Category
Builder
Sport
Softball
Hometown
Newcastle
Year Inducted
1986
builder
Henry Kelly (D)
HONOURED MEMBER
Biography
In 1986 the City of Moncton unveiled its Sports Wall-of-Fame and Henry Kelly was one of the seven inducted that year. This should have come as a surprise to absolutely nobody!In 1975 the former city ball field was re-named “Kelly Field”.In 1973 and 1877 he was named coach of the Province’s entries in the Canada Summer Games.And, after years of successes with men’s teams, it was Henry Kelly who decided to make New Brunswick a national power in women’s softball.The results speak for themselves: 14 provincial titles, 7 trips to the nationals, and a silver medal in 1975. If you add together his years as a player, coach, executive and commissioner, they come to 109 - quite a performance for a man who at time of induction was not yet 65! Enrolled in the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, June 7th, 1986.
Quick Facts
Played in Moncton District Softball League for 35 years (coached for 29 of 35 years) and led teams to one Junior title and two Senior Maritime A titles
Served on the NB Softball Association executive for 18 years
Coach of the NB team at the Canada Games in 1973 and ’77
Coached the Moncton Rebels women’s softball team to 15 titles and eight national appearances
Was an active umpire for 12 years and helped form the NB Softball Association
Inducted into the Canadian Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame in 1996