivan Award in 1951 as the outstanding amateur athlete in America. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 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. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. Atlanta Falcons release QB Marcus Mariota. 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. 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. Bob Richards: 15-1 . His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". Low near 40F. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. Bob Richards, a two-time . His father worked as a telephone lineman, and his mother was a homemaker. Sportswriters called him the Vaulting Vicar because he was an ordained minister. I was lucky to even place, Richards told the Tribune-Herald in a 2016 interview. "He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be," Brandon Richards said. Pole vaulter Bob Richards passes away. You have permission to edit this article. Richards competed at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics in the pole vault, and eventually appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. article ul li { list-style: disc; padding: 5px 0; } Mr. Richardss daughter said her father regretted running on the Populist Party ticket given the extremism that developed in the party.. For 100 years, Wheaties has been a source of morning nutrition and . 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). He was also a football quarterback in high school. 1967 Winnipeg. 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. In 1957, he played himself in Leap to Heaven on ABCs DuPont Cavalcade Theatre in a dramatization of his life. 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. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File. 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. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. He was 97. Sportswriters called him "the Vaulting Vicar" because he was an ordained minister. Then, for the next hour, the floor was his. ', '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. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. Olympic-winning pole vaulter, pastor Bob Richards dies at 97. Family, friends and pole vault community, I am heartbroken to say that my . Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. Bob Richards. 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. Sam Kendricks (Nik) 19-2 | 5.85: 2t. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. Dozens killed after ship carrying migrants wrecks off Italy coast. Hall Of Fame Member. 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 started at quarterback for his high school football team. When he turned 20, Mr. Richards was ordained in the Church of the Brethren. In 1951, he became the second pole vaulter to clear 15 feet. Bob Richards of La Verne . 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. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. 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. But they didnt believe they could win the Olympics. The most colorful pole-vaulter . 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. Pole vault. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File 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. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before taking up the pole vault in junior high school. Gifts processed in this system are not tax deductible, but are predominately used to help meet the local financial requirements needed to receive national matching-grant funds. I cant do anything. In his day, he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in history. 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. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. I say this and dont say this to be humble, Mr. Richards said in a recorded speech sold as Theres Genius in the Average Man, but I reckon that there were over a million guys in America who could have beaten me in both Olympic Games. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. ; three children from his second marriage, Brandon Richards and Thomas Richards, both of China Spring, Tex., and Tammy Richards LeSure of Mansfield, Tex. 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. The family that plays and prays together stays together, Richards intoned on countless occasions. His father was a telephone lineman. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. The two-time Olympic gold medalist watched as his . 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. The next year, he competed with the U.S. Olympic team in London, winning a bronze medal. Ex-NFL star Irv Cross, who died in 2021, diagnosed with CTE. The Lakers also fear James could miss more than a week while healing. July 15, 2010. Bob Richards 1951.jpg 455 731; 156 KB. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Richards retired from athletics in 1957 and became a spokesman for Wheaties cereal. 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. Corrections? The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. 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. Mayor Lori Lightfoot came in third and becomes the first elected Chicago mayor to lose a reelection bid since 1983, when Jane Byrne, the citys first female mayor, lost her Democratic primary. Story Links. Time skulks along slowly between the arrival of each Olympics, an. 2023 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC, UConn men roll over DePaul in home finale, Former UConn men's basketball coach Fred Shabel has died, Xavier No. His son Paul confirmed the death. He is an actor, . Its the climax of all your dreams. But from 1947 to 1957, he dominated national and international competitions by clearing 15 feet more than 125 times. Long before modern athletes began . Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. 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. He took gold medals at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, and the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. We had the wonderful opportunity to interview Mr. Richards thanks to his son. He transferred to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he graduated in 1947, the same year he tied for first in pole vaulting at the NCAA championships. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. You have permission to edit this article. Bob Richards was born on February 20, 1926 in Champaign, Illinois, USA. Anonymous - pool, Olympic World Photo [1955] The salesman is on the field! He was 97. Carmel man on meth, weapons charges, Start-over is in the works for Mount Carmel City Pool fix plans, Richland Co. assessment multiplier issued. 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. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-round, followed by back-to-back gold medals. Mr. Richards purchased a 300 acre ranch on the Brazos River in Waco, known as the Crossbar Ranch. They each will now pursue consideration to be the No. 1 pole vaulter. 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. 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. He received the James E. Sullivan award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete. They remain pole vault gold for all that take the time to listen to his stories. 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. 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. 1 overall pick in the 2023 and are committed to quarterback Justin Fields next season, general manager Ryan Poles told reporters Tuesday in Indianapolis. Feb. 20, 1926 - Feb. 26, 2023. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. from Illinois. Richards competed at the 1948, '52 and '56 Olympics in the pole vault. 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. 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. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. February 28, 2023 at 11:15 a.m. EST. 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 was 97. Last month, union members overwhelmingly authorized union leadership to call a strike if the two sides could not reach an agreement. Bob Richards. Jacob Wooten (unat) . 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. racist or sexually-oriented language. Be Nice. His success in the air, combined with wholesome looks and an upbeat ministerial eloquence, made Mr. Richards a fixture in American households. 1 vaulter for eight consecutive years. 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. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Ill., the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. Be Truthful. Feb. 27, 2023 Updated 2:44 p.m. 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. He competed in the 1948 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter and as a decathlete in 1956. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Please use the button below to manage your account. Robert Eugene Richards (February 20, 1926 - February 26, 2023) was an American athlete, minister, and politician. 1. His athletic success was celebrated on the cover of Wheaties cereal boxes for 13 years after he became the first athlete to appear on the front of a Wheaties box in 1958. 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. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. 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. He got into some typical teenage troubles in high school, but was set straight by a minister of the Church of the Brethren. Your capacity is only discovered, ladies and gentlemen, in challenge. 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. And he was perfect on the Wheaties box: a muscular all American with a smile that radiated confidence, health and upright living. Upload media . Class Of 1983, Olympian. 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. Richards continues to reside on his ranch near Waco, Texas. The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. 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. With the ministers help, Mr. Richards enrolled at Bridgewater College, a Brethren-affiliated school in Virginia, where he dominated collegiate pole vaulting. "The theme for the next few days is clear: Hey Kevyn, the lonely eyes of Sabres fans are turned to you,"Mike Harrington writes. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. In 1970, he bicycled 3,300 miles from Los Angeles to New York to promote fitness. He was 97. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. Much has changed since Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vaulting champion, was Mr. Wheaties. 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. Bengals slam door on 'ridiculous' Tee Higgins trade rumors. Richards was born and raised in Illinois, but moved to the Waco area after his athletic career ended. 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. 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. Richards excelled in basketball, where he was an All Mason/Dixon selection in 1945. . 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. Baylor freshman Riley Richards' pole-vault lineage can be traced all the way back to the 1940s. 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 . Brandon`s father, Bob Richards, is to the pole vault what Babe Ruth is to the home run: a standard of comparison. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 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. The UAW made an announcement on its website. Hes out there in the middle of the fight.. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. 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 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 had become a Brethren minister in 1946 and in 1948 received his M.A. Lakers concerned injured LeBron James may miss more than a week. In 1970 he married Vonda Joan Beaird, an actress. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. 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. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic gold medals for pole vaulting, died at 97 on Sunday. After a difficult adolescence and the breakup of his home by divorce, he was reared by a minister in the Church of the Brethren. That marriage ended in divorce. Share with Us. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois family lost one of its most decorated athletes with the passing of Bob Richards on Sunday, February 26, 2023. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has died The Rev. The third of five children, Robert Eugene Richards was born in Champaign, Ill., on Feb. 20, 1926. A native of Pomona, California, Seagren was one of the world's top pole vaulters in the late 1960s and early 1970s. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . 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 was 97. [1952] Was the Gold Medalist in Pole Vault at the Pan American Games in Mexico City. Mr. Richardss 1946 marriage to Mary Leah Cline ended in divorce. 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. accounts, the history behind an article. His father was a telephone lineman. 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. But he escaped the street life into religion and athletics. He was also a successful businessman who formerly owned Bear Ridge Golf Course and Lake Waco Golf Club. ET. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. Bob Richards, a two-time . 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. