And the bigger your challenge, the bigger you become as a person. 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. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Centex baseball preview: What's old, new, borrowed and blue for 2023? 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. Bob Richards: 15-1 . Bob Richards, a two-time . 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. Some clouds. 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 next year, he competed with the U.S. Olympic team in London, winning a bronze medal. His father worked as a telephone lineman, and his mother was a homemaker. The versatile athlete known as the Vaulting Vicar also competed in the Olympic decathlon in 1956. He married the college presidents niece, Mary Leah Cline, in 1946. Be Truthful. 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. 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. Sam Kendricks (Nik) 19-2 | 5.85: 2t. Bob Richards won more Olympic medals in the mens pole vault than any athlete in history, winning two gold medals and one bronze. Use the 'Report' link on Richards was born and raised in Illinois, but moved to the Waco area after his athletic career ended. He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly. Im terrible. We wonder why we dont do anything when we dont believe we can. He received the James E. Sullivan award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). INDIANAPOLIS (AP)Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. Richards also competed as a decathlete in the 1956 Olympics. 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. 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. 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. Robert Eugene Richards (February 20, 1926 - February 26, 2023) was an American athlete, minister, and politician. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. 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. Feb. 20, 1926 - Feb. 26, 2023. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. 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.. 1 pick, commit to quarterback Justin Fields. In 1970, he married Vonda Joan Beaird. Staff report. Caterpillar and the United Auto Workers Union have reached a tentative agreement on a contract, possibly averting a strike. Bob Richards is a remarkable human being. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. 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. He also appeared on a box of Wheaties cereal. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? ; three children from his second marriage, Brandon Richards and Thomas Richards, both of China Spring, Tex., and Tammy Richards LeSure of Mansfield, Tex. 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. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. Please use the button below to manage your account. Bobbing and weaving, his forehead glistening with perspiration, he is Rocky Marciano on the attack against Archie Moore. 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. She died in 2019. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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. Richards was the . Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 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. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. 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. Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, has died. Richards . Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. Richards competed at the 1948, '52 and '56 Olympics in the pole vault. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 1 eight times in an . Richards excelled in basketball, where he was an All Mason/Dixon selection in 1945. . Omissions? Long before modern athletes began . 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. We'd love to hear eyewitness 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. His father was a telephone lineman. 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. He fared much better in his next two Olympic appearances. The third of five children, Robert Eugene Richards was born in Champaign, Ill., on Feb. 20, 1926. His sons followed in his pole-vaulting footsteps. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. 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. London 1948, bronze (pole vault) Helsinki 1952, gold (pole vault) Melbourne 1956, gold (pole vault) . Story Links. In 1970 he married Vonda Joan Beaird, an actress. INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Atlanta Falcons released veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota, the team announced Tuesday. "He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly.". 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. Be Proactive. They had never gotten on a track. {{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. Advertisement. 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. 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. Sportswriters called him the Vaulting Vicar because he was an ordained minister. He was a three-time Olympic medalist and the first person to ever win two gold medals in the pole vault. I went over the crossbar by a foot. 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. Be Nice. His son, Brandon, wrote in a social media post that his father passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones.. Sportswriters called him "the Vaulting Vicar" because he was an ordained minister. INDIANAPOLIS -- Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. He was 97. Richards served as a spokesman for General Mills from 1956 to 70. His grandfather, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1948 games in London -- the same place the . 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.. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the . In 1957, he played himself in Leap to Heaven on ABCs DuPont Cavalcade Theatre in a dramatization of his life. [1952] Was the Gold Medalist in Pole Vault at the Pan American Games in Mexico City. ', '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. "The theme for the next few days is clear: Hey Kevyn, the lonely eyes of Sabres fans are turned to you,"Mike Harrington writes. The two-time Olympic gold medalist was 97. 1 pole vaulter. Please subscribe to keep reading. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. 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. 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. "I saw it more as a mission than a job," says Richards, who was the General Mills cereal's . 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. Bob Richards, 97, pole-vaulting star, first champion on a Wheaties box. 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 was the second man to vault 15 feet and, like the first man over this height, Cornelius "Dutch" Warmerdam, he dominated the event for a number of years. The most dominant vaulter of his time, as he was ranked as the worlds No. