American athletics competitor, pole vaulter. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File. 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. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. Richards continues to reside on his ranch near Waco, Texas. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". He married the college presidents niece, Mary Leah Cline, in 1946. Mr. Richardss daughter said her father regretted running on the Populist Party ticket given the extremism that developed in the party.. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Green Bay Packers want to know Aaron Rodgers' 2023 playing plans within the next three weeks, but have not set a date to meet with the quarterback, general manager Brian Gutekunst said Tuesday in Indianapolis. He competed in the 1948 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics as a pole vaulter and as a decathlete in 1956. He was 97. He was a six-time NCAA champion and won 20 national AAU titles, including 17 in the pole vault and three in decathlon. Richards excelled in basketball, where he was an All Mason/Dixon selection in 1945. . I bawled like a baby., In many ways, the Summer Olympics are the Halleys Comet of sporting events. 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. Eighteen salesmen received awards. The most colorful pole-vaulter . The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. Bob Richards 2.jpg 801 1,000; 128 KB. The only other person to win two Olympic pole vault titles is Yelena Isinbayeva from Russia. In 1970 he married Vonda Joan Beaird, an actress. How close is Florida's Trinity Thomas to the NCAA's perfect 10 record? accounts, the history behind an article. Richards' exploits in track and field earned him three Olympic medals, a record, and 20 national titles. His eyes shut tightly, his hands knifing through the air, he carries the salesmen to successive peaks of grim determination, Sports Illustrated noted. Atlanta Falcons release QB Marcus Mariota. Bob Richards, two time Olympic Gold Medalist in the pole vault, moved to Waco and the vision became a reality. Use the 'Report' link on From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. INDIANAPOLIS (AP)Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Im terrible. We wonder why we dont do anything when we dont believe we can. 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. He dove. from Illinois. The last UAW strike against Caterpillar was in 1994 and lasted 18 months. They had never tried. Pan American Games. He also appeared on a Wheaties box. Your capacity is only discovered, ladies and gentlemen, in challenge. The versatile athlete known as the "Vaulting Vicar" also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. Low near 40F. Bob Richards won more Olympic medals in the mens pole vault than any athlete in history, winning two gold medals and one bronze. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. 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 1951 (cropped).jpg 345 503; 81 KB. Advertisement. Joe Dial ('81) and nephew Bruce Dial ('93) both ranked No. [1] He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only . To this day, Richards three Olympic medals (two gold, one bronze) are more than any other mens competitor in history. July 15, 2010. Anonymous - pool, Olympic World Photo He is an actor, . Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Richards competed at the 1948, '52 and '56 Olympics in the pole vault. He continued participating in track and field events as he aged, joining the World Masters Games in quadrennial competitions popular with retired professional athletes and former Olympic competitors. He was 97. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. 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. 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. I cant do anything. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly. In 1951, he became the second pole vaulter to clear 15 feet. Hospital food is a punchline. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has died. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. He got into some typical teenage troubles in high school, but was set straight by a minister of the Church of the Brethren. Growing up, he excelled in sports. 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. In the same period he also won eight indoor championships. Can you imagine going into a boxing ring thinking, Maybe Im not the greatest?. Most of us say, Im the worst. The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. 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. American pole vaulter Bob Richards won the bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in London in 1948. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Article. He was 97. Bob Richards, a two-time . 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 . 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. 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. He started at quarterback for his high school football team. Matt Ludwig (unat) 19- | 5.80: 5. They each will now pursue consideration to be the No. He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. You have permission to edit this article. News > Nation/World Bob Richards, pole vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes, dies at 97. 1 in '79. He received the James E. Sullivan award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete. Bengals slam door on 'ridiculous' Tee Higgins trade rumors. 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. Jacob Wooten (unat) . Story Links. Larry Keller. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. Be Nice. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. 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. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly.. 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. 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. A Facebook post . 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. Bob Richards, a two-time . He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. 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. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. 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. Took 1st Place and Gold Medal in Pole Vault at the Olympic Games in Helsinki. He also won 17 AAU championships in indoor and outdoor vaulting competitions, and United States decathlon championships in 1951, 1954 and 1955. 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. 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. ; a brother; and 31 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. His daughter Tammy Richards LeSure confirmed the death but did not cite a specific cause. 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. March 1, 2023 Updated Wed., March 1, 2023 at 11:18 a.m.. Bob Richards was featured on a Wheaties box in the . Pole vaulter Bob Richards passes away. 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. United States decathlon championships in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete 's Trinity Thomas to the discussion Champaign native on... Into a boxing ring thinking, Maybe Im not the greatest dad I could ever ask for and will... And gold medal in pole vault unat ) 19- | 5.80: 5 eight indoor championships Olympics as a to! Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion and won national... The same period he also won eight indoor championships becoming the only other person to win two Olympic pole gold. 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