Rick Wanamaker
{{short description|American decathlete}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Rick Wanamaker
| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|March 20, 1948}}
| birth_place = Marengo, Iowa, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's Athletics }}
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | Pan American Games }}
{{MedalGold | 1971 Cali | Decathlon }}
}}
Rick Wanamaker (born March 20, 1948) is an American track and basketball athlete who won the decathlon in the 1971 Pan American Games, and blocked a shot against Lew Alcindor in the 1969 NCAA national basketball semi-finals.
Rick Wanamaker attended Iowa Valley High School in Marengo, where he played basketball. He earned a scholarship and attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where he studied advertising. As a freshman, he wanted to participate in the Drake Relays, and chose the decathlon.
Track and field
Wanamaker was a top ten U.S. decathlete from 1970 to 1974.[http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/rankings/men/decausranking.pdf All-Time U.S. Rankings — Men’s Decathlon], Track & Field News 2002. Accessed 2008-06-10. He was the 1970 NCAA national champion{{Cite web|url=https://www.ustfccca.org/ncaa-100/rick-wanamaker-drake-1970-ncaa-outdoor-championships-first-ever-decathlon|title=Wanamaker Wins Inaugural Decathlon Title ::: USTFCCCA}} and an All-American in decathlon,[http://www.mvc.org/records/mtrack.pdf MVC Record Books], Missouri Valley Conference. Accessed 2008-06-10 the 1971 AAU National Champion in decathlon, with a score of 7989,[https://www.si.com/vault/1971/06/21/611607/ho-ho-ho-went-the-jolly-white-giant Ho, Ho, Ho Went The Jolly White Giant], Sports Illustrated, 1971-06-21. Accessed 2008-06-11.[http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/tfn/archive/results.jsp?sex=M&disciplineId=25&id=1 History of US Nationals Results: Decathlon] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031022317/http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/tfn/archive/results.jsp?sex=M&disciplineId=25&id=1 |date=2007-10-31 }}, Track and Field News Archive, 2005. Accessed 2008-06-12. and was the 1971 gold medalist in decathlon at the Pan American Games with a score of 7648.[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/pag.htm Pan-American Games], Athletics Weekly 2007. Accessed 2008-06-11.Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games He was injured prior to the 1972 Munich Olympic trials, and did not qualify for the 1972 Summer Olympics. He did defeat Mykola Avilov, the 1972 Olympic Champion, during the 1971 USA–USSR Track and Field Dual Meet Series, held in Berkeley, California and Bruce Jenner, the 1976 Olympic Champion, now known as Caitlyn Jenner, at the 1971 Drake Relays{{cite web |url=https://static.godrakebulldogs.com/custompages/Relays/Results/1970's%20Results/1971%20Drake%20Relays%20Results.pdf |title=62nd Annual Drake Relays |website=static.godrakebulldogs.com |access-date=2021-08-04}} and 1971 National AAU Championships in Porterville, California.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/19/archives/people-in-sports-littler-ot-get-hogan-awardd.html |title=People in Sports: Littler to Get Hogan Award |newspaper=The New York Times |date= 19 January 1973|access-date=2021-08-04}} Wanamaker placed fifth at the 1970 Summer Universiade Men's decathlon in Turin, Italy.
Wanamaker is one of the tallest successful decathletes, at 6'-8", 210 lbs. in 1971.
He was the first high jumper, from the state of Iowa, to clear 7 feet, while competing in the 1970 Missouri Valley Conference Meet at Drake University. In 2007, he was named to the Missouri Valley Conference's All-Time Track and Field and Cross Country Teams.{{cite web |url=http://mvc-sports.com/news/2007/6/4/IMPORTED_STORY_1754_131414147004892787.aspx?path=track |title=MVC Announces All-Time Track & Field and Cross Country Teams |website=mvc-sports.com |access-date=2021-08-04}}
Wanamaker finished second to Dick Fosbury, the 1968 Olympic high jump Champion, by 1 inch, at the 1969 Drake Relays.{{cite web |url=https://static.godrakebulldogs.com/custompages/Relays/Results/1960's%20Results/1969%20Drake%20Relays%20Results001.pdf |title=History of the Sixtieth Annual Drake Relays |website=static.godrakebulldogs.com |access-date=2021-08-04}}
A photograph of Rick Wanamaker running in the 1970 NCAA Championships at Drake University, taken by Jeff Jacobsen, was named the National Press Photographer’s Association best sports photo of the year.{{Cite web|url=https://jeffjacobsen.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/young-dumb-and-blessed/|title=Young, Dumb and Blessed|last=jeffjacobsen|date=2012-06-04|website=Here I Stand|language=en|access-date=2019-02-20}}
Basketball
Wanamaker was a member of the Drake Bulldogs basketball team{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/drake/1969-schedule.html|title=1968-69 Drake Bulldogs Schedule and Results}} that finished third in the 1969 NCAA basketball tournament after losing to UCLA in the finals{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1969-03-20-drake.html|title = UCLA vs. Drake Box Score, March 20, 1969}} and beating the University of North Carolina in the consolation round.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1969-03-22-drake.html|title = North Carolina vs. Drake Box Score, March 22, 1969}} He is best known for blocking a shot against Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) in the 1969 NCAA national semi-final game in Louisville.[https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/lopresti/2008-03-18-drake_N.htm Drake stood up to mighty UCLA in 1969], USA Today, 2008-03-18. Accessed 2008-06-12.
Wanamaker's block of Alcindor's shot is one of the 100 top plays in NCAA tournament history, according to www.BleacherReport.com.
He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the fourth pick in the 15th round of the 1970 NBA draft, but he did not pursue a career in professional basketball.
References
- [http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=11349&Gender=M&Page=Tournaments.asp&Tour=P&Year=1971&TF=F Profile]
{{reflist}}
- [http://data.desmoinesregister.com/hall-of-fame/single.php?id=474]
External links
- [http://www.thewanamakers.com/ Rick and Marcia Wanamaker Realty site]
- [http://www.zillow.com/profile/rickw2/ Rick Wanamaker Profile]
- [http://www.iahsaa.org/track/Archives/tr_timeline_overview.pdf Iowa High School Athletic Association track & Field Timeline]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxF4aJ0Ut6E Drake vs. UCLA 1969 First Half - YouTube]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXRGIlBWCk4 Drake vs. UCLA 1969 Second Half - YouTube]
- [https://vault.si.com/vault/1971/07/12/still-something-of-a-summit-meeting STILL SOMETHING OF A SUMMIT MEETING - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com]
- [https://www.ustfccca.org/ncaa-100/rick-wanamaker-drake-1970-ncaa-outdoor-championships-first-ever-decathlon Wanamaker Wins Inaugural Decathlon Title :: USTFCCCA]
- [https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesmarshallcrotty/2012/03/16/dolph-pulliam-drake-university-and-the-greatest-near-upset-in-ncaa-basketball-history/?sh=464c028b5cec Dolph Pulliam, Drake University And The Greatest Near Upset In NCAA Tournament History]
{{Footer Pan American Champions Decathlon Men}}
{{Footer US NC Decathlon Men}}
{{Footer US NC Pentathlon Men}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wanamaker, Rick}}
Category:American male decathletes
Category:Drake Bulldogs men's basketball players
Category:People from Marengo, Iowa
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1971 Pan American Games
Category:Medalists at the 1971 Pan American Games
Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in athletics (track and field)
Category:Sportspeople from Iowa
Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners