Harvey Kelsey(from Happy Hour)

IceSpeed

Guru
Joined
Dec 17, 2004
Messages
250
Location
Maine
This was began in Happy Hour. A sprinter named Harvey Kelsey from Phillips Academy Andover suppossedly ran a 10.4-10.35 100 meter dash time in 1940. This is in addition to a 9.5 100 yard time. Given Phillips Andover's nature at this time(I believe Kelsey was a classmate of George H W Bush) I assume he was white.

Kelsey must have had an awkward college career because IvyLeagueSports.com shows a Princeton sprinter named Harvey Kelsey winning the Ivy League 100 YARD dash title in a time of 10 flat. Perhaps conditions were really terrible because he won. I think his high school times are legitimate because he was described as legendary in the papers.

One more thing: Kelsey may not have really been a High School Student. Phillips Academy's top athletes are frequently Post Graduates(PGs). These are more like junior college athletes, or athletes that could not get into college and need an extra academic year to better their acceptances. Kelsey could have been 21-22 years old.(He also could have been up against 14 year olds, but in Track that is not important.)
 

IceSpeed2

Guru
Joined
May 30, 2005
Messages
311
Location
Maine
I just found records of Harvey Kelsey running a 21 flat 200 meters.
I questioned the time because it also said he ran a 21.1 100
yard dash. I just found out that around Kelsey's junior year the
Class A or ISL league switched from yards to meters for formal
events. The 21.1 200 yard time was probably from his freshman or
sophomore year.
 

IceSpeed2

Guru
Joined
May 30, 2005
Messages
311
Location
Maine
Hey, I found out 2 important facts. One, he is
definitely white as he has a white grandson playing football forYale. Two, he holds Princeton's 100 yard dash record in a
time of 9.6 seconds. His grandson played linebacker for
Yale.


Edited by: IceSpeed2
 
Joined
Apr 22, 2005
Messages
1,057
Good stuff.
 

Vindicator

Newbie
Joined
Jan 2, 2006
Messages
98
Location
Tennessee
Harvey Kelsey is white as are two of his sons who also attended Phillips Academy. He was a legitimate speedster.

PA does accept post graduates, many of whom are great athletes. Most of these PGs attend PA as seniors for a year immediately after finishing high school. They are usually 19-20 years old upon graduation from PA. PA has produced "non-PG" athletes too, like Nick Leone who was a star in the 50 yard, 100 yard, 220 yard and 440 yard dashes. Nick ran one of the fastest 440s ever run at the Boston BAA indoor track meet: 48.8 on a wooden track.

For several decades, PA had a terrific track and football coach in Stephen Sorota who was recognized nationally for his excellence.
 
Top