In the turbulent summer of 1968, he found himself working on the White House campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Kennedy. Jenny was a beach volleyball player who competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and is on the coaching staff of UCLA’s beach volleyball team. The decathlete died at his home in Sherman Oaks, LA, on Wednesday and his death was confirmed by family. He was 86. No cause of … LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. “He stood for what he believed in and he did it in a very classy way with grace and dignity,” Olympic champion swimmer Janet Evans said by phone. “I knew he did everything he could to take care of Uncle Bobby at his most vulnerable moment,” Kennedy’s niece, Maria Shriver, said by phone. No cause of death was announced. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday.He was 86. US entry for Decathlon Rafer Johnson (C) and Formasa Yang Chuan Kwang (R) during training session at Olympics. Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. Johnson finished just 1.2 seconds and six yards behind Yang to win the gold. Our American Athlete and Actor, Rafer Johnson died of complications from a stroke at the age of 86, on December 2, 2020. He died … Johnson died at his Los Angeles home, according to family friend Michael Roth, who did not disclose the cause of death. He began acting in movies, including appearances in “Wild in the Country” with Elvis Presley, “None But the Brave” with Frank Sinatra and the 1989 James Bond film “License to Kill.” He worked briefly as a TV sportscaster before becoming a vice president at Continental Telephone in 1971. It was the last time Johnson would ever come in second. Rafer Johnson, a Los Angeles legend who won the 1960 Olympic decathlon gold medal, helped organize the 1984 Games in L.A. and wrestled the gun from Sen. Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin … Born Rafer Lewis Johnson on Aug. 18, 1934, in Hillsboro, Texas, he moved to California in 1945 with his family, including his brother Jim, a future NFL Hall of Fame inductee. Thanks for contacting us. Rafer Lewis Johnson lived a life of service as impressive as it was impactful. In 1984 Johnson lit the Olympic flame for the Los Angeles Games. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. LOS ANGELES — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. No cause of death was announced. “His devotion to Uncle Bobby was pure and real. He was 86. Johnson won over the Soviet audience with his gutsy performance in front of what had been a hostile crowd. Rafer Johnson, Actor: Licence to Kill. LOS ANGELES — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. Rafer Johnson, in full Rafer Lewis Johnson, (born August 18, 1934, Hillsboro, Texas, U.S.—died December 2, 2020, Los Angeles, California), American athlete and actor, who won a gold medal in the decathlon at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.. Johnson competed in his first decathlon in 1954 as a sophomore at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and in 1955 he won the gold medal … They had two children and four grandchildren. As a freshman at UCLA, Johnson dominated the 1955 Pan American Games, winning gold while setting records in the international gauntlet. Rafer Johnson, a vaunted decathlete who won Olympic gold for the US at the 1960 games and later tackled the assassin of Democratic presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, died Wednesday. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. He was 86. LOS ANGELES — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. LOS ANGELES — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. He was 86. LOS ANGELES — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. Your California Privacy Rights Yang of Taiwan and Vasily Kuznetsov of the former Soviet Union. We've received your submission. Rafer Johnson of the United States, from center, finishers the fourth heat of the decathlon 100 meter dash at the Olympics in Rome, Italy on Sept. 5, 1960. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leads pallbearers as they carry Senator Kennedy's casket to the gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery. At UCLA, Johnson played basketball for coach John Wooden, becoming a starter on the 1958-59 team. He was 86. Johnson, Yang, and Kuznetzov had their way with the record books between the 1956 and 1960 Olympics. Later that year at a U.S.-Soviet dual meet in Moscow, Johnson beat Kuznetzov by 405 points and reclaimed the world record with 8,302 points. Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy´s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. “We were all there to fete him and he just didn’t want to be in the spotlight,” she said. No cause of death was announced. The Texas-born, California-raised Johnson was seemingly destined for … Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. Johnson retired from competition after the Rome Olympics. He took the torch from Gina Hemphill, granddaughter of Olympic great Jesse Owens, who ran it into the Coliseum. Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy's assassin in 1968, died Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. Terms of Use He was 86. He was 86. After winning the national decathlon championship in 1956, Johnson was the favorite for the Olympics in Melbourne, but pulled a stomach muscle and strained a knee while training. On June 5, 1968, Johnson was working on Kennedy’s presidential campaign when the Democratic candidate was shot in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Rafer Johnson won the decathlon gold medal at the 1960 Olympic games in Rome. He was 86. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He died at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, according to family friend Michael Roth. Your Ad Choices The great decathlete and humanitarian Rafer Johnson died at age 86. He died at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, according to family friend Michael Roth. Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Your California Privacy Rights He died at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, according to family friend Michael Roth. Besides his wife of 49 years and children, he is survived by son-in-law Kevin Jordan and four grandchildren. He died at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, according to … Privacy Notice Kuznetzov, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist who the Soviets called their “man of steel,” broke Johnson’s world record in May 1958 with 8,016 points. Yang was his primary competition in Rome. It was less than 25 miles from Tulare, the hometown of Mathias, who would win the decathlon at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics and prove an early inspiration to Johnson. Sitemap 37,040, © 2021 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved Johnson won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in 1955 while competing in just his fourth decathlon. Off the field, Johnson gravitated to acting, sportscasting and humanitarian work. Johnson founded California Special Olympics the following year at a time when positive role models for the intellectually and physically disabled were rare. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, … His children, Jenny Johnson Jordan and Josh Johnson, were athletes themselves. “That was one of the things I loved about him. He was 86. This story has been shared 50,432 times. At 6-foot-3 and 200-plus pounds, he looked more like a linebacker than a track and field athlete. Rafer Lewis Johnson was born during the Depression, on Aug. 18, 1934, in Hillsboro, Texas, the second of six children born to Lewis Johnson, a cotton picker and farm handyman, and Alma Gibson Johnson. He served on the organizing committee of the first Special Olympics in Chicago in 1968, working with founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver. They eventually settled in Kingsburg, near Fresno in the San Joaquin Valley. In 1958, he was elected student body president, the third Black to hold the office in school history. He died at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, according to family friend Michael Roth. “My hair was standing straight up on my arm. Johnson was among a group who disarmed and subdued the assassin, holding him until the authorities could take over. “Standing there and looking out, I remember thinking ‘I wish I had a camera,’” Johnson said. Yang earned silver and Kuznetsov took bronze. He was 86. His Olympic career included carrying the U.S. flag at the 1960 Games and lighting the torch at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to open the 1984 Games. Even after Uncle Bobby’s death, he stayed close.”, Johnson later called the assassination “one of the most devastating moments in my life.”. Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy's assassin in 1968, died Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. He didn’t want credit.”. At a welcome home meet afterward in Kingsburg, California, he set his first world record, breaking the mark of two-time Olympic champion and his childhood hero Bob Mathias. IE 11 is not supported. Read Full Obituary. He died at his home in LA. He died at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, according to family friend Michael Roth. He was 86.He died … Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. Rafer Johnson, who was among the world's greatest athletes when he won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics, and who helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died … Johnson joined former NFL star Rosey Grier and journalist George Plimpton in apprehending Sirhan Sirhan moments after he shot Kennedy, who died the next day. Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. We invite you to share condolences for Rafer Johnson in our Guest Book. “He stood for what he believed in and he did it in a very classy way with grace and dignity,” said fellow US Olympic champion Janet Evans, a swimmer. Johnson set world records in the decathlon three times amid a fierce rivalry with his UCLA teammate C.K. 39,333, This story has been shared 37,040 times. Olympic star and film actor Rafer Johnson has sadly died aged 86. He died the next day. 50,432, This story has been shared 39,333 times. He died at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, according to family friend Michael Roth. “He and I joked that I’ve been in love with him ever since,” she said. 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All Rights Reserved, ‘Barney Miller’ and ‘Sanford and Son’ actor dead at 83, New York Post mourns loss of longtime colleague Isidore ‘Izzy’ Cabioc, Beloved Louisiana news anchor Donna Britt dead at 62, Sen. Paul clashes with ABC News anchor over 2020 election results, Mike Pence fights back tears, thanks Trump in farewell speech, Clyburn says Bush called him 'the savior' for Biden endorsement, Biden put on a show of 'unity' — will he stick to it? Johnson worked for the Peace Corps, March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Association and American Red Cross. He was 86. The Texas-born, California-raised Johnson was seemingly destined for athletic greatness, playing football, basketball, baseball and track and field in high school. “He stood for what he believed in and he did it in a very classy way with grace and dignity,” an Olympic athlete recalled. Throughout his life, Johnson was widely known for his humanitarian efforts. He was 86. : Devine, Chrissy Teigen slammed for 'tone deaf' inauguration tweet, 24 sweet Valentine's Day gift ideas for kids of all ages, 10 best women’s loungewear sets that are as cute as they are comfortable, 10 best lingerie brands of 2021 — and where to buy for Valentine's Day, Land your dream job in 2021 with these 10 apps that are now on sale, You can get Coach Outlet's surprise Valentine's Day collection for up to 65 percent off, Staten Island guy freaks out holding a fish, Aaron Rodgers' dating history: His ex-girlfriends and rumored flings. Johnson is survived by his wife of 49 years, Elizabeth, their daughter, Jenny, son, Josh, and four grandchildren. Johnson married Elizabeth Thorsen in 1971. “I knew he did everything he could to take care of Uncle Bobby at his most vulnerable moment,” Kennedy’s niece, Maria Shriver, said Wednesday. In 1956, Johnson won the national decathlon championship and a spot on America’s squad for the Olympic games in Melbourne, Australia. He was 86. Although some sources cite Johnson’s birth year as 1935, the family has said that is incorrect. He died at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, according to family friend Michael Roth. During his junior year of high school, Johnson’s coach took him to Tulare to watch Mathias compete in a decathlon, an experience Johnson later said spurred him to take up the grueling 10-event sport. Johnson was among the world’s greatest athletes from 1955 through his Olympic triumph in 1960, winning a national decathlon championship in 1956 and a silver medal at the Melbourne Olympics that same year. ... Olympic champion Rafer Johnson … Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. As a freshman at UCLA, where he received academic and athletic scholarships, Johnson won gold at the the 1955 Pan Am Games, and set a world record of 7,985 points. I bowed my head and said a prayer of … The statement did not name Sirhan, but a government source with direct knowledge confirmed that he was the victim. He was 86. LOS ANGELES — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. Evans last saw Johnson, who attended her 2004 wedding, at a luncheon in his honor in May 2019. He had protected his friend. Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy's assassin in 1968, died Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020. Johnson had to finish within 10 seconds of Yang, which was no small feat as Yang was much stronger running at distance than Johnson. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rafer Johnson, who won the decathlon at the 1960 Rome Olympics and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday. “He really was an extraordinary man, such a loving, gracious, elegant, humble man who handled his success in such a beautiful way and stayed so true to himself throughout his life.”, Peter Ueberroth, who chose Johnson to light the Olympic torch in 1984, called him “just one great person, a marvelous human being.”. At the 1960 games in Rome, Johnson clinched gold in the decathlon, going out on top as he retired from competitive athletics. Rafer Johnson, the famed Olympian who won gold and helped subdue Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin in 1968, died Wednesday at age 86. According to family friend Michael Roth, he died at his home in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles. Josh competed in javelin at UCLA, where he was an All-American. He had protected his friend. Johnson died at his Los Angeles home, according to family friend Michael Roth, who did not disclose the cause of death. 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