He was the greatest dad I could ever ask for and I will miss him dearly., #ada-button-frame { Courage gives enthusiasm. "He passed in his sleep peacefully surrounded by loved ones. championships in indoor and outdoor vaulting competitions, and United States decathlon championships in 1951, 1954 and 1955. Mainly clear. 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 emerged from the pit smiling for the first time during the day, the Times reported. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Ill., the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. Ingenuity, plus courage, plus work, equals miracles. 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. When Richards finally triumphed with an Olympic record of 14 feet 11 inches, a defeated Soviet rival, Viktor Knyazev, clasped him in a bear hug. 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. His hands were pointed toward heaven in an attitude of prayer., Bob Richards, 97, pole-vaulting star who landed on Wheaties box, dies. Robert Eugene Richards was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Champaign, Illinois, the third of five children of Leslie and Margaret (Palfrey) Richards. The health of our home planet and the survival of our species will only be secured through the use of space resources and the expansion of Earth's economic sphere to the Moon and beyond. One day, well get out of all this flag-waving and nationalism. Although he broke Olympic records and Russian hearts, and although 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 ticket Richards, even at the peak of his athletic power, was not the greatest American pole-vaulter of all time. Even Richardss 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. 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. That mark (pending official ratification) surpassed his own previous five world records, all over 20 feet and all set since 2020. According to U.S.A. Track and Field, Brandon Richards even held the national high school record at one point. They are champions because they've been hurt. Goals give purpose. In 1951, he was named the country's top amateur athlete by the AAU. Bob Richards is a champion all-around athlete, a former holder of the Olympic pole vault record, the Olympic gold medalist in men's pole vault for 1952 and 1956, and former director of the Wheaties Sports Federation. In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. But he escaped the street life into religion and athletics. an accomplishment he parlayed into a successful career as a motivational speaker, died Feb. 26 at his home in Waco, Texas. After his athletic career, the "Pole Vaulting Pastor" went on to become a sportscaster and motivational speaker, Brandon Richards said. His life was depicted in a made . 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. And he was perfect on the Wheaties box: a muscular all-American with a smile that radiated confidence, health and upright living. But he escaped the street life into religion and athletics. In 1970, he bicycled 3,300 miles from Los Angeles to New York to promote fitness. His image was on Wheaties boxes from 1958 to 1970, and from 1958 to 1972 he was a ubiquitous presence on television and radio and made numerous national tours, speaking to school and community groups, presenting awards at athletic banquets and generating torrents of publicity. WASHINGTON Veterans can now access their disability benefit claim decision notice letters electronically on VA.gov, empowering them to quickly and easily see their disability decisions. He retired to a ranch in Waco, where he owned a golf course. 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 grandchildrenand 19 great-grandchildren. Nous, Rivals, faisons partie de la famille de marques Yahoo. Robert E. Richards, an ordained minister nicknamed the Vaulting Vicar, won Olympic gold medals in 1952 at Helsinki, Finland, and in 1956 at Melbourne, Australia, using aluminum poles to clear bars set at just under 15 feet. Bob Richards, an ordained minister . The 1952 Olympic Games were a symbolic watershed in the Cold War. 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. 2. Life lifts you over the bar. The 1952 Olympic Games were a symbolic watershed in the Cold War. Improve yourself, find your inspiration, share with friends, This website or its third-party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the cookie policy. When Richards finally triumphed with an Olympic record of 14 feet 11-1/4 inches, a defeated Soviet rival, Viktor Knyazev, clasped him in a bear hug. Actually, hell take every charge. Soviet athletes won the medals competition, 98 (37 gold) to 74 (32 gold) for the United States. Their experience moved them, and they pulled out this fighting spirit, making them what they are. Richards became the face and voice of the cereal known as the Breakfast of Champions.. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Richards was elected to the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983, and to the United States National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1975. He was 97. Would you like to receive our daily news? But even during his . Robert E. Richards, an ordained minister nicknamed the Vaulting Vicar, won Olympic gold medals in 1952 at Helsinki, Finland, and in 1956 at Melbourne, Australia, using aluminum poles to clear bars set at just under 15 feet. And Richards made history, becoming the onlymale two-time winner of the Olympic pole vault, and with another record: 14 feet 11 inches. February 28, 2023 / 8:24 PM The Reverend Bob Richards was a theology professor in California when he qualified for the U.S. Olympic team as a pole vaulter in 1952. That marriage ended in divorce. He was #1 in my book as a motivational speaker. Bob showed early abilities in basketball and was a pole-vaulter and a star quarterback at Champaign Central High School. Bob Proctor is an icon in the self-help arena and is a world-renowned motivational speaker and coach who helps people realize their limitless potential and develop the skills they need to succeed. Love Does has worked with Uganda's judiciary in bringing over 200 cases to trial, as well as . It may sound strange, but many champions are made champions by setback. American - Athlete Born: February 20, 1926. Here are 15 of the most popular motivational speakers from around the world. You are what you do! Soviet athletes won the medals competition, 98 (37 gold) to 74 (32 gold) for the United States. Richards was interested in athletics from boyhood, participating in diving and tumbling before . Clearly, she didnt take the advice packed into its title: Wake Up With Purpose! When Richards finally triumphed with an Olympic record of 14 feet 11-1/4 inches, a defeated Soviet rival, Viktor Knyazev, clasped him in a bear hug. Faith gives courage. He is also a very inspirational Christian motivational speaker. / CBS News. Bob Richards August, 2012 . 112 Lamar Hillsboro, Texas 76645 | 254.659.7500, click enter to tab through Apply menu links, click enter to tab through Admissions menu links, click enter to tab through Academic menu links, click enter to tab through Athletics menu links, click enter to tab through I Am A: menu links, Link to the Hill College Hill College Instagram Page, Sexual Misconduct/Violence Anonymous Reporting. His father was a telephone lineman. Don't be content with mediocrity - strive to live up to the greatest within you. Long before modern athletes began riding fiberglass poles to unimaginable heights, the Rev. 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. Richards made the Olympic team that competed in the Games in London in 1948, but he won no medals. J.R. Eyerman/The LIFE Picture Collection, via Shutterstock. They often encourage their audience to look at things from a different and perspective, and motivate them to take positive action in their lives. It would be fair to say that his work's been very influential in developing the careers of countless people within the personal development industry, including Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen and Anthony Robbins. What Ive Learned in My First Hundred Years, that came out Tuesday. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Register for online access, Bob Richards, pole vaulter who landed on Wheaties boxes. In 1970, he bicycled 3,300 miles from Los Angeles to New York to promote fitness. But from 1947 to 1957, he dominated national and international competitions by clearing 15 feet more than 125 times. Richards was elected to the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983, and to the United States National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1975. Invalid password or account does not exist. The pole-vault competition lasted more than four hours. Robert (Bob) Richards generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. LONDON - Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have been asked to give up the royal residence gifted to them to use by Queen Elizabeth II. Previous speakers in the Series have included former Congressman Chet Edwards, Baylor University President Judge Kenneth Winston Starr, U.S. Astronaut Story Musgrave, and Eric Nadel the voice of the Texas Rangers. He emerged from the pit smiling for the first time during the day, The Times reported. In 1946, he was ordained and transferred to the University of Illinois. Richards was elected to the United States Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983, and to the United States National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1975. His father was a telephone lineman. He married the college presidents niece, Mary Leah Cline, in 1946. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. In his day, he was considered the greatest pole vaulter in history. To book Leicester Tigers Legend, Dean Richards, as the rugby speaker for your corporate event , function or conference, simply contact the Champions Rugby Speakers agency by filling in our online contact form. Like most motivational speakers we've discussed here, Schwarzenegger's success did not happen overnight. Although he hung up his cleats long ago, he continues to travel around the country as a motivational speaker. 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. At 20, he had been ordained a minister of the Church of the Brethren, an Anabaptist denomination, and the news media had reflexively called him the Vaulting Vicar and the Pole Vaulting Pastor. 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