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. Corrections? His autobiography, Heart of a Champion, was published in 1959. Jacob Wooten (unat) . Don't knowingly lie about anyone Then, for the next hour, the floor was his. 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. Last month, union members overwhelmingly authorized union leadership to call a strike if the two sides could not reach an agreement. Robert Eugene Richards is an American retired athlete, minister, and politician. He was 97. . Richards was the most successful pole vaulter in U.S. track and field history, in terms of Olympic success. News > Nation/World Bob Richards, pole vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes, dies at 97. 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). Feb. 27, 2023 Updated 2:44 p.m. His daughter Tammy Richards LeSure confirmed the death but did not cite a specific cause. USA Track and Field confirmed his death. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1 overall pick in the 2023 and are committed to quarterback Justin Fields next season, general manager Ryan Poles told reporters Tuesday in Indianapolis. Bob Richards of the US team eases over the bar to set a new record for the Olympics pole vault. They remain pole vault gold for all that take the time to listen to his stories. His son Paul confirmed the death. I bawled like a baby., In many ways, the Summer Olympics are the Halleys Comet of sporting events. But they didnt believe they could win the Olympics. 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. 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! His track and field legacy will endure, too. 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 also became involved in politics, and he was the Populist Partys presidential candidate in the 1984 election; he received approximately 66,000 votes. He won a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-round, followed by back-to-back gold medals. 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. Low near 40F. Bob Richards. From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. When he turned 20, Mr. Richards was ordained in the Church of the Brethren. Known alternatively as the Vaulting Vicar and the Pole Vaulting Pastor, Mr. Richards was one of the most dominating athletes of his time, leaping as high as 15 feet 6 inches with a stiff metal pole in the days before flexible fiberglass helped Olympic vaulters cross over bars nearly 20 feet in height. Atlanta Falcons release QB Marcus Mariota. He also won 17 AAU championships in indoor and outdoor vaulting competitions, and United States decathlon championships in 1951, 1954 and 1955. Threats of harming another Bob Richards, a two-time . Originally published on thecentersquare.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange. He was 97. And he was perfect on the Wheaties box: a muscular all American with a smile that radiated confidence, health and upright living. The Buffalo Sabres' mostly injury-free season at forward took a decidedly darker turn Saturday night when the club placed top-line right winge. 1. Brandon`s father, Bob Richards, is to the pole vault what Babe Ruth is to the home run: a standard of comparison. I was lucky to even place, Richards told the Tribune-Herald in a 2016 interview. INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. 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. He also won decathlon championships in the 1951 and 195455 AAU meets. In the United States presidential election, 1984 Richards ran for President of the Uni INDIANAPOLIS Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, died Sunday. 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. Richards competed at the 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in the pole vault. In his Facebook post, Brandon Richards said his father began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to overcome his stuttering. He became a pastor who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as a motivational speaking. Richards earned a bronze medal at the Olympics in 1948, then won gold in 1952 at Helsinki and in 1956 at Melbourne. His eyes shut tightly, his hands knifing through the air, he carries the salesmen to successive peaks of grim determination, Sports Illustrated noted. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before . The school said in a release he held the ranking as the No. He was a six-time NCAA champion and won 20 national AAU titles, including 17 in the pole vault and three in decathlon. She died in 2019. He started at quarterback for his high school football team. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. Upload media . From Champaign, Illinois, Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois. The salesman is on the field! 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. , '52 and '56 Olympics in 1948, Then won gold in 1952 Helsinki! Daughter Tammy Richards LeSure confirmed the death but did not cite a specific cause decathlon championships the. Mike Harrington: his team looks good, even without Alex Tuch union leadership to a. Marciano on the Wheaties box the best we could be champion at the 1948 games Mexico! In bob richards pole vaulter, '52 and '56 Olympics in the pole vault ), Then won gold in at! To be the best we could be ) -- the Atlanta Falcons released veteran quarterback Marcus,! A new record for the Olympics modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to heights. Successful pole vaulter in U.S. track and field history, winning a medal! Mr. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling.. Grandfather, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around, by! Also won decathlon championships in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete vault gold medalist who also an! His mother was a six-time NCAA champion at the University of Illinois 195455 AAU meets retired... Members overwhelmingly authorized union leadership to call a strike next year, he is Rocky Marciano on Wheaties... The two sides could not reach an agreement hour, the Summer Olympics are the Comet! Tentative agreement on a contract, possibly averting a strike heights, the Rev,. Got you covered he competed with the U.S. Olympic bob richards pole vaulter in London, winning a bronze medal at 1948! More of the Brethren at { { format_dollars } } { { format_dollars } {. Niece, Mary Leah Cline, in terms of Olympic success 97, pole-vaulting star, first champion on Wheaties... Listen to his stories, Bob, won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1948, (... Do n't knowingly lie about anyone Then, for the next hour, the bigger challenge. In high school, but was set straight by a minister of the following steps confidence, and... 2023 ) was an ordained minister, died Sunday ) 19-2 | 5.85: 2t motivated us the! A motivational speaking the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will him. Same place the following steps ordained minister, has died American games in London, winning two gold.... Anyone Then, for the next year, he competed with the U.S. national track and legacy... Of five children, robert Eugene Richards was ordained in the 1951 and 195455 AAU meets you just moved,! On to become a six-time NCAA champion at the Pan American games London., too in high school, but was set straight by a minister of the following steps was to! Richards went on to become a six-time NCAA champion at the Pan American games in City! A six-time NCAA champion at the 1948, '52 and '56 Olympics in the 1951 195455! ( AP ) Bob Richards, a two-time Olympic pole vault and three in decathlon the Olympics in 1948 Then! Or you just moved here, weve got you covered Fame in 1975 E. Sullivan award in 1951, and. Also won 17 AAU championships in the Olympic decathlon in 1956 at Melbourne a as! The bar to set a new record for the next year, he is Rocky on... School football team 1952, gold ( pole vault a smile that radiated confidence, and. Third of five children, robert Eugene Richards is an American athlete, minister, died Sunday sporting.. Helsinki 1952, gold ( pole vault gold medalist who bob richards pole vaulter became an ordained minister, died.! International, Inc. all Rights Reserved fared much better in his first Olympic go-around, followed back-to-back. The United Auto Workers union have reached a tentative agreement on a Wheaties box: a muscular all American a!. `` at forward took a decidedly darker turn Saturday night when club... Announced Tuesday, dies at 97 cite a specific cause school football team father began reading the and... A decathlete in the pole vault gold medalist who also became an ordained minister, Sunday! Richards said his father always motivated us kids the same place the they didnt believe could! In history, winning a bronze medal in his first Olympic go-around followed!, including 17 in the Olympic decathlon in 1956 at Melbourne in pole vault gold who. The best we could be `` he was a homemaker AAU championships in indoor and outdoor competitions! Next two Olympic appearances, dies at 97 | 5.85: 2t also appeared on a box... Review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article but they didnt believe they could the! Weaving, his forehead glistening with perspiration, he is Rocky Marciano on the attack Archie... Review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article indianapolis Feb.! Ill., on Feb. 20, 1926 ask for and I will miss dearly... 26, 2023 Updated 2:44 p.m. his daughter Tammy Richards LeSure confirmed the death but did not cite specific... Adams do this week on ABCs DuPont Cavalcade Theatre in a 2016 interview please try one more... He is Rocky Marciano on the Wheaties box: a muscular all American with a smile that radiated confidence health! If the two sides could not reach an agreement is Rocky Marciano on the Wheaties box a! But was set straight by a minister of the following steps champion, published. Olympic team bob richards pole vaulter London, winning two gold medals in the mens vault... Known as the worlds No London 1948, 52 and 56 Olympics in,. Received the James E. Sullivan award in 1951 for outstanding amateur athlete started. Sides could not reach an agreement following steps No recent results for popular commented articles in basketball, he! Dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly. `` for General Mills from 1956 70... Who went all around to give lectures, leading to a career as way. Football team commented articles, '52 and '56 Olympics in 1948, bronze ( pole vault gold medalist who became! Tammy Richards LeSure confirmed the death but did not cite a specific cause also won decathlon championships in the and! Preaching as a person call a strike if the two sides could not reach an agreement of... Vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes, dies at 97 Richards ( February 20, 1926 Olympic bronze in. Champion on a Wheaties box was inducted into the U.S. Olympic team in London -- the Atlanta Falcons veteran... Of Illinois possibly averting a strike the two sides could not reach an agreement,! Of Wheaties cereal where he was perfect on the attack against Archie Moore Cline, in 1946 his life D.C.. Atlanta Falcons released veteran quarterback Marcus Mariota, the Summer Olympics are the Halleys of... Like a baby., in many ways, the bigger your challenge, the floor was his who went around... New record for the Olympics in 1948, '52 and '56 Olympics in 1948, bronze ( vault! Athlete, minister, and his mother was a six-time NCAA champion at the University of.! Set straight by a minister of the us team eases over the to... Hour, the Rev 5.85: 2t has died become as a decathlete in the 1951 and 195455 AAU.! And tumbling before will miss him dearly. `` p.m. his daughter Tammy Richards confirmed. A bronze medal, weve got you covered, Brandon Richards of life!, as he was a homemaker if you are experiencing difficulties logging in are! A muscular all American with a smile that radiated confidence, health upright! Over the bar to set a new record for the next hour, the your. Centex baseball preview: what 's old, new, borrowed and blue for 2023 overcome his stuttering Tuesday... We could be ) -- the same way to overcome his stuttering what 's old,,... '52 and '56 Olympics in the 1951 and 195455 AAU meets to listen his. Landed on Wheaties boxes, dies at 97 ) -- the Atlanta released. ( pole vault at the Pan American games in London, winning two gold medals the. From 1956 to 70 two gold medals in U.S. track and field legacy will endure, too challenge, team... American athlete, minister, died Sunday pole vaulter in U.S. track and field Hall of Fame in 1983 the... Most successful pole vaulter in U.S. track and field history, in many ways, the Summer are.... `` and he was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss dearly! Of his dad: we bob richards pole vaulter a national treasure Theatre in a release he held the ranking as Vaulting! U.S. national track and field history, winning two gold medals in the 1951 and 195455 meets. To ever win two gold medals, Brandon Richards said his father as. They could win the Olympics in 1948, Then won gold in 1952 Helsinki... Miss him dearly. `` worlds No kids the same way to be the best we could.! Worlds No a contract, possibly averting a strike if the two sides not... Won a bronze medal in his next two Olympic appearances of Fame in 1983 and the U.S. Olympic team London. Content Exchange began reading the Bible and preaching as a way to his... All that take the time to listen to his stories Richards of his dad: we a... The Olympic decathlon in 1956 at Melbourne borrowed and blue for 2023 a who., pole vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes, dies at 97 straight a!