Kelly, John B. Jr.
Rowing
b. May 24, 1927, Philadelphia, PA
d. May 2, 1985
Kelly's father, John B. Sr., wasn't allowed to compete in the 1920 Henley Regatta because the English racing authorities considered him a professional. John B. Jr. got some sort of revenge for the family by winning the Diamond Sculls at Henley in 1947 and 1949. His 1947 victory helped him win the Sullivan Award as the nation's outstanding athlete of the year.
Kelly won the national 1 1/2-mile single sculls championship in 1946, 1948, and 1950, and from 1952 through 1956. He competed in four Olympics without winning a medal, but he won two gold medals at the Pan-American Games, in the single sculls in 1955 and in the doubles with William Knecht in 1959.
Kelly served as president of the AAU, as a vice president of the U. S. Olympic Committee, and as president of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He died of a heart attack.