The Senator Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 (edited) Ten years ago today, we lost JFK - Jack French Kemp. Occidental College, 4 years in the U.S. Army, claimed from the Chargers for a $100 waiver fee, two-time AFL champ (against said Chargers), nine-term Congressman from my district, Presidential hopeful, Secretary of HUD under Bush The Elder, running mate of Bob Dole, and first pro QB to hand off to the Brentwood Butcher. I had the great pleasure of meeting him, and working for his campaign, when I lived in DC. During our brief conversation, we spoke mostly about the Bills and BuffTown, not Reaganomics. Very nice man, very cordial, and oh, that raspy voice... ”Well, Dave, when I played, we ran the offense on a ‘supply-side theory’...it was very successful in pro football!”. (I really had no idea what he meant, I was in my early twenties, but pretty sure he was joking about David Stockman.) Another life well-lived, cut short by the dreaded ‘Big C’. RIP Jack. Forever in our hearts and memories. . Edited May 3, 2019 by The Senator 17 4 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vorpma Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Great post, a Buffalo legend in a different time when character and class still mattered! 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Linen Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Wow how time flies. Can't believe it's been 10 years. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 In third grade I used to walk to his home with his son after school. I realized it was cool at the time, but it’s gotten even cooler later in life. He was far more than just another football player. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 14 minutes ago, The Senator said: Ten years ago today, we lost JFK - Jack French Kemp. Occidental College, 4 years in the U.S. Army, claimed from the Chargers for a $100 waiver fee, two-time AFL champ (against said Chargers), six-term Congressman from my district, Presidential hopeful, Secretary of HUD under Bush The Elder, running mate of Bob Dole, and first pro QB to hand off to the Brentwood Butcher. I had the great pleasure of meeting him, and working for his campaign, when I lived in DC. During our brief conversation, we spoke mostly about the Bills and BuffTown, not Reaganomics. Very nice man, very cordial, and oh, that raspy voice... ”Well, Dave, when I played, we ran the offense on a ‘supply-side theory’...it was very successful in pro football!”. (I really had no idea what he meant, I was in my early twenties, but pretty sure he was joking about David Stockman.) Another life well-lived, cut short by the dreaded ‘Big C’. RIP Jack. Forever in our hearts and memories. . No matter what your political persuasion was he was he was the type of person who was liked and respected. He was simply a good person with a positive disposition who wouldn't be comfortable in the cut-throat and tribal politics of today. He exhibited his courage and belief in the equality of people when as president of the player's union he stood up for the black players at an all-star game when they were not allowed to stay at a white only hotel and were treated discriminately from the time they arrived in the city. https://news.wbfo.org/post/heritage-moments-buffalo-bills-and-black-players-all-star-boycott-1965 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearNorth Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Spoke at my HS Sports Banquet, players those days weren't paid a lot and every $100 speaking fee put food on the table... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaBillsFanSince1973 Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 17 minutes ago, White Linen said: Wow how time flies. Can't believe it's been 10 years. how it does. Quote Winning is like shaving - you do it every day or you wind up looking like a bum. . Jack Kemp 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 11 minutes ago, Augie said: In third grade I used to walk to his home with his son after school. I realized it was cool at the time, but it’s gotten even cooler later in life. He was far more than just another football player. A great person, soldier, quarterback, politician, Congressional Rep., Cabinet Sec., statesman, and self-proclaimed “bleeding-heart conservative”. Also, more than a bit of a ‘locker-room lawyer’, so I’ve read. Some call him the instigator for today’s NFLPA. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 20 minutes ago, JohnC said: No matter what your political persuasion was he was he was the type of person who was liked and respected. He was simply a good person with a positive disposition who wouldn't be comfortable in the cut-throat and tribal politics of today. He exhibited his courage and belief in the equality of people when as president of the player's union he stood up for the black players at an all-star game when they were not allowed to stay at a white only hotel and were treated discriminately from the time they arrived in the city. https://news.wbfo.org/post/heritage-moments-buffalo-bills-and-black-players-all-star-boycott-1965 Thanks for this wonderful post, and link - which pointed out some errors in my already short-term memory, namely, that Jack was a 9-term Congressman (not 6), and was not merely an ‘instigator’ of the NFLPA, but founder of the AFL players union. Great, absolutely GREAT article. A pleasure to read. Thanks again for the link .. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobbyC81 Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 40 minutes ago, Augie said: In third grade I used to walk to his home with his son after school. I realized it was cool at the time, but it’s gotten even cooler later in life. He was far more than just another football player. So, was that Jeff Kemp, who later also became an NFL QB? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollars 2 donuts Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 He we was friends with my father who never said a bad word about. I remember as kid when we are a trip going to his office, meeting him and how nice he was and he gave us tickets to go see The Wiz. I was too young to be overly impressed that it was his congressional office near the capitol, which we then also toured. ...yeah, I have a feeling the stories in this thread are just going to keep rolling in about him. isn’t that nice? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 17 minutes ago, ColeB said: So, was that Jeff Kemp, who later also became an NFL QB? Yep. Know him? Are him??? We walked home from Miss Nolan’s class. She was Mary Tyler Moore before MTM. I was hurt when she became engaged! Haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T master Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 1 hour ago, vorpma said: Great post, a Buffalo legend in a different time when character and class still mattered! Could use a few more like him in Washington now days !! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original Byrd Man Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Always a class act. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Senator Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 22 minutes ago, Augie said: Yep. Know him? Are him??? We walked home from Miss Nolan’s class. She was Mary Tyler Moore before MTM. I was hurt when she became engaged! Haha! Had the hots for Laura Petrie, didja? You horny devil, you! ? (So did I.) . 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 47 minutes ago, Augie said: Yep. Know him? Are him??? We walked home from Miss Nolan’s class. She was Mary Tyler Moore before MTM. I was hurt when she became engaged! Haha! Is that when you switched to Morgan Fairchild?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeF Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 During the 1996 Paralympic Summer Games, I was working for the Games staff. Jack and Bob Dole came to the games for a day while they were campaigning. I got to escort them around the swimming and track and field venues. Jack had met my dad when my dad was an Alderman in NT probably 30 years earlier. I introduced myself and Jack says-Joe are you from WNY? I said yes sir. He says, Are you from NT? Yes, sir. Are you Tony's boy...yes sir...I was amazed he remembered. We called my dad right then and they caught up for a few minutes. A super classy man...taken too soon. 1 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augie Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 20 minutes ago, Marv's Neighbor said: Is that when you switched to Morgan Fairchild?? That was years later. Once she was aware of me, I had to get a restraining order. You’d have thought she was a high school english teacher! Not that I minded, but it was cramping my 16 year old style to go exclusive. Maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnC Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 26 minutes ago, Marv's Neighbor said: Is that when you switched to Morgan Fairchild?? Augie switched to another Morgan. His mantra is the bigger the better. Let's play ball. https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=morgan+the+kissing+stripper+ball+players&qpvt=morgan+the+kissing+stripper+ball+players&FORM=IGRE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillsGospel Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 It's terrible but I thought he was still alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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