Ellison Kelly
| Born: | May 17, 1935 OT |
|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) |
| Weight | 250 lb (110 kg) |
| College | Michigan State |
| High school | Sandusky High School |
| NFL draft | 1959, round: 5, pick: 59 |
| Drafted by | New York Giants |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1959 | New York Giants |
| 1960–1970 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) |
| 1971–1972 | Toronto Argonauts (CFL) |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star | 1964, 1969, 1970, 1971 |
| CFL East All-Star | 1961–1964, 1968–1971 |
| Career stats | |
| |
Ellison Lamar Kelly (May 17, 1935 – February 11, 2016) was an
Kelly was drafted in the fifth round of the 1959 NFL draft by the Giants after a stellar career at Michigan State University, but he opted to go to Canada to play in the CFL in his second season.
Kelly is one of the few football players to have a race horse named after him. "Wildcat Kelly" was a gelding pacer in the stable of Yellow and Black farms of Hamilton, a partnership of Dill (Pickles) Southwick, a former quarterback for the Hamilton Tigers, and businessmen Bruce Woodward and George Ridpath. (Yellow and Black were the colours of the Tiger Cats.) As of 1970, the six-year-old "Wildcat Kelly" had won $14,000 in its lifetime.[1]
Kelly was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1992. He spent his entire post-football life in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, first as a teacher with the Hamilton Board of Education, and later as a Recreations Officer with the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre, where he was regarded as a gentle giant and a gentleman. He was a frequent guest on Tiger Cat alumni days and was asked to speak on many occasions. His speeches were often dominated by a spiritual appreciation and gratitude for the wonderful life and opportunities he had been given. He continued to live in Hamilton until his death in 2016.[2]
References
- ^ "Ticats set example for Wildcat Kelly; 1st win of season", Toronto Globe and Mail, Wednesday 14 October 1970, p. 34.
- ^ "Goodbye, Mr. Kelly: Ticats legend dies". thespec.com.
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