15 greatest Olympians to appear on a Wheaties box

8. Bob Richardson, Track & Field

By the time Bob Richardson made his Wheaties box appearance in 1958, the tradition had already been in place for more than two decades. Prior to Richardson, however, no athlete had ever graced the front cover. The versatile track and field standout became the first.

Perhaps it was Richardson’s historic Olympic career that prompted the new tradition.

Richardson made his Olympic debut with a bronze medal performance in the pole vault at the 1948 Summer Games in London. Richardson built on this experience, and would go on to win gold at the ensuing games in Helsinki and Melbourne. Doing so made him one of the most decorated track and field athletes in Olympic history.

Richardson was the premier pole vaulter of his time, winning gold in the event at the 1951 and 1955 Pan American Games to compliment his Olympic feats, but he was also a talented decathlete. Richardson took part in the decathlon at the 1956 Summer Games in Melbourne, but did not place. He took silver the year before at the Pan American Games.

In addition to becoming the first athlete to appear on the cover of the Wheaties box, Richardson was a longtime spokesman for the company.

Next: No. 7