Ron Bontemps

Ronald Yngve Bontemps (August 11, 1926 – May 13, 2017) was an American basketball player who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics. He was born in Taylorville, Illinois and attended Beloit College. He was a captain of the United States men's basketball team, which won the gold medal in the 1952 Olympic Games.[1] He played in all eight games. Bontemps died on May 13, 2017 in Peoria, Illinois, aged 90.[2]

Ron Bontemps
Personal information
Born(1926-08-11)August 11, 1926
Taylorville, Illinois
DiedMay 13, 2017(2017-05-13) (aged 90)
Peoria, Illinois
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight174 lb (79 kg)
Career information
High schoolTaylorville (Taylorville, Illinois)
College
  • Illinois (1946–1947)
  • Beloit (1948–1951)
NBA draft1951 / Round: 3 / Pick: 21st overall
Selected by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks
PositionGuard
Career history
1951–1954Peoria Caterpillars
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
1952 Helsinki Team competition

Personal

Bontemps and his wife, the former Norma Jean Smith of Beloit, a 1951 Beloit College graduate, lived in Morton, Illinois. Norma Bontemps died in 2009.[6]

Ron Bontemps' son Kevin, played basketball at the University of Illinois from 1980-1983, after a career at Morton High School. Kevin Bontemps like his father, was inducted into the IBCA (Illinois Basketball Coaches Assication) Hall of Fame. Of his father he said, “I attribute all (my basketball success) to my dad. He was never one to force me to play, but he was always willing to get out on the driveway or get in the gym with me. And my older brother, Gary, we were always on the driveaway or in a gym having fun, with dad showing us things and encouraging me to work on different aspects of my game.”[13]

At age 90, Ron Bontemps died on May 13, 2017, at Rosewood Care Center in Peoria, Illinois. He was survived by his two sons and two daughters, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.[8]

Honors
  • Helms Foundation Hall of Fame (1958)[19]
  • Beloit College Hall of Honor (1965)[19]
  • Bontemps' jersey is displayed at Beloit College, in the foyer of Flood Arena[6]
  • Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (1973)[21]
  • Taylorville High School Sports Hall of Fame[7]
  • Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame[22]
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References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ron Bontemps Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  2. "Ronald Bontemps's Obituary". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved May 21, 2017.
  3. toates@madison.com | 608-252-6172, TOM OATES |. "Tom Oates: Tiny Beloit College had its moment on college hoops' biggest stage". madison.com.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  4. EMP, JEAN ZERFOWSKI. "Taylorville's 45-game winning season will stand forever". Herald-Review.com.
  5. "Early days of Johnny Orr | Kagavi".
  6. "Remembering Ron Bontemps'51, a Giant from Beloit's Golden Age of Basketball". Beloit College Magazine.
  7. "Bontemps, Ron - Taylorville High School Sports Hall of Fame". sites.google.com.
  8. "Ronald Bontemps Obituary - Morton, IL | Peoria Journal Star".
  9. "Ron Bontemps - 1946-47 Men's Basketball - University of Illinois". fightingillini.com.
  10. Consulting, Fine Line Websites & IT; Review, The Draft. "The Draft Review". The Draft Review.
  11. "1951 NBA Draft". Basketball-Reference.com.
  12. "Ron Bontemps Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18.
  13. STEWART, GREG. "Where are they now: Kevin Bontemps, Morton/Illinois basketball". Journal Star.
  14. "1952 United States Men's Olympic Basketball". Basketball-Reference.com.
  15. "Caterpillar | Caterpillar Diesels Win Gold at 1952 Helsinki Olympics". www.caterpillar.com.
  16. "Games of the XVth Olympiad -- 1952". www.usab.com.
  17. Bushong, Steven. "Olympics left lasting memories". The Register-Mail.
  18. "United States vs. Soviet Union, August 2, 1952 - Final Round". Basketball-Reference.com.
  19. "Ronald Y. Bontemps (1965) - Hall of Honor". Beloit College.
  20. "EBA-Ron Bontemps". www.nasljerseys.com.
  21. "Illinois Basketball Coaches Association". www.ibcaillinois.org.
  22. "GPSHOF | Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame". gpshof.com.
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