Shipwreck Kelly (American football)
| No. 44 Kentucky Wildcats | |
| Born: | July 8, 1910 Simstown, Kentucky, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died: | August 17, 1986 (aged 76) Lighthouse Point, Florida, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Halfback |
| Weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| College | Kentucky |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1932 | New York Giants |
| 1933–1937 | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
John Simms "Shipwreck" Kelly (July 8, 1910 – August 17, 1986) was a professional American football player who played halfback in the National Football League (NFL); he was also an owner and banker, most prominent in New York City in the 1930s and 1940s. He played five seasons for the New York Giants (1932) and the Brooklyn Dodgers (1933–1937). Kelly became a player-coach and later a player/coach/owner with the Dodgers football club, the successor to the Dayton Triangles, a charter member of the NFL. He gained his nickname from Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly, who was famous for pole-sitting in the 1920s.