Leroy Bolden
Leroy Bolden | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 August 1932 Wabash, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | 31 October 2008 (aged 76) Roanoke, Virginia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Professional American football halfback |
| Years active | 1958–1959 |
| Known for | Playing for Cleveland Browns in the NFL |
Leroy Bolden, Jr. (August 24, 1932 – October 31, 2008) was a professional American football halfback who competed in the National Football League (NFL) with the Cleveland Browns. He played collegiate football for the Michigan State Spartans and was chosen by the Browns during the sixth round of the 1955 NFL Draft.
Early life
Born in Wabash, Arkansas, Bolden attended Northern High School in Flint, Michigan, where he distinguished himself as an All-State halfback and played a key role in securing the school's state championship title in 1950. Additionally, he contributed to his high school track team’s state championship victories in both 1949 and 1950.
College career
Between 1952 and 1954, Bolden competed at Michigan State University on the football team. He was a member of the undefeated national champion squad in 1952, accumulating 414 rushing yards on 53 carries, which resulted in an average of 7.8 yards per attempt.
In the following year, Bolden led the Spartans—who finished third in the final AP Poll—in rushing with 691 yards on 127 carries, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. His performance earned him first-team All-Big Ten honors from the Associated Press and second-team All-American accolades from United Press.
Professional career
The Cleveland Browns selected Bolden as the 73rd overall pick in the sixth round of the 1955 NFL Draft. However, his entry into professional play was postponed due to military obligations, delaying his debut until the 1958 NFL season.
During his tenure with the Browns, Bolden appeared in 23 games and rushed for a total of 66 yards on 19 attempts. Primarily utilized as a kickoff return specialist, he recorded 23 returns totaling 532 yards, highlighted by a remarkable 102-yard touchdown return in 1958.
Bolden was later chosen by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL expansion draft but was released prior to the commencement of that season.
Life after football
Following his football career, Bolden held positions at Encyclopædia Britannica and Hewlett-Packard, and also served as assistant director of admissions at Stanford University’s graduate business school.
Death and legacy
Bolden passed away on October 31, 2008, in Roanoke, Virginia at age 76.
His achievements were recognized through inductions into both the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame in 1989.