He played for seven different teams in the National League and American Association between 1879 and 1889.

In the days before catchers had protection against pitched balls, he was quite durable.

Kemmler caught two no-hitters in 1884 for Columbus Buckeye pitchers Ed Morris and Frank Mountain.

Kemmler died in his hometown of Chicago, and is interred at Concordia Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois.

This biographical article relating to a United States baseball catcher born in the 1860s is a stub.