Rink Babka
Personal information
Birth nameRichard Aldrich Babka
NicknameRink
NationalityAmerican
Born(1936-09-23)September 23, 1936
Cheyenne, Wyoming
DiedJanuary 15, 2022(2022-01-15) (aged 85)
Height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight267 lb (121 kg)
Websitewww.rinkbabka.com
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportTrack and field
EventDiscus throw
College teamMenlo College
USC
Retired1969
Achievements and titles
Personal best63.93 metres (209 ft 9 in)
Medal record
Representing  United States
Men's athletics
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1960 Rome Discus throw
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 1967 Winnipeg Discus throw

Richard Aldrich Babka (September 23, 1936 – January 15, 2022) was an American discus thrower. A former world record holder, Babka also won a silver medal in the discus event at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.[1]

He starred in football, basketball, and baseball in addition to track and field at Palo Alto High School before graduating in 1954. He subsequently attended nearby Menlo College and the University of Southern California (USC). Knee injuries eventually obliged him to withdraw from USC's football and basketball teams, but as a discus thrower he continued to climb toward the top of the world rankings.

Babka continued to compete as a discus thrower until 1969, when he retired to devote himself to various business pursuits.

He later resided in California. Babka was also an artist with works on display with the Art of the Olympians, which was founded by fellow Olympic discus thrower and American Olympics teammate Al Oerter.[2] He died on January 15, 2022, at the age of 85.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Rink Babka". Olympedia. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Art of the Olympians - Richard Aldrich "Rink" Babka". artoftheolympians.org.


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