This was not too surprising because this area started to move away from its New Deal Democratic roots. He was a three-sport star in high school and went to Stanford… One day the 17-year-old Californian is a regional prep star. After graduating from Stanford in 1953 with a BA in Education, Mathias spent two and a half years in the U.S. Marine Corps. For the first American officer killed by German fire on D-Day, see Robert P. Mathias.For the fictional character, see Bob Mathias (Space: 1999). Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images During the discussion he mentions a forthcoming film in which the couple played themselves, called The Bob Mathias Story. [9] In 1960, he also appeared playing an athletic Theseus in an Italian "peplum," or sword-and-sandal, film: Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete.[10]. With her first child a son, Lillian Mathias had her hopes set on a baby girl for her second child; it is said that she cried … [7] He returned to the United States as a national hero. Mathias had never thrown a javelin before, but two competitions later, the prep standout qualified for that summer’s Olympics. Mathias and his wife starred in the movie. He then entered Stanford University in 1949, played college football for two years and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. 1952 was a very good year for Bob Mathias. One of the greatest all-around athletes in track and field history, Robert "Bob" Mathias arrived on the world track and field scene in spectacular fashion, winning the decathlon gold medal at the 1948 Olympic Games while still only 17 years old. He played in the Rose Bowl, a losing effort to an outstanding Illinois team, and then won his fourth national decathlon championship five months later. Mathias set his first decathlon world record in 1950 and led Stanford to a Rose Bowl appearance in 1952. He won the decathlon by the astounding margin of 912 points, which established a new world record, and he became the first person to successfully defend an Olympic decathlon title. More than 300 people from throughout the state attended, including Olympic medal-winners Sammy Lee, Bill Toomey, Dave Johnson and Pat McCormick, and Sim Iness' widow, Dolores. Chuck Taylor, who went 40-29-2 in seven seasons, was the coach. ©2020 United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Mathias was born in Tulare, California. Subscribe to our Free Newsletter. Bob Mathias 1952.jpg 1,000 × 814; 219 KB. Mathias, a … Continued work for the state department as a good will ambassador to the world. His point total of 7731 was 599 more than that of second-place finisher Milt Campbell of the U.S. (who won the event four years later). In addition to his Olympic gold, he led the Stanford University football team to a Rose Bowl appearance. Starred in the movie "China Doll", the TV series The Troubleshooters, the movie "Theseus and the Minotaur" and in the movie It Happened in Athens. Robert Bruce "Bob" Mathias (November 17, 1930 – September 2, 2006) was an American decathlete, two-time Olympic gold medalist, a United States Marine Corps officer, actor and United States Congressman representing the state of California. Bob Mathias was born on November 17, 1930 in Tulare, California, USA as Robert Bruce Mathias. He almost failed in the high jump but was able to recover. At Helsinki in 1952, Mathias established himself as one of the world's greatest all-around athletes. In the. Doctors discovered a cancerous tumor in Mathias's throat. Mathias continued to fare well in decathlons in the four years between the London games and the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. Then Bob Mathias broke the hearts of Trojans everywhere, scoring two touchdowns, including a spectacular 96-yard kickoff return, to give Stanford a 27-20 victory. Stanford football great Kirkland, 82, dies Share this: ... linebacker Chuck Essegian and halfback Bob Mathias. Bob Mathias was born, the second of four children (including older brother Eugene, younger brother James, and younger sister Patricia), to Dr. Charles and Lillian Mathias. Won National Decathlon Championship at meet held in Tulare. Enrolls at Kiskiminetas Prep School, Saltsburg, Pa. Honored with the James E. Sullivan Award, presented each year to America's top amateur athlete. [4] He was unaware of the rules in the shot put and nearly fouled out of the event. (Although drafted by the Washington Redskins, Mathias never played professional football.) [3][6] (These were the same eight years in which Ronald Reagan served two terms as governor of California.) Bob Mathias, a two-time Olympic decathlon champion and Stanford football standout who became a four-term Republican congressman from the Central Valley, died … Mathias won four U.S. decathlon championships (1948–50, 1952). He also starred in a number of mostly cameo-type roles in a variety of movies and TV shows throughout the 1950s. On New Year's Day, he played fullback for Stanford University in the Rose Bowl. Graduated from Stanford and commissioned as a 2nd Lt in the U.S. Marine Corps. Mathias led Stanford University to the 1952 Rose Bowl in football. Stanford Cardinal: Movies: 1954; The Bob Mathias Story, 1958; China Doll, 1960; Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete and 1962; It Happened in Athens. Upon his return to the small farming community of Tulare, California, Mathias was a full-fledged hero. Despite his inexperience, he qualified for the Olympic team, then won the gold medal in London. Mathias was born in Tulare, California. He