Reuben Kelto
Encyclopedia
Reuben W. Kelto was an American football
player. He played at the tackle
position for the University of Michigan
from 1939 to 1941. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1941 Michigan Wolverines football team
.
Kelto was born in 1919 in Bessemer, Michigan
, the son of Emil and Lilly Kelto. He graduated from the A.D. Johnston High School in 1938.
He enrolled at the University of Michigan
and played football under head coach Fritz Crisler
from 1939 to 1941. He first gained attention in Michigan's 1939 victory over Iowa
. Following the game, Bob Murphy of the Detroit News wrote: "A new star stood out for the Wolverines in Reuben Kelto of Bessemer. Subbing for Bill (Savilla) at various intervals in the game Kelto did an outstanding job."
Kelto went on to become the Most Valuable Player on the 1941 Michigan Wolverines football team
. The 1941 team under head coach Fritz Crisler
finished with a 6-1-1 record and were ranked fifth in the final Associated Press
poll.
Kelto received a bachelor of science degree in engineering degree from the University of Michigan and later received a master's degree from the Chrysler Institute of Engineering in Detroit, Michigan
.
Kelto served in the U.S. Navy during World War II
.
He married to Florence Alhrecht on August 17, 1946, in a ceremony held in Shawano, Wisconsin
, with the reception at the Hotel Martin in Bonduel, Wisconsin
. At the time of the wedding, Kelto had recently been discharged from the Navy and was working for Chrysler Corporation. Over the course of his professional career, Kelto held positions as an electrical engineer with Chrysler and Tecumseh Products. He was also a lifetime member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers. He lived in Dayton, Ohio
, Adrian, Michigan
, and, for the last 12 years of his life, Colorado Springs, Colorado
.
In 1975, Kelto was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.
Kelto died in 1998 from complications of Alzheimer's disease
. He was survived by his wife, Florence, three sons (Clifford, Martin, and Douglas), a daughter (Vivian Khalife) and seven grandchildren.
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 played at the tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
position for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1939 to 1941. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1941 Michigan Wolverines football team
1941 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1941 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1941 college football season. The 1941 team compiled a record of 6–1–1 and was ranked No. 5 in the final Associated Press poll.-Schedule:-Starters:...
.
Kelto was born in 1919 in Bessemer, Michigan
Bessemer, Michigan
Bessemer is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,914. It is the county seat of Gogebic County....
, the son of Emil and Lilly Kelto. He graduated from the A.D. Johnston High School in 1938.
He enrolled at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and played football under head coach Fritz Crisler
Fritz Crisler
Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler was an American football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and defense. Crisler developed two-platoon football while serving as head coach at the University of...
from 1939 to 1941. He first gained attention in Michigan's 1939 victory over Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. Following the game, Bob Murphy of the Detroit News wrote: "A new star stood out for the Wolverines in Reuben Kelto of Bessemer. Subbing for Bill (Savilla) at various intervals in the game Kelto did an outstanding job."
Kelto went on to become the Most Valuable Player on the 1941 Michigan Wolverines football team
1941 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1941 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1941 college football season. The 1941 team compiled a record of 6–1–1 and was ranked No. 5 in the final Associated Press poll.-Schedule:-Starters:...
. The 1941 team under head coach Fritz Crisler
Fritz Crisler
Herbert Orin "Fritz" Crisler was an American football coach who is best known as "the father of two-platoon football," an innovation in which separate units of players were used for offense and defense. Crisler developed two-platoon football while serving as head coach at the University of...
finished with a 6-1-1 record and were ranked fifth in the final Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
poll.
Kelto received a bachelor of science degree in engineering degree from the University of Michigan and later received a master's degree from the Chrysler Institute of Engineering in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
Kelto served in the U.S. Navy during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He married to Florence Alhrecht on August 17, 1946, in a ceremony held in Shawano, Wisconsin
Shawano, Wisconsin
Shawano is a city in Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,305 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Shawano County...
, with the reception at the Hotel Martin in Bonduel, Wisconsin
Bonduel, Wisconsin
Bonduel is a village in Shawano County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,416 at the 2000 census.-History:The village is named after a Jesuit missionary, the Rev...
. At the time of the wedding, Kelto had recently been discharged from the Navy and was working for Chrysler Corporation. Over the course of his professional career, Kelto held positions as an electrical engineer with Chrysler and Tecumseh Products. He was also a lifetime member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers. He lived in Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, Adrian, Michigan
Adrian, Michigan
As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
, and, for the last 12 years of his life, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
.
In 1975, Kelto was inducted into the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame.
Kelto died in 1998 from complications of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. He was survived by his wife, Florence, three sons (Clifford, Martin, and Douglas), a daughter (Vivian Khalife) and seven grandchildren.