Who Is Jack Kemp? Age, Biography and Wiki
Jack Kemp was born on July 13, 1935, in Los Angeles, California, and he passed away on May 2, 2009. An influential figure in American politics and professional football, Kemp served as a U.S. Congressman and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George H.W. Bush. His contributions to sports and politics left a lasting impact on American society. Although Jack Kemp may no longer be with us, his legacy continues to influence future generations. In 2025, Jack Kemp would have been 90 years old if he were alive today.
| Occupation | Football Players |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | July 13, 1935 |
| Age | 73 Years |
| Birth Place | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Country | U.S |
| Date of death | 2 May, 2009 |
| Died Place | Bethesda, Maryland, U.S |
Popularity
Jack Kemp's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
During his playing days in the NFL, Jack Kemp stood at 6 feet 3 inches tall (1.91 m) and weighed approximately 205 pounds (93 kg). His athletic build and skills on the football field were key attributes that helped him excel as a quarterback. Although there is no current data on his posthumous body statistics, his legacy as an athlete remains significant.
In 1958, Kemp joined the United States Army Reserve and he served a year on active duty as a private to complete his initial training. He was a member of the San Diego–based 977th Transportation Company from 1958 to 1962.
When his unit was activated for the Berlin Crisis of 1961, Kemp received a medical exemption for his chronically separated left shoulder. The injury led to his discharge from the Reserve in July 1962.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Jack Kemp was married to Joanne Kemp in 1957, and the couple remained together until his passing in 2009. Together, they had four children: Jimmy, Jeff, Jodie, and Judith. His family played a crucial role in both his personal life and political career. Throughout his life, Jack Kemp was known for valuing family and maintaining strong ties with his loved ones.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Kemp was the third of four sons of Frances Elizabeth (née Pope) and Paul Robert Kemp Sr. Paul turned his motorcycle messenger service into a trucking company that grew from one to 14 trucks. Frances was a social worker and Spanish teacher.
Kemp grew up in the heavily Jewish Wilshire district of West Los Angeles, but his tight-knit middle-class family attended the Church of Christ, Scientist.
In his youth, sports consumed Kemp, who once chose the forward pass as the subject of a school essay on important inventions, although his mother attempted to broaden his horizons with piano lessons and trips to the Hollywood Bowl.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his death, Jack Kemp's estimated net worth was around $10 million. His wealth mainly came from his dual careers in professional sports and politics, along with various business endeavors and investments. His time in the NFL and subsequent political service, during which he also worked as a lobbyist and board member for various corporations, contributed to his financial standing.
Kemp championed several Chicago school and supply-side economics issues, including economic growth, free markets, free trade, tax simplification and lower tax rates on both employment and investment income. He was a long-time proponent of the flat tax.
He also defended the use of anti-Communist contra forces in Central America, supported the gold standard, spoke for civil rights legislation, opposed abortion, and was the first lawmaker to popularize enterprise zones, which he supported to foster entrepreneurship and job creation and expand homeownership among public housing tenants.
During his career, he sometimes sounded like a liberal Democrat; he supported affirmative action and rights for illegal immigrants. The New York Times described Kemp as the most proactive combatant in the war on poverty since Robert F. Kennedy.
He differed from Rockefeller Republicans and earlier combatants such as Lyndon Johnson by supporting incentive-based systems instead of traditional social programs.
For his commitment to inner city concerns from within the Republican party, David Gergen heralded him as a "courageous voice in the wilderness." Although he was liberal on many social issues and supported civil liberties for homosexuals, he opposed certain gay rights such as the right to teach in schools.
Kemp at times felt his role was that of "freewheeling, entrepreneurial, wildcatting backbencher."
Career, Business and Investments
Jack Kemp had a remarkable career that spanned over three decades. After playing for the Los Angeles Chargers and the Buffalo Bills in the NFL, he transitioned into a successful political career. Serving for 18 years as a U.S. Congressman from New York, Kemp was widely recognized for his advocacy of supply-side economic policies, particularly during his presidential campaign in 1988. In addition to his political endeavors, he was involved in several business ventures, including real estate investments, which further enhanced his economic profile.
Before entering politics, Kemp briefly played in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL), but became a star in the American Football League (AFL).
He served as a captain of both the San Diego Chargers and the Buffalo Bills, earning the AFL Most Valuable Player award in 1965 after leading the Bills to a second consecutive 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 set 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 his early football career, he served in the United States Army Reserve.
Social Network
Jack Kemp is remembered on various social networks dedicated to his life, achievements, and legacy. While he does not have an active social media presence, many fan pages and political advocacy groups continue to honor his work and contributions. Online platforms pay tribute to his impact on American politics and sports, ensuring that his story is preserved for future generations.
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 following 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 the regular season, winning the Eastern Division with a final game victory over the Patriots at Fenway Park. Kemp led the league in yards per attempt and finished one rushing touchdown short of the league lead, which was shared by Gilchrist and Sid Blanks.
In the AFL championship game, he scored the final touchdown with just over nine minutes left in a 20–7 victory. Not long after, Kemp played a key role in an off the field decision.
Kemp was part of the All-Star Game played three weeks after the Championship Game alongside teammates such as Cookie Gilchrist and Ernie Warlick, with the game scheduled to be played in New Orleans, Louisiana.
However, Gilchrist led a movement of African American players wanting to boycott the game due to experiencing discrimination by cab drivers and others during their time in New Orleans; Kemp saw this firsthand when Gilchrist, and Warlick were not allowed to share a cab with him.
Kemp attended a boycott meeting and alongside Ron Mix convinced the white players to go with the idea of a boycott. One day after the players left the city, AFL Commissioner Joe Foss moved the game to Houston, Texas.
Education
Jack Kemp attended Occidental College in Los Angeles, where he excelled in both academics and athletics. He later transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, where he played quarterback for the college football team. His educational background laid the foundation for his subsequent successes in both sports and politics.
After graduating from high school in 1953, he attended Occidental College, a founding member of the NCAA Division III Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Kemp selected Occidental because its football team used professional formations and plays, which he hoped would help him to become a professional quarterback.
At 5 ft and 175 lb, he considered himself too small to play for the USC Trojans or UCLA Bruins, the major Southern California college football programs.
