Bill Kelly (football)
Encyclopedia
William C. "Wild Bill" Kelly (June 24, 1905 – November 14, 1931) was a professional American football
player. He was born in Denver, Colorado
, but grew up in Missoula, Montana
.
to the school's first state championship in 1921. The win made Kelly a local hero, and he was recruited to play for the hometown college, the University of Montana.
—as a sophomore, he ran 9 times for scores of longer than 40 yards. He played quarterback
, but he was most noted for his skills as an open-field runner. He also performed as a kick returner
and during his final two seasons he ran back 5 kickoffs
, including 2 of more than 90 yards. Although his skills were legendary, he was not surrounded with enough talent at Montana to deliver a winning season during his college career. However, he provided the fans with more than their share of excitement. Importantly, Kelly never lost to rival Montana State University
, leading the team to huge wins in 1925 and 1926. He scored a total of 7 touchdowns in the two games to go along with 4 interceptions
.
In the 1927 East-West Shrine Game
, Kelly threw the only touchdown pass of the day, which provided the margin of victory for the West in a 7-3 win.
's New York Yankees
, Frankford Yellow Jackets
and Brooklyn Dodgers
from 1927
through 1930
.
Kelly collapsed suddenly and died while watching a football game in New York at the age of 26.
inducted Kelly in 1969. In 1971 he was named as the quarterback of the East-West Shrine Game
's all-time team.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player. He was born in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, but grew up in Missoula, Montana
Missoula, Montana
Missoula is a city located in western Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. The 2010 Census put the population of Missoula at 66,788 and the population of Missoula County at 109,299. Missoula is the principal city of the Missoula Metropolitan Area...
.
High school career
Kelly's legend started when he led Missoula High SchoolHellgate High School
Hellgate High School is located in Missoula, Montana. It is the largest high school in the Missoula County Public School's District of Montana in terms of student body population...
to the school's first state championship in 1921. The win made Kelly a local hero, and he was recruited to play for the hometown college, the University of Montana.
College career
It didn't take long for him to make his mark at the college levelCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
—as a sophomore, he ran 9 times for scores of longer than 40 yards. He played quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, but he was most noted for his skills as an open-field runner. He also performed as a kick returner
Kick returner
In American and Canadian football, a kick returner is the player on special teams who is primarily responsible to catch kickoffs and attempts to return them in the opposite direction. If the ball is kicked into his own endzone, he must assess the situation on the field while the ball is in the...
and during his final two seasons he ran back 5 kickoffs
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
, including 2 of more than 90 yards. Although his skills were legendary, he was not surrounded with enough talent at Montana to deliver a winning season during his college career. However, he provided the fans with more than their share of excitement. Importantly, Kelly never lost to rival Montana State University
Montana State University - Bozeman
Montana State University – Bozeman is a public university located in Bozeman, Montana. It is the state's land-grant university and primary campus in the Montana State University System, which is part of the Montana University System...
, leading the team to huge wins in 1925 and 1926. He scored a total of 7 touchdowns in the two games to go along with 4 interceptions
Interception (football)
An interception, intercept or pick is a move in many forms of football, including Canadian and American football, as well as rugby league, rugby union, Australian rules football and Gaelic football, which involves a pass, either by foot or hand, being caught by an opposition player, who usually...
.
In the 1927 East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
, Kelly threw the only touchdown pass of the day, which provided the margin of victory for the West in a 7-3 win.
Professional career
After college, Kelly went on to play for the National Football LeagueNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's New York Yankees
New York Yankees (NFL)
The New York Yankees were a short-lived professional American football team from 1926 to 1928. The team was a member of the first American Football League in 1926, and later the National Football League from 1927-1928. They played their home games at Yankee Stadium...
, Frankford Yellow Jackets
Frankford Yellow Jackets
The Frankford Yellow Jackets were a professional American football team, part of the National Football League from 1924 to 1931, though its origin dates back to as early as 1899 with the Frankford Athletic Association. The Yellow Jackets won the NFL championship in 1926...
and Brooklyn Dodgers
Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
The Brooklyn Dodgers were an American football team that played in the National Football League from 1930 to 1943, and in 1944 as the Brooklyn Tigers. The team played its home games at Ebbets Field. In 1945, because of financial difficulties, the team was merged with the Boston Yanks...
from 1927
1927 NFL season
The 1927 NFL season was the 8th regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, the league decided to eliminate the financially weaker teams. As a result, the league dropped from 22 to 12 teams, and a majority of the remaining teams were centered around the East Coast instead...
through 1930
1930 NFL season
The 1930 NFL season was the 11th regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, Brooklyn businessmen William B. Dwyer and John C. Depler bought the Dayton Triangles, moved it, and renamed it the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Orange Tornadoes relocated to Newark and the Buffalo Bisons...
.
Kelly collapsed suddenly and died while watching a football game in New York at the age of 26.
Awards and recognition
The College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
inducted Kelly in 1969. In 1971 he was named as the quarterback of the East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
's all-time team.