He was 97. He was 97. He took gold medals at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, and the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. He received the James E. Sullivan award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete. He also was the oldest living Olympic track and field champion before his death. 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. Some clouds. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. There is no feeling in the world that can match it, Richards said in 2016. His eyes shut tightly, his hands knifing through the air, he carries the salesmen to successive peaks of grim determination, Sports Illustrated noted. Until 2012, he had lived on a ranch in Santo, Texas, which he named the Crossbar Ranch and which was involved in numerous commercial activities, including oil and gas exploration and horse and cattle grazing. 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. ", 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. 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. His father was a telephone lineman. Pan American Games. 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 a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. Advertisement. 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. He was 97. 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, 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. 1. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. 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. In the United States presidential election, 1984 Richards ran for President of the Uni With the help of gynecologic oncology specialists at Providence, Amy beat cancerand found the courage to accomplish things shed never dreamed of. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? February 28, 2023 at 11:15 a.m. EST. {{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. In 1957, he played himself in Leap to Heaven on ABCs DuPont Cavalcade Theatre in a dramatization of his life. Updates? If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. We'd love to hear eyewitness article ul li { list-style: disc; padding: 5px 0; } Bob Richards, a two-time . Brandon Richards said that his father gave over 25,000 motivational speeches to companies and organizations. 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. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He was 97. 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. By then, Mr. Richards was hopscotching around the country delivering what would add up to more than 25,000 motivational speeches at sales conferences, awards dinners and corporate retreats. In 1958, Olympic pole vaulter Bob Richards became the first athlete to be featured on the front of a Wheaties box. He graduated from high school in 1943, and in 1944 he enrolled at the Brethren affiliated Bridgewater College in Virginia. But they didnt believe they could win the Olympics. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. Bob Richards . The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Bob Richards is a remarkable human being. 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 also won 17 AAU championships in indoor and outdoor vaulting competitions, and United States decathlon championships in 1951, 1954 and 1955. He added that his father "always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. American pole vaulter Bob Richards won the bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in London in 1948. 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. Pole vault. INDIANAPOLIS, March 1 (UPI) -- Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. and several other top pass rushers say they model their games after today's NFL stars. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". 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. 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. INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. 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. Caterpillar and the United Auto Workers Union have reached a tentative agreement on a contract, possibly averting a strike. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. 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 son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. 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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. Keep it Clean. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. RICHARDS, Robert Eugene ("Bob") (b. He was a six-time NCAA champion and won 20 national AAU titles, including 17 in the pole vault and three in decathlon. He was 97. You have permission to edit this article. The two-time Olympic gold medalist watched as his . He had been a pastor in California only briefly, but the dual image of minister and champion athlete was irresistible on the speaking circuit. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaker. [1952] Was the Gold Medalist in Pole Vault at the Pan American Games in Mexico City. 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. Larry Keller. 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. After a difficult adolescence and the breakup of his home by divorce, he was reared by a minister in the Church of the Brethren. How close is Florida's Trinity Thomas to the NCAA's perfect 10 record? INDIANAPOLIS (AP) 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. 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. Packers await Rodgers' decision on future, cite potential contract restructuring. ET. 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. His son, Brandon, w He won six National AAU and four NCAA titles indoors and outdoors. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 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. For 100 years, Wheaties has been a source of morning nutrition and . 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. 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 ran for president in 1984. He had become a Brethren minister in 1946 and in 1948 received his M.A. Boo-tiful! This big Russian picked me up and gave me a hug, and that photo was seen all over the world.. Long before modern athletes began . Most of us say, Im the worst. News > Nation/World Bob Richards, pole vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes, dies at 97. Be Truthful. The only other person to win two Olympic pole vault titles is Yelena Isinbayeva from Russia. In his day, he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in history. 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 . Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 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. 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. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly. Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson appear headed for the April 4 election. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. 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. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. 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. 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. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears will continue to field offers for the No. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. He is an actor, . from Illinois. 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