Leroy Bolden facts for kids

Leroy Bolden, Jr. was an American football player. He was a talented halfback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played for the Cleveland Browns. Before joining the NFL, he played college football for the Michigan State Spartans.

Early Life and High School Sports

Leroy Bolden was born on August 24, 1932, in Wabash, Arkansas. He grew up in Flint, Michigan. There, he went to Northern High School.

Leroy was an amazing athlete in high school. He was an All-state halfback in football. He helped his school win a state championship in 1950. He was also a fast runner on the track team. He competed in the 100-yard and 220-yard dash races. His speed helped his school win state championships in track in both 1949 and 1950.

College Football Career

Leroy Bolden played college football for Michigan State University. He played from 1952 to 1954.

Michigan State Spartans Achievements

In 1952, Leroy was part of a special team. The 1952 Michigan State Spartans football team was undefeated. They even won the national championship! That year, he ran for 414 yards. He averaged an impressive 7.8 yards every time he carried the ball.

The next year, in 1953, Leroy was a key player. He led the Spartans in rushing yards. He gained 691 yards that season. After the 1953 season, he was recognized as one of the best players. The Associated Press named him a first-team All-Big Ten player. The United Press also picked him for the 1953 College Football All-America Team.

Hall of Fame Honors

Years later, Leroy Bolden was honored for his sports achievements. In 1985, he was inducted into the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame. In 1989, he was also inducted into the Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame.

Professional Football Career

Leroy Bolden continued his football journey after college. He was picked by the Cleveland Browns in the 1955 NFL Draft. This was in the sixth round.

Playing for the Cleveland Browns

Before playing for the Browns, Leroy served in the military. He spent from 1955 to 1957 in military service.

He played in 23 games for the Cleveland Browns. He ran for 66 yards. Leroy was often used as a kickoff returner. He returned 23 kickoffs for a total of 532 yards. In 1958, he even had an amazing 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown!

Time with the Dallas Cowboys

In 1960, the Dallas Cowboys picked Leroy Bolden. This happened during the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft. However, he was released by the team before the season began.

Life After Football

After his football career, Leroy Bolden worked in different fields. He worked for Encyclopædia Britannica. He also worked for Hewlett-Packard, a big technology company. Later, he became an assistant director of admissions. He worked at Stanford University's graduate business school.