William Kuhlemeier

William Harmon Kuhlemeier (August 14, 1908 – July 8, 2001) was an American gymnast. He was a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team and was the 1932 Olympic bronze medalist in Los Angeles.

Personal life Kuhlemeier was born in Seattle, Washington, on January 14, 1908, and was likely of German descent, as his name has German origins and he was a Los Angeles' Turnverein Germania Club member.

1932 Olympic bronze On July 25, 1932, a tryout meet to determine the American gymnastics team for the Los Angeles Olympics was held at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Forty-four athletes, many AAU competitors and champions, were scheduled to complete. For Indian Clubs, selections included Kuhlemeier with Roth, and Erenberg, the two other medalists, as well as four other competitors.

At the tryout, Kuhlemeir was associated with the Los Angeles Tuverein Germania Club, which had a long history in Los Angeles catering to a growing German immigrant population and by 1900 featured gymnasts, singers, actors, fencers, marksmen, and costume balls. In the early 1900s and prior, the Indian Club was a common element in German American gymnastic work, an exercise tool first brought to European attention by British soldiers.

Selected for the American Gymnastics team, he competed at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles where he received a bronze medal in clubs. The gold medalist was American George Roth, and the silver medalist was American Philip Erenberg, who would become a Los Angeles and Hollywood-based physician specializing in obstetrics and internal medicine. This gave the Americans a clean sweep of the medal competition in the event that year. In the 1932 Olympics and prior, Americans had a limited history with Olympic medals in Gymnastics competitions.

Competing on August 9, 1932, in Los Angeles, he scored 25.9 in the Indian Clubs, placing him third behind Philip Erenberg who scored 26.7. The athletes swung two Indian clubs of .70 kg (1.5 lbs), for a minimum of four minutes.

According to one source, Kuhlemeier married Nana J. Fly Kuhlemeier in 1936.

Death Kuhlemeier died in Carlsbad, California, South of Los Angeles on July 8, 2001, at the age of 93.