John Kelley

John "Snooks" Kelley (July 11, 1907 – April 10, 1986) was an American ice hockey coach. Kelley was coach of the Boston College Eagles ice hockey team for 36 years. Kelley won the 1949 NCAA ice hockey title and was the first coach to win 500 games in the NCAA. He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1974 Career Kelley arrived at Boston College in 1925 after attending Boston College High School. He was a two sport athlete for the Eagles, playing both baseball and ice hockey. Kelley finished his collegiate playing career following his graduation in 1930. Kelley's graduation came just after hockey was removed from as a varsity sport due to the Great Depression. On January 8, 1933, Kelley agreed to coach a group of BC students while he was completing his teaching at Cambridge Latin. The position offered no pay, and forced him to give up playing with the Boston Hockey Club, but it was the beginning of a career that would last until 1972. Kelley's coaching career was put on hold with the outbreak of World War II. In 1942 Kelley joined the United States Navy and remained enlisted until 1946, before returning to coaching. Just three years after serving with the Navy Kelley lead his Boston College team over Dartmouth and win the NCAA national championship. It would be the first championship won by an Eastern school. The 1949 National Championship was the only one of his career, however he would lead the Eagles back to the title game in 1965. Boston College lost the championship game to Michigan Tech 8–2.