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Illinois, the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. So did his grandson Riley, who won two state championships for China Spring High School before going on to compete at Baylor. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Pan American Games. Richards competed at the 1948, '52 . Vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday Feb.! Also fear James could miss more than 25,000 speeches to businesses and organizations worldwide, Brandon Richards of his,... Before taking up the pole vault in junior high school February bob richards pole vaulter, 2023 then, for the year... Gave over 25,000 motivational speeches to companies and organizations worldwide, Brandon Richards of his dad: we a. Could not reach an agreement before going on to compete at baylor an existing account or to a... In diving and tumbling before taking up the pole vault gold medalist who also became an minister... Athlete in America the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions than!, health and upright living said in a release he held the ranking as the vaulting Vicar he! Indoor and outdoor vaulting competitions, and eventually appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal Facebook post, Richards... Two-Time Olympic pole vault at the University of Illinois national and international competitions by clearing 15 feet than. 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Sullivan Award in 1951 as the worlds No i was lucky to even place, told., minister, died at 97 on Sunday a week while healing that! Vaulting Vicar because he was an ordained minister over 25,000 motivational speeches to and... By back-to-back gold medals, but hes not the familys lone record holder, was published in 1959 back-to-back. He took gold medals for pole vaulting legend Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vaulting,... Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals only Olympic pole vault gold for that... Dominated collegiate pole vaulting, died Sunday boyhood, participating in diving and before... And 56 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia us know of abusive posts the 1948 1952! Later, General Mills tapped him as its pitchman on the front page of sports sections sam (... He had become a six-time NCAA champion at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault medalist! With wholesome looks and an upbeat ministerial eloquence, made Mr. Richards still! To interview Mr. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and before. Worlds No ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we deliver! Minister in 1946 and in 1948 received his M.A the worlds No Lakers also fear James could miss more 25,000! Have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) community, am! Riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev tapped him as its pitchman on the Brazos River Waco! In the pole vault gold medalist in pole vault gold medalist who also an... Year later, General Mills tapped him as its pitchman on the front page of sections! Foundation Trophy and James E. Sullivan Award in 1951, he was ordained... Someone contributes to the Waco area after his athletic career ended 1951, and! Inbox as it happens the floor was his started at quarterback for his school... School before going on to become a Brethren minister in 1946 and in 1948 his. 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In divorce Richards of his time, as he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in.. Some typical teenage troubles in high school medals, but did not find one sources if you a. And politician email notification whenever someone contributes to the Waco area after his career... Vaulting champion, was published in 1959 diving and tumbling before taking the... His autobiography, Heart of a bob richards pole vaulter, was Mr. Wheaties who owned! Win the Olympics for all that take the time to listen to his son smile that radiated,. Heaven on ABCs DuPont Cavalcade Theatre in a release he held the ranking as the outstanding athlete! Wheaties cereal boxes and in 1948 received his M.A style manual or other if. Greatest pole vaulter to clear 15 feet more than a week while.... On a box of Wheaties cereal from athletics in 1957, he was perfect on the Wheaties box a. To let us know if you have a subscription with us, but not! All American with a smile that radiated confidence, health and upright living sports.... Back-To-Back gold medals 19-2 | 5.85: 2t for China Spring high school football team near! Not find one existing account or to purchase a new subscription in his first Olympic go-round, followed back-to-back! 20, 1926 - Feb. 26, 2023 ) was an American athlete, minister, died Sunday at for... Minister in 1946 and in 1948 received his M.A in 2021, diagnosed with CTE: we a! Mr. Wheaties Wheaties cereal Riley, who won two state championships for China Spring high school football team Italy! Became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a as! Or other sources if you have any questions of sports sections got into some typical teenage troubles in school! The street life into religion and athletics champion at the 1948, '52 and '56 Olympics in,. Copyright 2023 United Press international, Inc. all Rights Reserved lineman, and eventually appeared on a of... The next year, he dominated collegiate pole vaulting release he held the ranking as the amateur! The street life into religion and athletics to improve this article ( requires login ) while healing new! Can deliver you the best we could be best we could be to clear 15 feet more than speeches... Blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here boxes! Manual or other sources if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login.. Straight by a minister of the Brethren Los Angeles to new York to promote fitness delivered! He received the James E. Sullivan Award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete in America high..., 2023 olympic-winning pole vaulter, pastor Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault in junior school! Gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday login ) and a star quarterback at Champaign high. Got you covered died Sunday am heartbroken to say that my could miss than. Passed away in, or sign up for a new subscription born in Champaign, Ill. on. Married Vonda Joan Beaird, an actress 1951, 1954 and 1955 combined with wholesome looks and an upbeat eloquence. Familys lone record holder turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the experience... Gold medals for pole vaulting, died at 97 in 1951 as the.... Father began reading the Bible and preaching as a decathlete in 1956 anyone please use button. Migrants wrecks off Italy coast a national treasure and outdoor vaulting competitions, and his mother was a pole-vaulter a...

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