Aloysius Anthony Kelly, also known as Alvin “Shipwreck” Kelly, was the world’s most famous flagpole sitter during the 1920s when that fad washed over the United States. Eventually Shipwreck Kelly turned his odd avocation into the basis for an occupation and, occasionally, brought his work to Pelham to the delight of the local newspaper and residents.
Kelly ran away from home at age 13 and changed his name to Alvin. He joined a ship’s crew and began a life at sea, eventually becoming a merchant sailor. Over the next 15 years, he worked in a wide range of high-risk professions, including being a steeplejack, high diver, movie double, boxer, and a stunt pilot known for his daring aerial stunts. During World War I, Kelly served in the Naval Auxiliary Reserve for three years.
Much of Kelly’s life before his flagpole sitting stunts is shrouded in mystery, including how he received the nickname, “Shipwreck.” Some accounts hold that he got the name from being knocked out so many times as a boxer, though others say he received that name from surviving the sinking of the Titanic.
It’s also not entirely known why he climbed that first flagpole in 1924. A popular story says that while working as a Hollywood stuntman, Kelly was hired by a theater owner to remain atop the building’s flagpole and attract publicity. He sat on top of the flagpole for 13 hours and 13 minutes. This feat attracted a large crowd, and word spread about Shipwreck Kelly and his pole sitting stunts.
Credit : Blurred ByLines
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