John Kelley

John Andrew "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, 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.

In addition to the National Championship and his Beanpot wins Kelley also racked up an impressive amount of accolades including: eight New England Championships, nine appearances in the ECAC Division I playoffs, one ECAC playoff title and nine NCAA Tournament appearances. His success at BC earned him the nickname "Dean of American College Hockey Coaches". Two years later, in 1972, Kelley received the Lester Patrick Trophy

Head coaching record

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