John B. Kelly, Sr.
John B. Kelly, Sr., also known as
Jack Kelly, (
October 4,
1889-
June 20,
1960) was one of the most accomplished oarsman in the history of the
sport rowing. He was a triple
Olympic Gold Medal winner. He won 126 straight races in the
single scull (1x). He was the father of
Grace Kelly, actress and Princess of
Monaco, (thus maternal grandfather of
Albert II, Prince of Monaco), and of
John B. Kelly, Jr., an accomplished oarsman in his own right.
At the time he won his races, rowing was a big-time sport in the United States. Kelly's exploits were well covered in newsprint. And in many ways, he was a figure comparable to
Babe Ruth or
Jack Dempsey.
Jack Kelly represented the United States at the
1920 Summer Olympics in
Antwerp, Belgium. In a hard-fought race, he won the single scull event. Half an hour later, he teamed with his cousin
Paul Costello to win the double scull (2x) race, a feat which has never been repeated at the Olympic games. In 1924, Kelly and Costello repeated, winning the double-scull event at the
Summer Olympics in
Paris.
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Kelly v. Beresford, 1920 Olympics |
Prior to the 1920 games, Kelly had applied to race in the single-scull event at the
Henley Royal Regatta, one of the oldest and most prestigious event in the sport. He was given assurances by the U.S. Olympic committee that his application would be accepted. At the time, he was one of the most popular figures in the sport and in the midst of his 126-race winning streak.
His application to Henley was rejected. No explanation was given by the regatta, but the popular explanation was that he was not genteel enough to compete with gentleman because he worked with his hands as a bricklayer. (This explanation is not without merit, as eight years later the
1928 Olympic gold medalist
Bobby Pearce's application to Henley was denied because he was a carpenter.) Another credible reason is that his club,
Vesper Boat Club, had a long-running dispute with the Henley Regatta, and he was just a victim of that dispute.
Kelly had begun his career as a bricklayer in Philadelphia. By 1920 he owned a brick manufacturing company in Philadelphia and was on his way to becoming a millionaire. A self-promoter, Kelly had coined the slogan, "Kelly for Brickwork," which was often seen at local construction sites. The actions of the Henley Regatta were good for business.
At the 1920 Olympics, Kelly extracted a measure of revenge by defeating the Henley champion,
Jack Beresford. It was a tough race, as Beresford was one of the most talented oarsmen of the day and would go on to medal at five Olympics. The race, one of the closest in Olympic history, featured a dramatic duel down the stretch with Kelly winning by a second.
Kelly extracted further revenge for his slight when his son,
John B. Kelly, Jr., won the
1947 and
1949 single-scull races at Henley. Jack Jr. won the
Sullivan Award in 1947 for his accomplishments. Jack Jr. would go on to represent the United States at the
1948,
1952,
1956 and
1960 Olympic Games. Jack Jr. would win the bronze medal in the single scull at the 1956 Olympics.
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Daughter, Grace Kelly, Movie Star and Princess of Monaco |
Kelly was also the father of
Grace Kelly, a famous actress who became princess of
Monaco when she married
Prince Rainier in 1956. Kelly is the grandfather of
Albert II, the reigning monarch of Monaco.
Kelly's brother
George Kelly was a popular playwright and he won the
Pulitzer Prize for drama.
Kelly is the only rower who is a member of the
U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the United States Rowing Hall of Fame, having been elected in 1956 at the same time as his son Jack, Jr.
Philadelphia's scenic East River Drive along the Schuylkill River where Jack Kelly rowed was renamed "Kelly Drive" in his honor.
* Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1920 Olypmic Games
* Gold Medal, Double Scull, 1920 Olympic Games
* Gold Medal, Double Scull, 1924 Olympic Games
* 126 race victory string in the single scull
* Self-made millionaire
* Member,
United States Olympic Hall of Fame* Member, United States Rowing Hall of Fame, Single Scull, (elected 1956 at the same time as his son, Jack Jr.)
* Member, United States Rowing Hall of Fame, Double Scull, (elected 1956)
*
Schuylkill Navy site on Kelly, et. al.
