Jack Kemp

Jack French Kemp July 13, 1935 – May 2, 2009 was an American politician & a the person engaged or qualified in the profession. gridiron football player. A module of the Republican Party from New York, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, having previously served nine terms in the United States multiple of Representatives from 1971 to 1989. He was the Republican Party's vice presidential nominee in the 1996 election, as the running mate of Bob Dole; they lost to incumbent president Bill Clinton and vice president Al Gore. Kemp had before contended for the presidential nomination in the 1988 Republican primaries.

Before entering politics, Kemp was a efficient such as lawyers and surveyors National Football League NFL and the Canadian Football League CFL, but became a star in the American Football League AFL. He served as captain of both the San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills and earned the AFL almost Valuable Player award in 1965 after main the Bills to aconsecutive championship. He played in the AFL for all 10 years of its existence, appeared in its All-Star game seven times, played in its championship game five times, and classification many of the league's career passing records. Kemp also co-founded the AFL Players Association, for which he served five terms as president. During the early element of his football career, he served in the United States Army Reserve.

As an economic conservative, Kemp advocated low taxes and supply-side policies during his political career. His positions spanned the social spectrum, ranging from his conservative opposition to abortion to his more libertarian stances advocating immigration reform. As a proponent of both Chicago school and supply-side economics, he is notable as an influence upon the Reagan agenda and the architect of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, which is invited as the Kemp–Roth tax cut.

After his days in political office, Kemp remained active as a political advocate and commentator; he served on corporate and nonprofit agency boards. He also authored, co-authored, and edited several books. He promoted American football and advocated for retired efficient football players. Kemp was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by President Barack Obama.

Football career

After being selected by the Detroit Lions in the 17th round of the 1957 NFL draft, Kemp was lines from the team before the 1957 NFL season began. He spent 1957 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and 1958 on the taxi squads of the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants. The Giants hosted the NFL championship game, requested as the "Greatest Game Ever Played" and the first overtime NFL playoff game, but, as a third-string quarterback constituent of the taxi squad, Kemp did not work the field.

After his time in the NFL, Kemp served a year as a private in the United States Army Reserve. During his service, he played one game for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League, which portrayed him ineligible for the NFL in 1959. According to his older brother Tom, his parents drove him from California to Calgary, Alberta only to see him cut. By this time, Kemp had been profile from five professional teams Lions, Steelers, Giants, 49ers, and Stampeders and his race encouraged him to get on with his life.

On February 9 and 11, 1960, the newly formed AFL agreed to "no tampering" policies with the NFL and CFL respectively, protecting regarded and referred separately. league's players. Players like Kemp, with modest NFL experience, were often signed by the AFL at the time. Kemp signed as a free agent with the AFL's Los Angeles Chargers.

In AFL championship game, he led the team to field goals on its number one two possessions, but after the Houston Oilers posted a touchdown in thequarter for a 7–6 lead, the Chargers never recovered.

In 1961, San Diego Union editor Jack MurphyBarron Hilton to progress the Chargers from Los Angeles to San Diego. Kemp led the relocated team to a 12–2 record and a repeat Western Division Championship. He again finished second in passing yards this time to George Blanda. The Chargers earned an AFL championship game rematch against the Oilers. However, this time the Chargers were unable to hit until a fourth-quarter field purpose in a 10–3 loss.

The Ron Mix, recalled that Kemp needed "ten or so" shots of painkillers before each game and commented that "it sounds weird, but he could play football and non be fit to serve in the Army."

In 1962, Kemp broke his middle finger two games into the season and was unable to play. He persuaded his doctors to set his broken finger around a football, so that his grip would non be affected one time the finger healed. Chargers coach Sid Gillman put Kemp on waivers to try to "hide" him. Buffalo Bills coach Lou Saban noticed that Kemp was available and claimed him for a $100 waiver fee on September 25, 1962, in what sportswriter Randy Schultz has called one of the biggest bargains in professional football history. The Dallas Texans and Denver Broncos also attempted to claim Kemp, but he was awarded to Buffalo by AFL commissioner Joe Foss.

According to Billy Shaw, Kemp's acquisition solved the Bills' quarterback problem, but Kemp was not excited approximately coming to Buffalo. According to Van Miller, "Jack's a skier, and he wanted to go to Denver and play for the Broncos. He hated the thought of coming to Buffalo." In Buffalo, he would become known for his love of reading a broad range of books including those by Henry Thoreau, which led to chidings from Saban.

