Johnson Rafer

American decathlon champion who won a Gold Medal at the Pan American games and a Silver Medal at the Olympics in 1956 and a Gold Medal at the Olympics in 1960. He was the USA teams flag bearer at the 1960 Olympics and lit the Olympic cauldron at the Los Angeles Games in 1984. Johnson starred in a dozen or more TV and movie appearances and by 1979 he was the traveling Vice-President of community relations for Continental Telephone Co. Johnson was known as "the gentle giant" at 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) with charm and adaptability. In 1968, Johnson, football player Rosey Grier, and journalist George Plimpton tackled Sirhan Sirhan moments after he had fatally shot Robert F. Kennedy. Johnsons brother Jimmy is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and his daughter Jennifer competed in beach volleyball at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney following her collegiate career at UCLA. His son Joshua Johnson followed his father into track and field and had a podium finish in the javelin throw at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Johnson participated in the Art of the Olympians program. He died after a stroke on 2 December 2020 at age 85 in Sherman Oaks, California. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less