View source for Bob Seagren

{{Short description|American pole vaulter (born 1946)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
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{{Cleanup rewrite|date=July 2023}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2023}}
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{{Infobox sportsperson
| image          = BobSeagren.jpg
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1946|10|17}}
| birth_place    = [[Pomona, California]], United States
| height         = {{convert|1.83|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight         = {{convert|80|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}
| sport          = Pole vaulting
| club           = Southern California Striders, Anaheim
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1968 Summer Olympics|1968 Mexico City]]|[[Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{MedalSilver|[[1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Munich]]|[[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's pole vault|Pole vault]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Pan American Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1967 Pan American Games|1967 Winnipeg]] | [[Athletics at the 1967 Pan American Games|Pole vault]]}}
}}
'''Robert Seagren''' (born October 17, 1946) is a retired [[United States|American]] [[pole vault]]er, the [[1968 Summer Olympics|1968 Olympic champion]].

A native of [[Pomona, California]], Seagren was one of the world's top pole vaulters in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He won six National [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] and four [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] titles indoors and outdoors. Indoors he posted eight world bests between 1966 and 1969. He was also the [[Pan American Games]] champion in 1967. He set his first [[world record]] {{convert|5.32|m|ftin}} in [[Fresno, California|Fresno]] on May 14, 1966, followed by his world records 1967 in [[San Diego]] {{convert|5.36|m|ftin}}, 1968 in [[Echo Summit]] near [[South Lake Tahoe]] {{convert|5.41|m|ftin}} and 1972 in [[Eugene, Oregon|Eugene]] {{convert|5.63|m|ftin}}.

In 1968, Seagren participated in his first [[Olympic Games]] in [[Mexico City]]. In an exciting contest, he won the gold medal with the top three vaulters, including silver medalist [[Claus Schiprowski]] ([[West Germany]]) and the bronze medal winner [[Wolfgang Nordwig]] ([[East Germany]]) reaching the same height {{convert|5.40|m|ftin}}.

Four years later, in [[Munich]], he remains best remembered for the Olympic gold medal he didn't get. In the [[1972 Summer Olympics]], a last-minute ruling barred the new ''banana-Pole'' from Olympic competition, forcing some vaulters, including Seagren, to compete with unfamiliar poles. East German Wolfgang Nordwig didn't use a ''Cata-Pole'' and won the gold medal, with Seagren coming second.  It was the first time an American had failed to win the Olympic gold medal in the pole vault. In fact, no American would again win a gold medal in the pole vault until [[Nick Hysong]] won in 2000.

A 1968 [[University of Southern California]] graduate, Seagren took a try at [[professional track]]<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Ballard |first=Chris |date=April 23, 2001 |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1022334/index.htm |title=Bob Seagren, Pole Vaulter |access-date=January 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614131825/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1022334/index.htm |archive-date=June 14, 2012 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref> and later he started his career in [[television]] and [[film|movie]]s as a show host and [[soap opera]] actor.<ref>{{IMDb name|0780479}}</ref> He was also taken in the [[1967 ABA Draft]] by the [[New Orleans Buccaneers]], despite never having played basketball at any level.<ref>Staff. [https://www.nytimes.com/1967/04/03/archives/new-court-loop-drafts-players-11-teams-pick-130-athletes-seagren-on.html "NEW COURT LOOP DRAFTS PLAYERS; 11 Teams Pick 130 Athletes --Seagren on List"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', April 3, 1967. Accessed September 1, 2010.</ref>

Seagren won the inaugural American ''[[Superstars (American TV program)|Superstars]]'' sports competition in 1973 as well as the first ''World Superstars'' in 1977, his lone victories in both events.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/se/bob-seagren-1.html |title=Bob Seagren |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527033746/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/se/bob-seagren-1.html |archive-date=May 27, 2011 |website=[[Sports Reference]]}}</ref> He was able to enjoy the spoils from these competitions because he had become a professional athlete having signed to join the [[International Track Association]] (ITA) tour after the 1972 Olympics. On the ITA tour he renewed his very personal antagonistic rivalry with fellow American pole vaulter [[Steve Smith (pole vaulter)|Steve Smith]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://people.com/archive/pole-vaulters-seagren-and-smith-champions-and-competitors-yes-but-chums-no-way-vol-3-no-21/ |title=Pole-vaulters Seagren and Smith: Champions and Competitors, Yes—but Chums? No Way |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |volume=3 |number=21 |date=June 2, 1975}}</ref>

Seagren went on to become an actor, appearing in several movies and television shows, including the controversial sitcom ''[[Soap (TV series)|Soap]]'' in 1977 in which he played Dennis Phillips, a [[gay]] [[American football|football]] player in a relationship with [[Billy Crystal]]'s character [[Jodie Dallas]]. He appeared as a guest star in an episode of ''[[Charlie's Angels]]'' in 1980, called "Toni's Boys" as a detective who worked for a friend of Charlie who was also in the detective business. The episode was a backdoor pilot for a new series but the show wasn't picked up by the network. He was referred to in the episode as an "Olympic Champion" although he played a fictional character. He also guest starred on the TV series ''[[Wonder Woman (TV series)|Wonder Woman]]'' in the episodes called "Stolen Faces" and "The Man Who Could Not Die". Seagren played himself, serving as an LAPD youth camp counselor on the "Camp Two" episode of ''[[Adam-12]]''.

Today, he is [[Chief Executive Officer|CEO]] of International City Racing, which specializes in the development, management, and implementation of [[road racing]], [[endurance]], and fitness events, including the [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]] International [[Marathon (sport)|City Marathon]]. He is also an active supporter of the Commission on Athletics of the California Community Colleges.

He was named to the inaugural class of the Mt. SAC Relays Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mtsacathletics.com/hof |title=Hall of Fame Inductees |website=Mt. San Antonio College |date=January 26, 2016 |access-date=January 1, 2022}}</ref>  In 1986 he was inducted into the [[USA Track & Field|USATF]] [[National Track and Field Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://legacy.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=148 |title=Bob Seagren |website=[[USA Track & Field]] |access-date=January 1, 2022}}</ref>

He was married to actress and Playboy Playmate of the month (January 1990) Peggy McIntaggart, and they had twins (a boy and a girl), McKenzie and Mika Seagren, born in 1997.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/2010/10/16/krikorian-seagren-owes-a-lot-to-his-gold/ |title=KRIKORIAN: Seagren owes a lot to his gold |date=October 16, 2010 |first=Doug |last=Kirkorian |newspaper=[[Redlands Daily Facts]] |access-date=January 1, 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* See the Eugene record jump {{YouTube|d3Q-uPV4AAo}} @ 19:20
* {{USATF Hall of Fame}}
* {{Olympics.com profile}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{IMDb name}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Fred Hansen]]|title=[[World record progression pole vault men|Men's Pole Vault World Record Holder]]|years=May 14, 1966 &ndash; July 23, 1966|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[John Pennel]]}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[John Pennel]]|title=[[World record progression pole vault men|Men's Pole Vault World Record Holder]]|years=June 10, 1967 &ndash; June 23, 1967|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[Paul Wilson (pole vaulter)|Paul Wilson]]}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Paul Wilson (pole vaulter)|Paul Wilson]]|title=[[World record progression pole vault men|Men's Pole Vault World Record Holder]]|years=September 12, 1968 &ndash; June 21, 1969|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[John Pennel]]}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|SWE}} [[Kjell Isaksson]]|title=[[World record progression pole vault men|Men's Pole Vault World Record Holder]]|years=July 2, 1972 &ndash; March 28, 1975|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[David Roberts (pole vaulter)|David Roberts]]}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|before={{flagicon|SWE}} [[Kjell Isaksson]]|title=[[Pole vault#Men's Seasons Best|Men's Pole Vault Best Year Performance]]|years=1972|after={{flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Smith (pole vaulter)|Steve Smith]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Olympic Champions Pole Vault (Men)}}
{{Footer Pan American Champions Pole Vault Men}}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in men's pole vault}}
{{Footer US NC Pole Vault Men}}
{{World Superstars Champions}}
{{Superstars}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1968 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1972 Summer Olympics}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Seagren, Bob}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:American chief executives]]
[[Category:American men pole vaulters]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1967 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games silver medalists for the United States]]
[[Category:Junior college men's track and field athletes in the United States]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1967 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1967 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1968 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Mt. SAC Mounties men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:New Orleans Buccaneers draft picks]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Pomona, California]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:Universiade medalists in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:USC Trojans men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:World record setters in the sport of athletics]]