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John B. Kelly Jr.

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Athlete

The Resume

    (May 24, 1927-March 2, 1985)
    Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    Birth name is John Brenden Kelly Jr.
    Nickname was Kell
    Professional rower
    Four-time Olympian
    Olympic medal winner
    Brother to Grace Kelly

Why he might be annoying:

    He was an alcoholic in his later years.
    His father lived vicariously through him (he had been rejected by the Diamond Sculls and was determined his son would be let in).
    He was single-minded in his love for sports.
    For instance when asked his opinion on his sister's marrying Prince Rainier, he answered: 'I don't think we can make a sculler out of him. He's not tall enough.'
    He walked out on his family out of the blue and became a notorious playboy.
    He separated from wife and Olympic athlete Mary Gray Freeman in 1969 but didn't divorce her until 1980.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He served in the United States Navy during World War II.
    He was awarded the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in 1947.
    He lived in both his father and sister's shadows.
    For all his achievements in sports, his father dismissed him because he won a Bronze Medal and not a Gold in the Olympics.
    He said of his father's relentless pushing: 'Living in his shadow made losing harder when I lost ... because it humiliated both of us.'
    He became a Philadelphia city councilman, and was briefly president of the United States Olympic Committee.
    He dropped dead while jogging to the Athletic Club after his customary morning row on the Schuylkill River.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 66 Votes: 63.64% Annoying