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Show Bob Tobler, Pa rowan Track Coach inducted into Athletic Hall of Fame . J iuiii.-iiiiji-uiii.jinii.u,, I . ........ .. . .;, ., . ,..-..&m&&i-!-i!i$&lr . . Bob Tobler, a coach at Parowan High School was honored Friday evening at Brigham Young University as he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame. Tobler and other BYU athletic standouts such as Virgil Carter, Bob Richards, and Dick Nemelka were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame after a banquet in their honor. Neil A. Maxwell, one of the general authorities of the LDS Church was the main speaker Tobler stated, "It was the greatest honor I have ever received, and it was so much fun to meet my old buddies again." Tobler was born in Richfield Rich-field and attended Richfield High School. Probably the first indication of his athletic abilities were evident when he was in the 4th grade. He recalls an elementary track meet when many people gathered around the high jump pit to see if he could leap over the bar when it was set at a height above his head. The bar was cleared at 4' 11". He also recalled the same meet when he ran against the sixth grade boys in the 50 yard dash and came out the victor at 6.3 seconds. His main interest remained with the high jump through his Jr. High years although he won many of the Deseret News Pentathalons in the early 50's. In High School Tobler changed to the pole vault and was very successful in winning Region and several BYU Invitational medals. As a senior at Richfield High he was asked one day by his coach to fill in a leg of the medley relay for an ill 440 man. He took the baton and glided through a 52 second quarter. At that time coach Lloyd Booth told him he was capable of setting a new state record. He ran only 5 meets as a Senior and set a new state record at 49.2 seconds. After graduation there were scholarship offers from the University of Utah, Utah State, Dixie and Brigham Young University. He chose to attend BYU and enjoyed four successful years with the Cougars. As a freshman he moved into the National ratings with a time of 47.1 seconds. That same year he toured Europe with the BYU team and competed in 11 track meets. He was the only member of the BYU squad who was undefeated on the tour. As a sophomore at BYU he lowered his time to 46.0 seconds and had one of the best times in the world. In his Junior year he continued to run world class times but had problems with a foot injury. In this year 1964 he won the NCAA 440 yard dash HALL OF FAMER. Robert Tobler shows off his plague garnered gar-nered at recent induction ceremonies at Brigham Young University. and was named All American in that event and the mile relay. That summer he was invited to participate in the Olympic trials in Los Angeles and only missed making the team by one-onehundredth one-onehundredth of a second. As a Senior his times were excellent and he once again spent the summer touring Europe with the BYU team. The schedule once again was 11 meets and he came home undefeated in the quarter mile. He was then drafted into ' the U.S. Army, and after basic training was called to run on an all army track team. Perhaps the greatest achievement of his career was realized when he was a member of the army distance medley relay team that set a new worlds record in 1968. t |