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 autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. He always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. He dove. Updates? He also appeared on a Wheaties box. His father worked as a telephone lineman, and his mother was a homemaker. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. Its the climax of all your dreams. Mr. Richardss daughter said her father regretted running on the Populist Party ticket given the extremism that developed in the party.. It was the greatest jump of my life, Richards said. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. 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. Richards became the face and voice of the cereal known as the Breakfast of Champions.. Richards was the first athlete to appear on the front of the Wheaties cereal box in 1958 and was a national promoter of physical fitness. He had been a pastor in California only briefly, but the dual image of minister and champion athlete was irresistible on the speaking circuit. Bob Richards, two time Olympic Gold Medalist in the pole vault, moved to Waco and the vision became a reality. Copyright 2023, The Spokesman-Review | Community Guidelines | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy. ', '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. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Some clouds. Don't knowingly lie about anyone The most colorful pole-vaulter . Dozens killed after ship carrying migrants wrecks off Italy coast. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. In 1957, he played himself in Leap to Heaven on ABCs DuPont Cavalcade Theatre in a dramatization of his life. Richards was also a family man, and all four of his sons followed in their fathers footsteps as pole vaulters. 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. The UAW made an announcement on its website. "The theme for the next few days is clear: Hey Kevyn, the lonely eyes of Sabres fans are turned to you,"Mike Harrington writes. [1] He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only . 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. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. Bob Richards. Feb. 27, 2023 Updated 2:44 p.m. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois family lost one of its most decorated athletes with the passing of Bob Richards on Sunday, February 26, 2023. Hospital food is a punchline. He was also a successful businessman who formerly owned Bear Ridge Golf Course and Lake Waco Golf Club. He won six National AAU and four NCAA titles indoors and outdoors. Robert Eugene Richards is an American retired athlete, minister, and politician. 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. 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. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. 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. Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson appear headed for the April 4 election. 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. 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 97. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. 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. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. With the ministers help, Mr. Richards enrolled at Bridgewater College, a Brethren-affiliated school in Virginia, where he dominated collegiate pole vaulting. He was 97. 1 pole vaulter, Geno Auriemma gives bleak assessment as UConn womens basketball looks to find footing in March: 'Poorly coached team. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. 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. He is an actor, . [1955] The two-time Olympic gold medalist watched as his . Lakers concerned injured LeBron James may miss more than a week. 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The only other person to win two Olympic pole vault titles is Yelena Isinbayeva from Russia. But they didnt believe they could win the Olympics. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic pole vault gold medals, died at age 97 . March 1, 2023 Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Ill., the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the Olympics pole vault. In New York, chefs are redefining it. ", 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. Actor: Cavalcade of America. Richards competed at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics in the pole vault, and eventually appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. General Mills. So did his grandson Riley, who won two state championships for China Spring High School before going on to compete at Baylor. He was 97. 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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. Jacob Wooten (unat) . Share with Us. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". Feb. 20, 1926 - Feb. 26, 2023. Low near 40F. 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. Then, for the next hour, the floor was his. 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 earned a bachelors degree in 1947 and a masters in 1948. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File. 2023 University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. 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The salesman is on the field! The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. 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. 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.. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism He was also a football quarterback in high school. 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). Took 1st Place and Gold Medal in Pole Vault at the Olympic Games in Helsinki. Brandon`s father, Bob Richards, is to the pole vault what Babe Ruth is to the home run: a standard of comparison. 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Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will not play Tuesday due to his recent right foot injury, the team announced. 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. His son Paul confirmed the death. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before taking up the pole vault in junior high school. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic pole vault gold medals, has died at age 97, according to USA Track and Field. Hall Of Fame Member. 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. 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 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. His grandfather, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1948 games in London -- the same place the . Mr. Richards is still the only Olympic pole vaulter to win two gold medals, but hes not the familys lone record holder. But pole vaulting, which he took up in junior high, was his obsession. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. The busy and popular local doughnut chain will move its operations from 8560 Main St. to 8010 Transit Road this spring. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Falcons released veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota, the team announced Tuesday. After a difficult adolescence and the breakup of his home by divorce, he was reared by a minister in the Church of the Brethren. USA Track . He was 97. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. She died in 2019. Sam Kendricks (Nik) 19-2 | 5.85: 2t. degree in 1947. 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. In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. 1 overall pick in the 2023 and are committed to quarterback Justin Fields next season, general manager Ryan Poles told reporters Tuesday in Indianapolis. Mr. Richards purchased a 300 acre ranch on the Brazos River in Waco, known as the Crossbar Ranch. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. His father was a telephone lineman. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. 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. Low near 40F. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. Sportswriters called him the Vaulting Vicar because he was an ordained minister. 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