Leroy Kemp
Encyclopedia
Leroy P. Kemp, Jr. (born Darnell Freeman on December 24, 1956 in Cleveland
, Ohio
) was a successful collegiate wrestler
and three-time World Champion. He earned a berth on the 1980 Olympic team, but was unable to compete because of the U.S. boycott of the Olympics. He also won three NCAA Division I titles while competing for the University of Wisconsin–Madison
.
, Ohio.
. That was the last loss of Kemp's career.
The following season, Kemp moved up a weight class to 158 pounds. Kemp won the NCAA title at 158 pounds the next three seasons and the only blemish on his record was a single tie. He completed his college career with a record of 143-6-1 and 47 falls. He had an 87-match winning streak and a 103-match unbeaten streak.
won the Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
He repeated as world champion in 1979 and 1982—becoming the first American to win three times—and added a bronze medal in 1981. He also won a gold medal at the 1979 and 1983 Pan American games
. He was the U.S. freestyle champion for five straight years from 1979 through 1983. The U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics prevented him from winning the ultimate prize—an Olympic gold medal. Kemp retired in 1984 after finishing second at the U.S. Olympic trials. His record in all international competition was 53-8.
Kemp was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
in 1990. Then at the Beijing Olympics, where he was one of the freestyle coaches for the U.S., he became just the fifth American to be inducted into the FILA
International Wrestling Hall of Fame.
from the University of Wisconsin. He spent the first several years of his post athletic career working in the field of marketing for major corporations. In 1991, Kemp became President/Owner of Forest Lake Ford, a Ford dealership located near Minneapolis/St Paul. The dealership was named to the 100 list of minority-owned auto dealerships, by Black Enterprise Magazine, in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2004. Kemp sold the dealership in 2005.
Today Kemp remains active in wrestling on a broad scale, teaching and mentoring youth and high school level wrestlers at his wrestling academy. He has three children, two sons and a daughter.
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
) was a successful collegiate wrestler
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
and three-time World Champion. He earned a berth on the 1980 Olympic team, but was unable to compete because of the U.S. boycott of the Olympics. He also won three NCAA Division I titles while competing for the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
.
Early life
Kemp was born to a single mother, who eventually put him up for adoption. He was by adopted Leroy Percy Kemp and his wife Jessie. Darmell was their only child and after the adoption they legally changed his name to Leroy P. Kemp, Jr. The Kemps lived in Cleveland until Leroy Jr. finished 6th grade, when they purchased a 25 acres (101,171.5 m²) farm in ChardonChardon, Ohio
Chardon is a city in Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 5,148 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Geauga County.-History:Chardon is named after Peter Chardon Brooks, who donated land to build the historic Chardon Square....
, Ohio.
High school
As a freshman at Chardon high school, Kemp got involved in wrestling after being cut from the basketball team. He made the varsity as a sophomore for the 1972 season and finished with an 11-8-3 record. The next two seasons he was an Ohio State high school champion and finished undefeated in his junior and senior years. His career record in high school was 78-8-3. Prior to matriculating at the University of Wisconsin, he won the Junior Freestyle Nationals in the summer of 1974.College
Kemp started for Wisconsin as a true freshman and finished second at the Big Ten tournament at 150 pounds. He also reached the finals of the 1975 NCAA tournament and lost a split referees decision to Chuck Yagla of the University of IowaUniversity of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
. That was the last loss of Kemp's career.
The following season, Kemp moved up a weight class to 158 pounds. Kemp won the NCAA title at 158 pounds the next three seasons and the only blemish on his record was a single tie. He completed his college career with a record of 143-6-1 and 47 falls. He had an 87-match winning streak and a 103-match unbeaten streak.
Freestyle
Kemp, in his first major international tournament, won a gold medal at 74 kg (163 pounds) at the world freestyle championships in August 1978. At the age of 21 years and 8 months, he had become the youngest American to capture a world or Olympic gold medal. He held that distinction for 30 years until Henry CejudoHenry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo is a freestyle wrestler, Olympic gold medalist, and author. Cejudo became an Olympic gold medalist at just 21 years old, the youngest American wrestler to win a gold medal....
won the Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
He repeated as world champion in 1979 and 1982—becoming the first American to win three times—and added a bronze medal in 1981. He also won a gold medal at the 1979 and 1983 Pan American games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
. He was the U.S. freestyle champion for five straight years from 1979 through 1983. The U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics prevented him from winning the ultimate prize—an Olympic gold medal. Kemp retired in 1984 after finishing second at the U.S. Olympic trials. His record in all international competition was 53-8.
Kemp was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on the campus of Oklahoma State University. The museum opened on September 11, 1976...
in 1990. Then at the Beijing Olympics, where he was one of the freestyle coaches for the U.S., he became just the fifth American to be inducted into the FILA
Fila
Fila or FILA may refer to:*Fila , a South Korean sportswear manufacturer* Fila , an island of Vanuatu*Fila, Iran, a village in Lorestan Province...
International Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Professional career
Kemp earned both a Bachelor and Master degree in MarketingMarketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
from the University of Wisconsin. He spent the first several years of his post athletic career working in the field of marketing for major corporations. In 1991, Kemp became President/Owner of Forest Lake Ford, a Ford dealership located near Minneapolis/St Paul. The dealership was named to the 100 list of minority-owned auto dealerships, by Black Enterprise Magazine, in 1995, 1996, 1997, and 2004. Kemp sold the dealership in 2005.
Today Kemp remains active in wrestling on a broad scale, teaching and mentoring youth and high school level wrestlers at his wrestling academy. He has three children, two sons and a daughter.
Other accomplishments
- 1975 Defeated Dan Gable 7-6 at the Northern Open
- 1978 US Wrestling Federation "Man of the Year"
- 1978 Sullivan AwardSullivan AwardSullivan Award may refer to:* Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award or Mary Mildred Sullivan Award; awarded at 29-grantee institutions of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation...
Finalist - 1979 Sullivan Award Finalist
- 1983 Inducted into the Wisconsin Wrestling Hall of Fame
- 1998 Named the "Wrestler of the Decade" for the 70's by the Amateur Wrestling News
- 2005 Named to the NCAA Wrestling 75th Anniversary Team
- 2008 Inducted to International Wrestling Hall of Fame
- 2009 Elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of FameWisconsin Athletic Hall of FameThe Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame is a promenade in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dedicated to honoring distinguished members of Wisconsin's sports history. New members are honored at a biennial banquet.-History:...
Further reading
- Sports Illustrated - February 21, 1977 - Suppression of His Aggression
- Sports Illustrated - August 23, 1982 - Alone in the Eye of the Hurricane
- The Olympian - September 1983 - US Wrestling Star only Lack Gold Medal
- Hammond, Jairus K. 2005. The History of Collegiate Wrestling. National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. ISBN 978 0 9765064 0 8
- Moffat, James V. 2007. Wrestlers At The Trials. Exit Zero Publishing. ISBN 978 0 9799051 0 0
- Hammond, Jairus K. & Little, Lisa. 2008. The African American Wrestling Experience. National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum