| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1888-12-26)December 26, 1888 Boston,Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | February 6, 1952(1952-02-06) (aged 63) Alameda County, California, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1909–1911 | Notre Dame |
| Position | Tackle |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1912–1913 | Christian Brothers (MO) |
| 1914–1917 | Holy Cross |
| 1919–1929 | Holy Cross (line) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 26–20–4 (college) |
Luke Leo Kelly (December 26, 1888 – February 6, 1952) was an American football player and coach who was the captain of the1911 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team and head coach of theChristian Brothers College and theCollege of the Holy Cross.
Kelly playedtackle for theNotre Dame Fighting Irish football team from 1909 to 1911 and was captain of the team his senior year.[1] After graduating, Kelly became head football coach at the Christian Brothers College inSt. Louis.[2] On October 25, 1913, Kelly's team scored a school record 96 points in a 96–6 blowout of theCape Girardeau Normal school.[3]
In 1914, Kelly was to return to Notre Dame as the lead assistant underJesse Harper, but before the season started, he took the head coaching job at Holy Cross to be closer to home.[4] He stepped down after the 1916 season to focus on his law practice, but when his successor,Frank Cavanaugh, entered theUnited States Army, Kelly returned.[5] Kelly also served in the U.S. Army duringWorld War I.[1] From 1919 to 1929, Kelly was the line coach at Holy Cross underCleo A. O'Donnell.[6]
In 1924, Kelly married Grace Kelley ofRoslindale.[7] Their only child, Robert, was struck and killed by an automobile on January 1, 1952, at the age of 24.[1]
Kelly spent the last decade of his life inOakland, where he worked as an attorney for theVeterans' Administration. He died on February 6, 1952, and was buried inGolden Gate National Cemetery inSan Bruno, California.[1]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Brothers(Independent)(1912–1913) | |||||||||
| 1912 | Christian Brothers | 8–1 | |||||||
| 1913 | Christian Brothers | 6–2–1 | |||||||
| Christian Brothers: | 14–3–1 | ||||||||
| Holy Cross(Independent)(1914–1917) | |||||||||
| 1914 | Holy Cross | 2–5–1 | |||||||
| 1915 | Holy Cross | 3–3–2 | |||||||
| 1916 | Holy Cross | 4–5 | |||||||
| 1917 | Holy Cross | 3–4 | |||||||
| Holy Cross: | 12–17–3 | ||||||||
| Total: | 26–20–4 | ||||||||
