10 Facts About Alma Richards

Alma Richards was the first resident of Utah to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games, in 1912, in the running high jump event.

At Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, BYU coach Eugene L Roberts saw Richards playing basketball, and instructed him to jump over a six-foot-high bar.

Alma Richards proceeded to defeat American champion George Horine in the final and win the gold medal at the Stockholm Olympics in 1912.

Alma Richards graduated from Brigham Young prep school in 1913, and then attended Cornell University with a scholarship, where he was a member of the Quill and Dagger society.

Alma Richards thrived at Cornell, in the classroom and on the track.

Alma Richards was the national AAU high jump champion in 1913 and later, as he expanded his repertoire, he became a decathlete as well.

Alma Richards got his law degree, and passed the bar, but chose not to practice law and instead chose teaching.

Alma Richards became a science teacher in Los Angeles at Venice High School, where he remained for 32 years until he retired.

Alma Richards was buried, according to his wishes, in the Parowan Cemetery.

Alma Richards was posthumously inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame, Helms Hall of Fame and Brigham Young University Hall of Fame.