was married to Gwen Alexander and Melba Wiser. Bob Mathias, Actor: Teseo contro il minotauro. Robert Bruce "Bob" Mathias (1930-2006) won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon in 1948 (at age 17) and 1952. Drafted by the, Married his first wife Melba. He attended Tulare Union High School, where he was a classmate and long time friend of Sim Iness, the 1952 Olympic discus gold medalist. He was inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame in 2007, US Olympic Hall of Fame in 1983 and the US Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1974. At age seventeen, graduated from Tulare high school after an illustrious high school athletic career in football and track and field.Wins National Decathlon Championship at Bloomfield, N.J. Appointed executive director of the National Fitness Foundation. At age seventeen, graduated from Tulare high school after an illustrious high school athletic career in football and. He attended Stanford University (B.A., 1953), where he played fullback on the gridiron football team. Mathias was narrowly defeated for re-election by John Hans Krebs, a member of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. Stanford has been known for churning out national team members and stars like the swimmer Katie Ledecky, the decathlete Bob Mathias, the … Won National Decathlon Championship at a meet held in Tulare. [2], Won the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon at Helsinki, Finland, setting a |world record.[2]. He earned a master’s degree from Stanford University in physical education in ’51. Visited more than forty countries as America's Good Will Ambassador. He qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team and went on to win gold medal in decathlon at the Summer Olympic Games in London, England. A few months later, he's a national hero. En 1954 estrenóse un filme sobre la so vida col títulu de The Bob Mathias Story, nel cual intervenía él xunto a la so esposa Melba, cola cual casárase esi añu. Already a member of the football, basketball and track team at Tulare High School in California, Mathias took up the decathlon at the track coach's urging, though he had never seen a javelin, no less thrown one. Mathias was one of several Republicans swept out in the wake of the Watergate scandal. During the summer following his high school graduation, he qualified for the United States Olympic team for the 1948 Summer Olympics held in London. Returned to the Central Valley, in rural Fresno County. Mathias set his first decathlon world record in 1950[2] and led Stanford to a Rose Bowl appearance in 1952, the first nationally televised college football game. He capped his brilliant career by repeating as Olympic champion in 1952, winning by the largest margin in Olympic history and setting another world record. In the 1959–1960 television season, Mathias played Frank Dugan, with costars Keenan Wynn as Kodiak and Chet Allen as Slats, in the TV series The Troubleshooters, which focused 26 episodes on events at construction sites. Also a star fullback for the Stanford football team, he played in the 1952 Rose Bowl, making him the only person ever to compete in that event and an Olympics in the same year. While at Tulare Union in early 1948, Mathias took up the decathlon at the suggestion of his track coach, Virgil Jackson. 96 Bill Rogers vs. Oregon State • 1952 2. They later had three daughters, Romel, Megan, and Marissa. This Month in Sports Reference All Rights Reserved. Early life and athletic career Mathias was born in Tulare, California. [1] In 1948, Mathias won the James E. Sullivan Award as the nation's top amateur athlete, but because his scholastic record in high school did not match his athletic achievement, he spent a year at The Kiski School,[3] a well-respected all-boys boarding school in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania. Championships1948 Olympics: Decathlon (1st)1952 Olympics: Decathlon - 7731 pts. Site Last Updated: Tuesday, January 19, 7:08AM Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? After huge celebration and parade in Tulare, presented with "Key to the City" by Mayor Elmo Zumwalt. En 1953 graduóse en Stanford, y esi mesmu añu foi reclutado pol equipu Washington Redskins, anque nunca llegó a xugar na National Football League. He is interred at Tulare Cemetery in Tulare, California. 90 Dave Follow on . While at Stanford University, Mathias set the first of … Stanford v. Michigan Football Program 1952 in very good condition. Mathias set his first decathlon world record in 1950 and led Stanford to a Rose Bowl appearance in 1952, the first nationally televised college football game. As a fullback for Stanford University's football team, he became the only man ever to compete in a Rose Bowl and the Olympic Games in the same year (1952). Mathias played football during junior and senior years at Stanford. After graduating from Stanford in 1953 with a BA in Education, Mathias spent two and a half years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Touchdown Run 1. For the first American officer killed by German fire on D-Day, see. Bob Mathias was born on November 19, 1930, in Tulare, California, the second of four children born to Dr. Charles Milfred and Lillian (Harris) Mathias. He defeated Harlan Hagen, the 14-year Democratic Party incumbent, by about 11% in the 1966 election. [6], He and his wife Melba can be seen on the 29th April 1954 edition of You Bet Your Life. 22 pages, all players are pictured. 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