Jack Kemp, former quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, congressman and one-time vice presedential nominee died Saturday of cancer at the age of 73.
Kemp, who was a 17th round draft choice of the Detroit Lions in1957, bounced around the NFL and the Canadian Football League for the next few years before landing with the Bills in 1962. Kemp led Buffalo to NFL Championships in 1964 and 1965 and won the league’s MVP award in ’65.
Kemp retired from football in 1969 and won an open congressional seat in Buffalo. He served as a congressman for nine terms in western New York. He left the House in 1988 for an unsuccessful presedential bid.
Eight years later after serving a term as President George H.W. Bush’s housing secretary, he made it on to the national ticket as Bob Dole’s running mate.
Kemp, born in Los Angeles, attended Fairfax High School and Occidental College.
Kemp passed away at his home in Bethesda, Maryland shortly after 6 p.m surrounded by his wife Joanne and family.
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