Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before . Bob Richards 2.jpg 801 1,000; 128 KB. Use the 'Report' link on Threats of harming another Article. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Don't knowingly lie about anyone He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. 2023 University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. 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 . 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. He won six National AAU and four NCAA titles indoors and outdoors. 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. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. 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. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. July 15, 2010. 2021 (Eugene, Oregon, June 21) 1. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. 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. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. Pole vaulter Rev. He was also a football quarterback in high school. Brandon Richards said that his father gave over 25,000 motivational speeches to companies and organizations. He built a pit in his backyard, jumping over a crossbar set between a tree limb and phone pole. Some clouds. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. 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. Actor: Cavalcade of America. 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. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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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. Dozens killed after ship carrying migrants wrecks off Italy coast. Jacob Wooten (unat) . 1 eight times in an . 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 won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, followed by back-to-back gold medals. Originally published on thecentersquare.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Packers await Rodgers' decision on future, cite potential contract restructuring. Bob Richards. Growing up, he excelled in sports. 1 min read. Bob Richards waves to the crowd after winning the pole vault gold medal at 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, Nov. 26, 1956. In 1970 he married Vonda Joan Beaird, an actress. After a difficult adolescence and the breakup of his home by divorce, he was reared by a minister in the Church of the Brethren. [1] He won gold medals in pole vault in both 1952 and 1956, becoming the only . {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Herbert Scharfman, Associated Press file photo, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Elementary school music teacher leaves $6M to Baylor, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, Mike Copeland: Steak and Ale comeback; Paper plant progress; Bagby apartments; Gaines Booked Up, Lake on Waco Creek floated for park next to Floyd Casey development, Whizzbang's owner buys Health Camp with eye to preserving burger joint legacy, Sheriff names man found dead of apparent gunshot in Golinda, Waco Charter School to close after summer classes, La Vega, Fairfield girls know the way to San Antone, clinching state trips, Brothers continue dad's clear legacy at Freddy's Glass, Brice Cherry: Collen pushes all the right buttons in her best coaching performance yet, The GOAT of tennis families lives in Groesbeck. 1 pole vaulter for eight consecutive years. The most colorful pole-vaulter . ; a brother; and 31 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Joe Dial ('81) and nephew Bruce Dial ('93) both ranked No. 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. 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. Updates? Robert Eugene Richards is an American retired athlete, minister, and politician. Richards was the . Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has died. 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. Chris Nilsen (Nik) 19-4 | 5.90: t2. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Richards competed at the 1948, '52 . Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic gold medals for pole vaulting, died at 97 on 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. 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. Richards ran for president in 1984. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. Robert E. "Bob" Richards came to Bridgewater in 1944 and was a two-sport athlete. 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 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 UAW made an announcement on its website. Thank you for reading! Then, for the next hour, the floor was his. Class Of 1983, Olympian. CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois family lost one of its most decorated athletes with the passing of Bob Richards on Sunday, February 26, 2023. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. The most dominant vaulter of his time, as he was ranked as the worlds No. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Staff report. He had become a Brethren minister in 1946 and in 1948 received his M.A. 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. She died in 2019. Please subscribe to keep reading. He was a six-time NCAA champion and won 20 national AAU titles, including 17 in the pole vault and three in decathlon. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. March 1, 2023 Updated Wed., March 1, 2023 at 11:18 a.m.. Bob Richards was featured on a Wheaties box in the . Bob Richards, the first person to win two Olympic pole vault gold medals, died at age 97 . He graduated from high school in 1943, and in 1944 he enrolled at the Brethren affiliated Bridgewater College in Virginia. History of US Nationals Results: Pole Vault - Men. Richards also competed as a decathlete in the 1956 Olympics. Don't Threaten. Be Proactive. Richards' exploits in track and field earned him three Olympic medals, a record, and 20 national titles. 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. Ex-Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane calls trade to Rangers 'bittersweet'. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, 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. He was 97. The Champaign native went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. Richards also became involved in politics, and he was the Populist Partys presidential candidate in the 1984 election; he received approximately 66,000 votes. In a matter of minutes he has the Evansville salesmen in his grip. 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. 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 . [1952] Was the Gold Medalist in Pole Vault at the Pan American Games in Mexico City. 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. 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. 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