imported>Ser Amantio di Nicolao: /* External links */ add Category:20th-century American sportsmen

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External links: add Category:20th-century American sportsmen

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{{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 (sport)|Athletics]] }}
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Pan American Games]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1971 Pan American Games|1971 Cali]] | [[Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games|Decathlon]] }}
}}

'''Rick Wanamaker''' (born March 20, 1948) is an [[United States of America|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.<ref>[http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/rankings/men/decausranking.pdf All-Time U.S. Rankings — Men’s Decathlon], ''[[Track & Field News]]'' 2002. Accessed 2008-06-10.</ref> He was the 1970 NCAA national champion<ref>{{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}}</ref> and an [[All-American]] in [[decathlon]],<ref>[http://www.mvc.org/records/mtrack.pdf MVC Record Books], [[Missouri Valley Conference]]. Accessed 2008-06-10</ref> the 1971 AAU National Champion in decathlon, with a score of 7989,<ref name="HoHoHo">[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.</ref><ref>[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.</ref> and was the [[Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games|1971 gold medalist in decathlon]] at the [[Pan American Games]] with a score of 7648.<ref>[http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/pag.htm Pan-American Games], ''[[Athletics Weekly]]'' 2007. Accessed 2008-06-11.</ref><ref>[[Athletics at the 1971 Pan American Games]]</ref> 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<ref>{{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}}</ref> and 1971 National AAU Championships in Porterville, California.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name=HoHoHo />

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.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

Wanamaker finished second to Dick Fosbury, the 1968 Olympic high jump Champion, by 1 inch, at the 1969 Drake Relays.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

A photograph of Rick Wanamaker running in the 1970 NCAA Championships at Drake University, taken by [[Jeff Jacobson (photographer)|Jeff Jacobsen]], was named the National Press Photographer’s Association best sports photo of the year.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

==Basketball==
Wanamaker was a member of the [[1968-69 Drake Bulldogs men's basketball team|Drake Bulldogs basketball team]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/drake/1969-schedule.html|title=1968-69 Drake Bulldogs Schedule and Results}}</ref> that finished third in the [[1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament|1969 NCAA basketball tournament]] after losing to UCLA in the finals<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/boxscores/1969-03-20-drake.html|title = UCLA vs. Drake Box Score, March 20, 1969}}</ref> and beating the [[North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball|University of North Carolina]] in the consolation round.<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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.<ref name=USAToday>[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.</ref>

Wanamaker's block of Alcindor's shot is one of the 100 top plays in NCAA tournament history, according to www.BleacherReport.com.
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1075663-the-100-greatest-plays-in-college-basketball-history/page/1|title=The 100 Greatest Plays in College Basketball History|publisher=Bleacher Report.com}}</ref>

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.
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/history/?Season=1970&College=Drake&TeamID=1610612739 |title=1970 NBA Draft Selection History|work=NBA.com}}</ref>

==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}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wanamaker, Rick}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[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]]
[[Category:Drake Bulldogs men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]

Rick Wanamaker - Revision history

imported>Ser Amantio di Nicolao: /* External links */ add Category:20th-century American sportsmen