Mose Kelsch

Mose Kelsch

No. 37
Placekicker / Fullback / Halfback
Personal information
Date of birth: January 31, 1897(1897-01-31)
Place of birth: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Date of death: July 13, 1935(1935-07-13) (aged 38)
Place of death: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
High School: Bellefonte Academy (Bellefonte, PA)
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)	Weight: 235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
College: none
Debuted in 1933 for the Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL)
Last played in 1934 for the Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL)
Career history
Pittsburgh Pirates (1933–1934)
Career highlights and awards
N/A
Career NFL statistics as of 1934
Games played	16
FG made	4
PAT made	4
Stats at NFL.com
Stats at pro-football-reference.com
Stats at DatabaseFootball.com

Christian "Mose" Kelsch (January 31, 1897 – July 13, 1935) was an American football placekicker and running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was a charter member of the Pittsburgh Pirates (which would later be renamed the Steelers).

Kelsch grew up as an orphan in Pittsburgh's Troy Hill neighborhood. He earned the nickname "Mose" while playing sandlot baseball, though no one was able to recall the circumstances that brought the name about.^[1] He played semi-professional football for several teams in the area, including the Hope-Harveys, James P. Rooneys and Majestic Radio teams managed by Art Rooney which would form the basis of the NFL's Pirates.^[1]

At the time he joined the newly formed Pirates in 1935 Kelsch was the oldest player in the NFL. Even the Pirates' owner, Rooney, was four years his junior.^[2] He was used almost exclusively for his kicking ability, coming into the game to convert field goals and extra points.^[3] He may have been the first such "specialist" in the still-nascent NFL.^[4] He was also one of the few players in the league at the time who never played college football.^[1]

Kelsch never married. He died in an automobile accident on July 13, 1935. Art Rooney served as a pall-bearer at his funeral.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Sell, Jack (July 15, 1935). "Funeral Rites Wednesday for Mose Kelsch". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R9daAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JmkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5934,3574887&hl=en. Retrieved May 12, 2011. 
2. ^ Fulks, Matt (2008). The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Pittsburgh Steelers heart-pounding, jaw-dropping and gut-wrenching moments from Pittsburgh Steelers history. Triumph Books. p. 137–139. ISBN 978-1-57243-922-1. 
3. ^ Smith, Chester L. (July 14, 1935). "North Side Pals, Racketeers and the Rest, Ready to Pay Final Honors to Mose Kelsch". Pittsburgh Press. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rUwbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lUsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3594,3767316&hl=en. Retrieved May 12, 2011. 
4. ^ Braunwart, Bob; Bob Carroll (1980). "Now Kicking, Kelsch!" (PDF). The Coffin Corner (Professional Football Researchers Association) 2 (8): 1–3. http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/02-08-039.pdf. Retrieved May 12, 2011. 

Persondata
Name	Kelsch, Christian
Alternative names	Mose Kelsch
Short description	sandlot and early professional football player
Date of birth	January 31, 1897
Place of birth	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Date of death	July 13, 1935
Place of death	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA