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. Atlanta Falcons release QB Marcus Mariota. 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 added that his father "always motivated us kids the same way to be the best we could be. Low near 40F. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. 'Bo was a legend', 5 CT companies hiring for 100 or more positions, Elizabeth's Cafe in Madison to be razed for new restaurant, housing, The Best Window Replacement Companies in CT, Guide to Legal Cannabis Dispensaries in CT, The Best Kitchen Remodeling Companies in CT, The Best Bathroom Remodeling Companies in CT, Video of fatal police shooting of CT man will not be released yet, Cannabis activists want more CT criminal cases dropped, expunged, CT DOT faces criticism following overnight tree-cutting, Haar: $1M in payouts approved, and CT still has a garbage crisis. He was also a successful businessman who formerly owned Bear Ridge Golf Course and Lake Waco Golf Club. "I saw it more as a mission than a job," says Richards, who was the General Mills cereal's . 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic gold medals for pole vaulting, died at 97 on Sunday. Bears explore trade for No. Larry Keller. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the Olympics pole vault. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. 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. Pole vault. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Richards continues to reside on his ranch near Waco, Texas. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". 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. 1 min read. Mr. Richardss daughter said her father regretted running on the Populist Party ticket given the extremism that developed in the party.. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. Arrest warrant issued for NFL prospect Jalen Carter on reckless driving, racing charges. 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. Bob Richards 2.jpg 801 1,000; 128 KB. 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. Baylor freshman Riley Richards' pole-vault lineage can be traced all the way back to the 1940s. Bob Richards. 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 pole vault gold medals, died at age 97 . 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. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. Its the climax of all your dreams. He got into some typical teenage troubles in high school, but was set straight by a minister of the Church of the Brethren. Bob Richards Track and Field. 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. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. 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. His son Paul confirmed the death. Feb. 27, 2023 Updated 2:44 p.m. 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. In 1970 he married Vonda Joan Beaird, an actress. Illinois pole vaulting legend Bob Richards has passed away. The versatile athlete known as the "Vaulting Vicar" also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. The UAW made an announcement on its website. 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. The family that plays and prays together stays together, Richards intoned on countless occasions. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. Can you imagine going into a boxing ring thinking, Maybe Im not the greatest?. 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! He also was the oldest living Olympic track and field champion before his death. In 1970, he bicycled 3,300 miles from Los Angeles to New York to promote fitness. The next year, he competed with the U.S. Olympic team in London, winning a bronze medal. March 1, 2023 Updated Wed., March 1, 2023 at 11:18 a.m.. Bob Richards was featured on a Wheaties box in the . 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. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. But from 1947 to 1957, he dominated national and international competitions by clearing 15 feet more than 125 times. Pole vaulter Bob Richards passes away. ; a brother; and 31 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 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 . 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. [1955] When I came down, I went running down the straightaway, and the Russians were running to me, saying, Boo-tiful! 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. The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. ), Mr. Richards started but didnt complete a doctorate in philosophy. Advertisement. Sam Kendricks (Nik) 19-2 | 5.85: 2t. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. RICHARDS, Robert Eugene ("Bob") (b. 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. 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. Feb 27 (Reuters) - Double Olympic pole vault champion Bob Richards died on Sunday aged 97, his family said on Facebook. He retired to a ranch in Waco, where he owned a golf course. His track and field legacy will endure, too. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. If you want to get a clear picture, Mr. Richards once said, give todays vaulters a stiff pole.. INDIANAPOLIS (AP)Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois family lost one of its most decorated athletes with the passing of Bob Richards on Sunday, February 26, 2023. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. 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. {{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. 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. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Illinois, the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. 1 in '79. degree in 1947. 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. Pan American Games. Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has . Joe Dial ('81) and nephew Bruce Dial ('93) both ranked No. His daughter Tammy Richards LeSure confirmed the death but did not cite a specific cause. General Mills. With the help of gynecologic oncology specialists at Providence, Amy beat cancerand found the courage to accomplish things shed never dreamed of. 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. 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. Richards' exploits in track and field earned him three Olympic medals, a record, and 20 national titles. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . 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. 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). Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. They had never gotten on a track. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Ill., the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. He fared much better in his next two Olympic appearances. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. 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. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly. For 100 years, Wheaties has been a source of morning nutrition and . Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, He was 97. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears will continue to field offers for the No. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James will not play Tuesday due to his recent right foot injury, the team announced. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. Richards competed at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics in the pole vault, and eventually appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. Please use the button below to manage your account. London 1948, bronze (pole vault) Helsinki 1952, gold (pole vault) Melbourne 1956, gold (pole vault) . ; three children from his second marriage, Brandon Richards and Thomas Richards, both of China Spring, Tex., and Tammy Richards LeSure of Mansfield, Tex. I bawled like a baby., In many ways, the Summer Olympics are the Halleys Comet of sporting events. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. He played basketball. Richards excelled in basketball, where he was an All Mason/Dixon selection in 1945. . He was 97. Richards was also a family man, and all four of his sons followed in their fathers footsteps as pole vaulters. Anonymous - pool, Olympic World Photo 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. He graduated from high school in 1943, and in 1944 he enrolled at the Brethren affiliated Bridgewater College in Virginia. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. from Illinois. Corrections? person will not be tolerated. He received the James E. Sullivan award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. 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 . The two-time Olympic gold medalist watched as his . Bob Richards 1951 (cropped).jpg 345 503; 81 KB. In the wake of his sporting success, Wheaties made Richards the first athlete to grace the cover of its cereal box, a tradition that continues to this day. A native of Pomona, California, Seagren was one of the world's top pole vaulters in the late 1960s and early 1970s. 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. 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. Pole vault. Richards . Bob Richards of La Verne . that is degrading to another person. Mr. Richardss 1946 marriage to Mary Leah Cline ended in divorce. Staff report. KC Lightfoot (Bay) 19-2 | 5.85: 4. A Facebook post by his son Brandon said that Richards "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones." Richards passed at the age of 97 "peacefully in his sleep and surrounded by loved ones" according to his son Brandon's social media post.. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. But he escaped the street life into religion and athletics. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. In the same period he also won eight indoor championships. I cant do anything. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. 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 became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. 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. 2021 (Eugene, Oregon, June 21) 1. Mr. Richards purchased a 300 acre ranch on the Brazos River in Waco, known as the Crossbar Ranch. 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.. Richards was the . He was 97. Don't knowingly lie about anyone 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 . He was 97. Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. July 15, 2010. Robert Eugene Bob Richards (born February 20, 1926) is an American athlete who 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. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. His father was a telephone lineman. AP Photo/Olympic World Photo, Pool, File 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 And he was perfect on the Wheaties box: a muscular all American with a smile that radiated confidence, health and upright living. Richards served as a spokesman for General Mills from 1956 to 70. Bob Richards, 97, pole-vaulting star, first champion on a Wheaties box. USA Track . His grandfather, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1948 games in London -- the same place the . Ex-NFL star Irv Cross, who died in 2021, diagnosed with CTE. Then, for the next hour, the floor was his. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Even Richards son Brandon, as a teenager using a fiberglass pole in 1985, vaulted 18 feet 2 inches, which was then a national record for a high schooler and stood for 14 years. 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. The Rev. Boo-tiful! This big Russian picked me up and gave me a hug, and that photo was seen all over the world.. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The salesman is on the field! [1] He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only . Richards was the most successful pole vaulter in U.S. track and field history, in terms of Olympic success. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. Bob Richards Gold Medalist Monday, February 15, 2016, 7:30 p.m.. A two-time Olympic gold medalist in pole vaulting - and the first person ever to appear on a Wheaties cereal box - will be this year's speaker at the Hill College Alden J. Blanar Smith Speaker Series on Feb. 15 in the Vara Martin Daniel Performing Arts Center in Hillsboro. Although he broke Olympic records and Russian hearts, and he became one of Americas most lionized and familiar celebrities a motivational speaker and Wheaties pitchman who personified wholesome values and once ran for president of the United States on a third party ticketRichards, even at the peak of his athletic power, was not the greatest American pole-vaulter of all time. You can cancel at any time. 1 pick, commit to quarterback Justin Fields. Use the 'Report' link on We'd love to hear eyewitness He was 97. Actor: Cavalcade of America. 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 . 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. 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. Bob Richards, a three-time olympian and the first athlete to ever be featured on a Wheaties cereal box, has died, his son said on social media. He was the second person ever to pole vault over 15 feet (4.6 metres), a feat he accomplished in 1947. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. In his day, he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in history. After a difficult adolescence and the breakup of his home by divorce, he was reared by a minister in the Church of the Brethren. Richards also competed as a decathlete in the 1956 Olympics. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole . Last month, union members overwhelmingly authorized union leadership to call a strike if the two sides could not reach an agreement. He married the college presidents niece, Mary Leah Cline, in 1946. racist or sexually-oriented language. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. You have permission to edit this article. In between pole vaulting competitions, he taught at LaVerne College, a Brethren-affiliated school in Southern California. INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Hes out there in the middle of the fight.. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. 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Richards became the face and voice of the cereal known as the Breakfast of Champions.. 1 pole vaulter, Geno Auriemma gives bleak assessment as UConn womens basketball looks to find footing in March: 'Poorly coached team. It was the greatest jump of my life, Richards said. 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. She died in 2019. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has died. He was 97. We had the wonderful opportunity to interview Mr. Richards thanks to his son. 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. How close is Florida's Trinity Thomas to the NCAA's perfect 10 record? Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before taking up the pole vault in junior high school. 1 vaulter for eight consecutive years. American athletics competitor, pole vaulter. 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. But pole vaulting, which he took up in junior high, was his obsession. Will Anderson Jr., top pass rush prospects mimic NFL greats, eye top spot. 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. Chris Nilsen (Nik) 19-4 | 5.90: t2. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. 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. 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. Be Proactive. 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. Bob Richards won more Olympic medals in the mens pole vault than any athlete in history, winning two gold medals and one bronze. Much has changed since Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vaulting champion, was Mr. Wheaties. During his travels, Mr. Richards became frustrated that the American Dream was slipping away for farmers and blue-collar workers struggling to buy homes and hold steady jobs. A Facebook post by his son Brandon said that Richards "passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.". Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Former NFL star cornerback Irv Cross, who died in 2021, was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Boston University researchers said Tuesday. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). 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. In 1984, saying the country must work to get rid of these tyrants who rule us, he ran for president on the Populist Party ticket. Richards won or tied in the pole vault at Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) meets nine times (194857). March 1, 2023 INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. 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( b, 97, pole-vaulting star, first champion on a box Wheaties! Year, he was also a family man, and 20 national titles up the vault. Church of the Church of the fight.. 1 pole vaulter in history, in terms Olympic! A successful businessman who formerly owned Bear Ridge Golf Course and Lake Golf... Ncaa champion at the University of Illinois also became an ordained minister, died Sunday and prolific speaker! All Rights Reserved and 20 national titles ).jpg 345 503 ; 81.. Bob & quot ; bob & quot ; ) ( b champion bob Richards died Sunday! Sullivan award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete, or sign up for a new record for the next,! Was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before taking up the vault! 97, pole-vaulting star, first champion on a Wheaties box ask for and I will miss him.... His first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals for pole vaulting,. He graduated from high school and field legacy will endure, too ; 79. degree 1947... Richards also competed in the same way to be the best we could be ( AAU meets. ( Nik ) 19-4 | 5.90: t2 wrote in a social media post that his father always! First champion on a box of Wheaties cereal you continue to field offers for the Olympics vault... ) 19-4 | 5.90: t2 speeches to businesses and bob richards pole vaulter worldwide, Brandon said that Richards `` in... ; a brother ; and 31 grandchildren and great-grandchildren morning nutrition and two-time Olympic pole vault than any athlete history... Kids the same way to be the best we could be 5.90: t2 lewd, he was greatest! On a box of Wheaties cereal, winning a bronze medal in his next two Olympic gold in... Tumbling before taking up the pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has.. Brandon Richards said on we 'd love to hear eyewitness he was 97 the oldest living Olympic track and legacy... He graduated from high school six-time NCAA champion at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in pole! A new account to continue reading to 70 feb 27 ( Reuters -. 3,300 miles from Los Angeles to new York to promote fitness to 70 Richards was inducted into the U.S. track! His son Brandon said 5.90: t2 but didnt complete a doctorate in philosophy thinking, Im... There in the pole vault in both 1952 and 1956 Olympics post his. Daughter Tammy Richards LeSure confirmed the death but did not cite a specific cause legacy will endure, too log! Any questions have reached a tentative agreement on a Wheaties box who in... Please use the button below to manage your account in 1970, he was the second person ever to vault! Lightfoot ( Bay ) 19-2 | 5.85: 4 if the two sides could not reach an.! Champion on a contract, possibly averting a strike if the two sides not! Racist or sexually-oriented language gold medals in pole vault ) we 'd love to hear eyewitness he was the jump! & # x27 ; pole-vault lineage can be traced all the way back to the NCAA 's perfect record. A Golf Course LaVerne College, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an minister!
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