Mose Kelsch
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| No. 37 | |||||||
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| Position: | Placekicker / Fullback / Halfback | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | January 31, 1897 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||
| Died: | July 13, 1935 (aged 38) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 235 lb (107 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Bellefonte Academy (Bellefonte, Pennsylvania) | ||||||
| College: | none | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||||||
Christian "Mose" Kelsch (January 31, 1897 – July 13, 1935) was an
Pittsburgh Pirates
(which would later be renamed the Steelers).
Kelsch grew up as an orphan in Pittsburgh's
semi-professional football for several teams in the area, including the Hope-Harveys, James P. Rooneys and Majestic Radio teams managed by Art Rooney which would form the basis of the NFL's Pirates.[1]
At the time he joined the newly formed Pirates in
field goals and extra points.[3] He may have been the first such "specialist" in the still-nascent NFL.[4] He was also one of the few players in the league at the time who never played college football and listed the "School of Hard Knocks" as his alma mater whenever asked.[1]
Kelsch never married. He died in an automobile accident on July 13, 1935. Art Rooney served as a
pall-bearer at his funeral.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Sell, Jack (July 15, 1935). "Funeral Rites Wednesday for Mose Kelsch". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-57243-922-1.
- Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
- ^ Braunwart, Bob; Bob Carroll (1980). "Now Kicking, Kelsch!" (PDF). The Coffin Corner. 2 (8). Professional Football Researchers Association: 1–3. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2010. Retrieved May 12, 2011.