Good to see the many changes you've made! Keep in touch! :)

Trying to find the movie 'The Bob Mathias Story'- not on Ebay. My nephew just discovered he has track & field talent. He has dyslexia so need the movie.

Your grandfather was a great man. I attended his funeral. patrick dunning

Alex...You've done a good job with this website. I think of your grandpa every day. He was my hero and my close friend.

Bob

I remember my Grand mother talking about your grandfather her maiden name was Mathias and she lived in Mt Carmel,PA. She said that he was a cousin. But that when joined the military that she lost touch with him. She now Lives in Lancaster PA with my Parents.

Glad to find this site. My mother from Pittsburgh recently died. In going thru her papers, I found an 8x10 glossy of her uncle, a local sports writer. His name was Robert "Buzzy" Klingensmith. He is in the photo with a KISKI prep track member. In searching the web, I am guessing that it is Bob Mathias. Would you be interested in copy? Lila

His story was very inspiring to me, and I thank the Lord for his gift of inspiration for his generation and for the next generation of athletes. You can be very proud of your grandfather and for the athletes that followed him.

Hello Bob, I had been wondering about you & how you are the e-mail address I have is not a good one. I am not living in Greece anymore the Olympics were great. Formerly Barbara Sulsberger

I worked with Bob at the Colorado Springs training center. I was over the food services, still have a silver plated cake server he gave to me first day at the center. Bob was a man of his word and alway had a open ear to any one that needed to talk. He will be missed. Doug Karstrom

Hi, My grandmother was Bob's babysitter. I have a picture of her with Bob and his sister. Bob looks to be around 8 years old in the photograph. I can email you a scanned version, if you like. leanakcardoza@yahoo.com

It's great to share the same name of such a legend.

tulare union loves u!!!

i have a story you might like to hear.i got a phone call in 1987 from some lady from the sullivan awards.i was living in indianapolis.she said is this bob mathias,i said yea,she said thee bob mathias,waitng a second and said yes well she got very excited said she thought i lived in the midwest but was not sure.she wanted me to speak at the awards.so after about ten minutes of information i asked her what is the sullivan awards.she thanked me for wasting her time.i was born in 1960 named after your grandfather. well that was my brush with greatness.i got the movie some years back. our name was originally spelled matthias take care bob mathias

Alex, thank you so much for doing this. Mowgli is right- The camps were a great leagacy. Most of my dreams are of my days at his summer camp. Thanks again. 831 685 8533

I went to Bob Mathias Sierra Girls Camp every summer from 1969-1978. This camp is one of Bob's great legacies. He had a profoundly positive impact on the life of every child who attended. Bob is part of the very best part of us all.

Camp alumni. Thanks for the 9 great years of memories. I owe much of who I am today to my camp experiences. A truly amazing man and hero.

Congratulations on doing the Bob Mathias website, Alex. I loved the two videos because they have such a great "feel" of Bob's spirit. Not only was your grandfather the incredible athlete that he is so famous for, but he was such a kind and great person. I was fortunate enough to meet Gwen and many of his friends and that was also a great measure of the man, by how much everyone loved him. Working with him on the Across the Fields of Gold book, was a great honor for me. What a great guy. Good luck and best wishes to you.

Alex.....I have admired your grandfather for over 40 years..use that love and inspiration.....FINISH THE SITE!!! Philip Bourdon

i heard a tape your grand father gave at an amway convention. it made a great impression on me.i would love to be able to get a copy of it. thanks

I met your grandfather several times during the '96 Olympics here in Atlanta. Our daughter was attending Stanford at the time, and when we introduced them a day later, Bob was so gracious and nice to her. Bob was my 1st idol when I was growing up in So. Ca. When I finally met him ( in my 50s ), I was still impressed!

I'll never forget that moment I experienced in London.My other sports moment was hearing the PanAm capt announce the US Hockey team win as I was flying between India and London. Both proud moments for an American but Bob Mathias' tops my list.

I miss my grandfather and because of all of the things that he did something always reminds me of him. For example I work out at the Air Force gym in Colorado Springs and they have all of the Olympic posters up on one wall. When even I walk by I look for '48 and '52 and remember him and all of the extraordinary things that he did. But most of all I remeber how great of a grandfather he was.

Hello Alex, Appreciated your grandfather much! He influenced me when I was young, with his wholesome movie "The Bob Mathias Story." I became a winning pole vaulter, now I'm a Pastor. How can I get a copy of that movie? Thanx Dick Bashta Crown Point, Indian

I had an unusual event lately that involved Bob Mathias. I met Bob briefly at a B & B in Twain Harte, CA in early June of this year. Apparently him and his wonderful wife were in the area for a family wedding. He did not look very well, and later his wife explained he had just had some cancer treatment and felt weak. The next morning at the breakfast table, there were several people VERY interested in speaking with Bob, and later many were posing for pictures with him and his wife. I really didi not know who he was at the time, but the owner of the B&B said "Oh, that's Bob Mathias, one of the greatest athletes ever". Well, just last weekend I was in Incline with a group of friends and one had this wonderful story of how years ago he spent a weekend at Stanford as a football scholarship prospect. It was a very special weekend because he was hosted by Bob Mathias the entire weekend. He stayed at his faternity and was truly amazed with this man. Just wanted you to know that your grandfather touched many people in his life, and I'm lucky to have met him once.

Great memories and a tribute to Stanford with his wonderful talent and contribution to the world's sports. My best to Melba. Sara Lee Anderson O'Connor

My name is Gary Bastien, back in 1983 I had the third highest decathlon score in the United States when Bob Mathias was the director of the U.S. Olympic training center in Colorado Springs. While we were staying there, Bob Mathias and his wife Gwen were gracious enough to invite all of the decathletes over to their house for dinner. To this day it is one of the highlights of my life and I am so glad they did that for us. (we had the top 10 U.S. decathletes at the training center at the time) When I was in 8th grade, in 1973 I came across a book in the Grandville library about Bob Mathias. Like Bob, I was from a small town too, and I could see that I had some of the same skills athletically to set out and try to be like Bob. You can imagine the thrill I had to be eating dinner in his house just 10 short years later, having reached my dream of being one of the best decathletes in the United States. I so thank you and Bob for opening your home to us. Gwen, thank you so much. And Bob thank you for being one of the last TRUE American heroes, drug free and modest in victory. Gwen, Bob signed one of those nice large posters that were painted of him and I have it here in my office. Down in the corner I have the picture with me, Bob, Harry Marra and Coach Bozeman. I will cherish it forever. Most importantly, I will continue to try to give to other kids the way Bob did, and only hope to have the modesty and dignity he displayed the short, yet precious time I got to know you and him can become part of who I am. I grieve for your loss and his passing. He touched so many people and really, Bob Mathias will live on forever. With all my deepest regrets, and thanks to Bob for inspiring me and paying for my college education. (via track scholarship) Gary Bastien Saline, Michigan 1983 Pan American Games team member and third place at Sr. Nationals, decathlon event