ATLANTA, Ga. – The Black College Football Hall of Fame announced Tuesday that former Morgan State University running back Leroy Kelly is among 25 finalists on the ballot for induction as part of its fifth annual enshrinement ceremony, hosted by the Atlanta Falcons on March 1, 2014.
An 11-member selection committee comprised of prominent journalists, historians and football executives, selected the finalists from a field of over 125 nominees. The committee will meet again in the coming weeks to select the seven members (six players and one coach/contributor) to be inducted as the Class of 2014.
"On behalf of the Black College Football Hall of Fame, we would like to congratulate all of the 2014 finalists," said Roscoe Nance, Chairman of the Selection Committee. "With so many deserving nominees, narrowing the list down to 25 finalists is not an easy task for the committee."
The Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2014 will be announced on Oct. 23.
In 1962, when the Bears won the CIAA Championship, Leroy Kelly led the team in rushing, scoring and punting. In 1963, Kelly was selected by the press as Morgan's Most Valuable Player in the Orange Blossom Game during a season in which he averaged better than 5 yards a carry for Morgan.
When Kelly was signed by the Cleveland Browns, Morgan's Coach Earl Banks said, "Leroy is one of the finest backs I have ever coached. He has everything it takes to be Morgan's next pro."
Kelly was an eighth-round pick of the Browns in the 1964 draft after a fine four-year career at Morgan State. For his first two years, he was an understudy to Jim Brown, the most prolific ground-gainer in history up to that time. When Brown retired just before the 1966 campaign, Kelly filled the void in a manner seldom seen in pro football circles.
For the next three years, he rushed for 1,000 yards, winning All-NFL honors each year and being selected as a starter in three straight Pro Bowls. Kelly also played in three other Pro Bowls following the 1969, 1970 and 1971 seasons, and earned first-team All-NFL in 1969 and 1971.
During his career, he won four individual statistical championships, including NFL rushing titles in 1967 and 1968. In 1965, he won the NFL punt return title, an honor he repeated in the AFC in 1971.
Kelly was enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 30, 1994.
The Black College Football Hall of Fame was established to honor the greatest football players, coaches and contributors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Each inductee's college or university will receive a $5,000 grant to support continuing academic and athletic opportunities at their respective institutions.
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PLAYERS FINALISTS
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Emerson Boozer (RB, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 1962-1965)
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Robert Brazile (LB, Jackson State University, 1971-1975)
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Roger Brown (OL, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, 1956-1959)
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Harold Carmichael (WR, Southern University, 1967-1970)
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Richard Dent (DE, Tennessee State University, 1979-1982)
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L.C. Greenwood (DE, University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 1965-1968)
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Harold Jackson (WR, Jackson State University, 1965-1968)
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Leroy Kelly (RB, Morgan State University, 1960-1963)
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Ernie "Big Cat" Ladd (DL, Grambling State University, 1957-1960)
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Jethro Pugh (DE, Elizabeth City State University, 1961-1964)
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Donnie Shell (DB, South Carolina State University, 1970-1973)
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John Stallworth (WR, Alabama A&M University, 1970-1973)
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Michael Strahan (DE, Texas Southern University, 1989-1992)
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Ken Riley (QB, Florida A&M University, 1965-1968)
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Willie "Satellite" Totten (QB, Mississippi Valley State University, 1982-1985)
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Otis Taylor (WR, Prairie View A&M University, 1961-1964)
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Emmitt Thomas (QB/DB, Bishop College, 1962-1965)
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Everson Walls (DB, Grambling State University, 1977-1980)
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Doug Wilkerson (OL, North Carolina Central University, 1966-1969)
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Aeneas Williams (CB, Southern University, 1987-1990)
COACH & CONTRIBTUOR FINALISTS
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Marino Casem (Head Coach, Alcorn State University, 1963-1992)
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Joe Gilliam, Sr. (Tennessee State University Defensive Coordinator)
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William Joe (Head Coach, Central State University 1981-1993, Florida A&M 1994-2004)
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Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones (President, Grambling State University, 1936-1977)
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Arnett Mumford (Head Coach, Southern University, 1927-1961)
About the Black College Football Hall of Fame
Since inception (2010), 44 members have been inducted and over $172,000 in scholarships has been awarded to Historically Black Colleges & Universities. The Black College Football Hall of Fame is based in Atlanta, Georgia and was founded by Black Quarterback NFL Pioneers James "Shack" Harris and Super Bowl MVP Doug Williams.
