From Olympian to Movie Star, Bob Mathias Made Tulare Proud

At seventeen, Mathias found himself on the U.S.S. America, crossing the Atlantic Ocean to compete in the 1948 Olympics. History was made in London as Bob Mathias stunned the world by becoming the youngest track athlete ever to win a gold medal in Olympic history. This was the beginning of the inspiring career of Robert Bruce Mathias, who won the gold again in the decathlon at the 1952 Olympic Games, beating the second-place finisher by 912 points. Bob Mathias was the first athlete to win the gold medal in consecutive Olympic decathlons. Photo courtesy of the Fresno City & County Historical Society and the Pop Laval Collection.  All rights reserved.

In the late 1940s, as the United States was recovering from WWII, Americans were looking for stories of hope and resilience, and the Central Valley delivered.

Robert “Bob” Bruce Mathias was born in Tulare, CA, in 1930. After overcoming childhood anemia, Bob went on to become a three-sport standout at Tulare Union High School. As a running back, Bob led his football team to divisional championships, and he was an All-Conference basketball player, averaging 18 points per game.

But where Bob really left his mark was in track and field. He captured state championships in shot put, discus, hurdles and long jump. During his high school career, Bob set 21 records and won first place 40 times, attracting the attention of local media. When his track coach, Virgil Jackson, suggested Bob compete in a decathlon, Bob replied, “Sure. What’s a decathlon?”

Bob Mathias went to Tulare High School where he was an outstanding athlete on the football field, the basketball court, and the track. Bob was a force on the Tulare Redskins football team, leading them to conference championships and the CIF playoffs. He was also an All-Conference basketball player for Tulare, averaging eighteen points per game as the Redskins won championships in Bob’s junior and senior years. In track and field, Bob gained a great deal of attention throughout the valley. Bob was adept in all events: sprint, high jump, discus, long jump, and hurdles.  Breaking records was getting Bob great amounts of press coverage.  In the 1947 and 1948 West Coast Relays, Bob broke records while winning the shot put, the low hurdles, the high hurdles, and placed in the high jump and the discus. Throughout his high school track and field career, Bob took 40 first place finishes and broke twenty-one records. Photo courtesy of the Fresno City & County Historical Society and the Pop Laval Collection.  All rights reserved.

Turns out a decathlon is a grueling test of competitors' abilities in 10 different activities. Track and Field Forever describes it as “the ultimate showcase of athletic versatility, endurance and mental toughness.”

Despite having to not only learn but master new events, like javelin throwing and running 1500 meters, Bob decided to give it a try. With only three weeks to prepare, he read textbooks to learn all he could about unfamiliar events like pole vault and javelin, and he trained day and night, sometimes running through the Central Valley orchards.

His hard work paid off, and in 1947 Bob won the decathlon at the Southern Pacific Games in Pasadena, CA, and qualified for the Olympic trials in New Jersey.

The Tulare community rallied behind Bob, raising money to send him to New Jersey and helping him train. Bob won the decathlon trials and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team. He would go on to make history at the 1948 London Olympics, becoming the youngest track athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. He was 17 years old.

Over the years, Bob Mathias was a traveling ambassador for the United States, beginning under President Dwight Eisenhower’s administration.  His travels took him around the world, where he was greeted by presidents, prime ministers, and kings.  Years later, Bob would run for political office and was a four-term Congressman in Washington, D.C. Another of Bob’s talents was that he was gifted with a kind, humble, and friendly nature.  He would always take time to give a smile, a handshake, or an autograph to anyone who asked. Photo courtesy of the Fresno City & County Historical Society and the Pop Laval Collection.  All rights reserved.

This was only the beginning of Bob’s illustrious career, both on the field and off. At Stanford University, he ran back a kickoff for a 96-yard gain, delighting fans and securing the team’s place at the 1952 Rose Bowl. He again won gold in the decathlon at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki. After college, Bob turned down an offer to play for the National Football League and instead enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Bob went on to work in Hollywood, appearing in several television shows and movies, most notably The Bob Mathias Story (1954), in which he portrayed himself. He later turned to public service, winning four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (1967–75) as a Republican representing Fresno. He also served as director of the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

In 2000, Bob was selected as the Central Valley’s Greatest Athlete of the Century.

Although Bob passed away in 2006, his legacy endures through a scholarship he established through the Central Valley Community Foundation. Each year, one male athlete and one female athlete from the graduating class of Tulare Union High School receive scholarships for college.

The article from the Tulare Advance Register in 2007, highlighting the scholarship partnership between the estate of legendary American hero Bob Mathias and the then Fresno Regional Foundation. Mathias, who passed away in 2006, was known for his generosity of spirit and nurturing of youngsters, particularly in his hometown of Tulare, California.  Photo courtesy of the Fresno City & County Historical Society and the Pop Laval Collection.  All rights reserved.

This story is part of the Central Valley Community Foundation’s “Sixty Stories That Shaped Us” initiative to help mark 60 years since our founding. We invite you to join us in celebrating this milestone and this special place we call home. To learn more, visit centralvalleycf.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @centralvalleycf.