View source for Des Koch

{{short description|American athletics competitor}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2016}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name           = 
| image          = Des Koch 1956.jpg
| image_size     = 
| caption        = Koch at the 1956 Olympics
| birth_name     = 
| fullname       = 
| nationality    = 
| residence      = 
| birth_date     = May 10, 1932 
| birth_place    = [[Lincoln County, Tennessee]], U.S.
| death_date     = January 26, 1991 (aged 58) 
| death_place    = [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], U.S.
| height         = 183 cm
| weight         = 95 kg
| country        = 
| sport          = Athletics
| event = [[Discus throw]], [[shot put]], [[javelin throw]]
| pb = DT – 55.08 m (1956)<br>SP – 15.85 m (1954)<br>JT – 64.92 m (1954)<ref name=sr/><ref name=tf/>
| club           = US Air Force
| alma_mater = [[University of Southern California|USC]]
| retired        = 
| olympics       = 
| highestranking = 
| show-medals    = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}
{{MedalOlympics}}
{{MedalBronze| [[1956 Summer Olympics|1956 Melbourne]]| [[Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics|Discus throw]]}}
}}

'''Desmond Dalworth Koch''' (May 10, 1932 – January 26, 1991) was an American [[track and field]] athlete and football player who won a bronze medal in the [[discus throw]] at the [[Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics|1956 Summer Olympics]].<ref name=sr/>

Koch graduated from Reed High School in [[Shelton, Washington]] and [[University of Southern California]]. In 1955 he won the [[NCAA]] discus title, but failed to qualify for the 1956 Olympics; he was included in the team to replace Ron Drummond who could not compete. Besides athletics Koch was known for his [[American football|football]] skills. He played as an amateur and tried out with the [[Green Bay Packers]] (who drafted him in the [[1954 NFL draft]]) and [[San Diego Chargers]], but never played as a professional. Koch married Mitzi Whitefeather, a Native American. They together had three children name India, Tonya, and Sandy.  After retiring from sport he worked at a plastics manufacturing plant, eventually becoming its executive.<ref name=sr/>

==References==
{{Commons category|Des Koch}}
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=sr>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417175241/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ko/des-koch-1.html Des Koch]. sports-reference.com</ref>
<ref name=tf>[http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=3469&Gender=M Desmond Koch]. trackfield.brinkster.net</ref>
}}

{{Green Bay Packers 1954 NFL draft picks}}
{{Footer US NC Pentathlon Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1956 Summer Olympics}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koch, Des}}
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:1991 deaths]]
[[Category:American male discus throwers]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1956 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:People from Shelton, Washington]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:USC Trojans men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]


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