3 Tragic Missoulians – Maclean, Kelly & Ronan
Following is a short article from the MCHS student newspaper ‘The Konah’ of September, 1920. It occurred under the section labeled BUBBLES which had a light-hearted theme:
An Oversight
Mr. Maclean: Why’ you’ve got a lump on your head. Have you been fighting again?
Paul M: Fighting? Not me!
Mr. M: But somebody struck you?
Paul: Nobody struck me. I wasn’t fighting at all. It was an accident.
Mr. M: An accident:
Paul: Yes, I was sitting on top of Bill Kelley, and I forgot to hold his feet.
2015 – Not Exactly your Pal, Wild Bill Kelly
In 1923 Bill Kelly is listed as sports editor of The Konah. He was a local sports hero, leading Missoula to its first state football championship in 1921. As a senior in High School (MCHS-1923) he sparred with the renowned Tommy Gibbons, who barnstormed all over Montana prior to fighting Jack Dempsey in Shelby. Kelly went on to star for the University of Montana football team, and played professionally until he died unexpectedly in 1931. His name was spelled variously, depending on the source. In ‘Red Ribbons’ author John R. Toole states, “Wild Bill Kelly’s origins are obscure. He was born in Missoula, but no one seems to know his family.” One census states he was born in S.D., while other sources list him as born in Denver. His step-dad, Otis Price, was an NP railroader and partner in a bar/poolhall, while they lived on Missoula’s northside. With his friend and sidekick, Billy Dugal McFarland (eventual owner of Missoula’s Oxford), Kelly had a Missoulian paper route for several years. He often played local baseball with teams organized by Ownie Kelley who was sometimes known as Missoula’s Mr. Baseball. Ownie Kelley’s brothers were Pat, William and Hughie – William being a former 2 term sheriff of Missoula County (& father of 3 priests & 2 nuns). Unlike Paul Maclean, Wild Bill likely did not know who his real father was. There is some reason to believe he was the subject of Norman Maclean’s story “Logging . . . and Your Pal, Jim.” Rest in peace, Bill.
Margaret Ronan is listed as ‘Sponsor’ of this student newspaper. She was pulled from the Missoula river in 1935. Three tragic (and talented) Missoula people. Rest in peace, Margaret.
Link to short William C. Kelly biography by Howard Schwartz:
Link to 1919 U of M Sentinel Yearbook (Book 2) dedicated to Ownie Kelley – see p 179
Link to Senior photos 1923 Bitterroot – p 36 – William Kelly, Lynn Thompson, Bruce McHaffie, Paul Maclean
http://mtmemory.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16013coll75/id/680/rec/5
Link to Margaret Ronan tribute – 1936 Bitterroot (P 8) – Montana Memory Project
http://mtmemory.org/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16013coll75/id/2327/rec/15