Norvel Lee

Norvel Lee

Personal information
Born	September 22, 1924
Medal record Men's boxing Competitor for the  United States Olympic Games Gold 1952 Helsinki Light heavyweight Pan American Games Bronze 1951 Buenos Aires Heavyweight Bronze 1955 Mexico City Heavyweight

Norvel LaFollette Ray Lee (September 22, 1924 in Eagle Rock, Virginia – August 19, 1992 in Bethesda, Maryland) was a boxer from the United States, who competed in the Light Heavyweight division during his career as an amateur.

Amateur career

Lee also narrowily missed out of making the 1948 Summer Olympics, losing to Jay Lambert in the finals of the US Olympic Trials. In 1950 he won the New York Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in the heavyweight division, by KO over Nick Vasquez, the heavyweight Intercity Golden Gloves Championship, besting Kirby Seals and the National AAU Heavyeight Championship, when he decisioned Stan Howlett of Madison, IL in the final. He would repeat as National AAU Heavyweight champion again in 1951 and earn a bronze medal at the 1951 Pan American Games. Lee went to the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki as a reserve Heavyweight. He was told that if he could make the weight limit, he could compete as a Light Heavyweight. Lee lost twelve pounds, and went on to defeat Argentina's Antonio Pacenza for the Gold Medal on a 3-0 decision. He was awarded the Val Barker Trophy for Outstanding Boxer at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Olympic Results

• 1st round bye
• Defeated Claude Arnaiz (France) 3-0
• Defeated Tadeusz Grzelak (Poland) 3-0
• Defeated Harri Siljander (Finland) 3-0
• Defeated Antonio Pacenza (Argentina) 3-0

Personal

At the time of the Olympic Games, Lee had already earned a Master's Degree from Howard University. In 1948, he had been arrested in his hometown of Covington, when he became one of first blacks to sit in the all-white section of a bus.

References

• Olympic profile