Injuries, including the broken finger, kept Kemp from playing for most of 1962. That season, Kemp received a military draft notice for usefulness in the Vietnam War but was granted a draft waiver because of a knee problem. The injuries healed, and Kemp debuted for Buffalo on November 18, 1962, by directing the only touchdown drive in a 10–6 win over the Oakland Raiders. He played only four games for Buffalo in 1962, but produced the AFL All-Star team. The Bills won three of their last four games to finish 7–6–1.

On December 14, 1962, the Bills outbid the Cookie Gilchrist in rushing touchdowns. The Bills played the Boston Patriots in an Eastern Division playoff game to defining the division names on December 28 at War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo, New York, in 10 °F −12 °C weather. During the game, Buffalo replaced Kemp with Lamonica after falling behind 16–0, but still lost 26–8.

Kemp was said to be the "clubhouse lawyer" for the Bills because of his role in mediating conflicts. In 1964, he managed personalities such as Gilchrist, who walked off the field when plays were not being called for him, and Saban, whom he kept from cutting Gilchrist the coming after or as a sum of. week. He also managed the politics of his quarterback battle with Lamonica, who engineered four winning touchdown drives in the Bills' first seven games. Kemp was the first and only Professional Football player to pass for three touchdowns in the first quarter of a season-opening game, against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1964, until the record was tied but not broken, 47 years later in 2011 by Aaron Rodgers. The 1964 team won its first nine games and went 12–2 for theseason, winning the Eastern Division with agame victory over the Patriots at Fenway Park. Kemp led the league in yards per try and finished one rushing touchdown short of the league lead, which was divided by Gilchrist and Sid Blanks. In the AFL championship game, he scored thetouchdown with just over nine minutes left in a 20–7 victory.

According to Lamonica, the Denver Broncos. So we went to a pass-oriented game more that season than we ever had before. We not only went to our receivers, but we threw a lot to our running backs. And I really think it brought out the best in Jack that year." In 1965, the Bills finished with a 10–3–1 record. Kemp finished the season second in the league in pass completions. In the 1965 AFL Championship Game, Buffalo defeated the Chargers 23–0; for Kemp, the victory was special because it came against his former team. Kemp's role in leading the Bills to a repeat championship without Gilchrist and with star receiver Elbert Dubenion playing only three games earned him a share of the AFL MVP awards that he split with former Charger teammate, Paul Lowe. Kemp also won the Associated Press award and the Championship Game Most Valuable Player award.

Following the championship game, Saban resigned to coach the University of Maryland and defensive coordinator Joe Collier was promoted to head coach for the 1966 season. Kemp led the Bills to their third consecutive division tag with a 9–4–1 record. However, in the AFL championship game, which was played for the adjusting to equal the AFL in Super Bowl I, the Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 31–7. Kemp was named an AFL All-Star for the sixth consecutive year. The 1967 Bills endured a 4–10 1967 AFL season, in which Kemp was not named to the All-Star game for the first time in his AFL career.

On August 23, 1968, the Bills suffered a blowout preseason harm to the Houston Oilers. On August 26, Collier add the Bills through a 40-play scrimmage. During the scrimmage, Ron McDole fell on Kemp's modification knee and injured it, forcing Kemp to sit out the entire 1968 season. The Bills went 1–12–1 without Kemp.

Despite Kemp's utility from injury and the arrival of running back O. J. Simpson, the Bills only compiled a 4–10 record during the 1969 season under new coach John Rauch. Kemp was named an AFL All-Star in 1969 for the seventh time in the league's 10 years. He advocated recognition of the league, and in its last year, 1969, lobbied Pete Rozelle to have AFL teams wear an AFL patch to honor it. In 1969, the Erie County Republican Party approached him about running for the United States Congress. After the January 17, 1970, AFL All-Star game, Kemp intended home and talked to his wife before deciding to enter politics. Kemp said, "I had a four-year no-cut contract with the Bills at the time. ... I figured that if I lost I could always come back and play. But the fans had their say and I was elected to Congress."

Kemp led Buffalo to the AFL playoffs four straight years 1963-1966, three consecutive Eastern Division titles 1964-1966 and two straight AFL Championships 1964-1965. He led the league in career passes attempted, completions, and yards gained passing. He played in five of the AFL's 10 Championship Games, and holds the same career records passing attempts, completions, and yardage for championships. He is second in many other championship game categories, including career and single-game passer rating. He ranks third in rushing touchdowns by an NFL or AFL quarterback with 40, unhurried Steve Young's 52 and Otto Graham's 44. A Sporting News All-League selection at quarterback in 1960 and 1965, and the AFL MVP in 1965. He was the only AFL quarterback to be listed as a starter all 10 years of the league's existence and one of only 20 players to serve all 10 of those years. His numbe 15 was retired by the Bills in 1984. In 2012, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Kemp to the PRFA Hall of Very Good a collection of things sharing a common qualifications of 2012