The Great Louie Kelcher

[50's PONY]

Champion Kelcher had humble origins


Tuesday, May 02, 2006

By Chad Conine

Tribune-Herald staff writer

A Super Bowl victory and all-American and NFL Pro Bowl seasons haven’t blotted out Louie Kelcher’s memory of his junior and senior homecoming games at Beaumont French High School.

Mostly because those were the only two games his French teams won in his three seasons.

Kelcher went on to success in college and professional football. He was the Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year at SMU in 1974 and his Mustang teams posted three straight winning records from 1972-74. He walked off the field after his final football game, as a member of the 1984 San Francisco 49ers, as a world champion when the 49ers defeated the Miami Dolphins, 38-16, in Super Bowl XIX.

On Saturday, Kelcher will be honored for standing out on the lowly French teams as he enters the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.

“Some of my closest friends came out of those three years,” said Kelcher about his high school career. “Going through this together, you find out who your friends are.”

Kelcher’s high school teams had more success on the baseball diamond where they twice won district and made the playoffs.

He said the football team suffered from a talent deficit for its district and what he called a “revolving door on our field house.”

Kelcher played for coach Hayden Fry during his first two seasons at SMU and under defensive line coach Bum Phillips. He has his suspicions about how Fry and Phillips discovered him at French.

“I always go on the old adage that the way I got recruited was some coaches that were coming by the stadium had a flat or something,” said Kelcher, jokingly. “If I had something to offer then, maybe it was a little above what was being shown on the field.”

Only way to go out

After four seasons at SMU, Kelcher was selected in the second round of the 1975 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. He played nine seasons in San Diego and made the Pro Bowl in 1977, ’78 and ’80. In 1984, he signed with the 49ers and played there for one season.

It ended well.

“You always want to tell the game when it’s time instead of the game telling you,” Kelcher said. “I got a ring and got to share some exciting times.”

Kelcher was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame in 2003. He now lives in Austin with his wife, Mary Lynn, and owns a warehouse and distribution company.

Kelcher said the lack of wins on the football field at times made him wonder if there was “an easier way to get through life.” However, the pressure was less intense then, he said. He looks back on his high school career with fondness, especially those homecoming games.

“It was a good time to be alive,” Kelcher said. “Sports were fun and pretty simple. There weren’t a lot of distractions.”

[email protected]

757-5711

[MrMustang1965]

LK is a class act all the way around. Had a chance to meet him shortly before last year's TCU game. Super guy. Congratulations, LK!

[Lefty]

Would love to see him at some games!

[EastStang]

I had a few classes with the Big guy. He was nice to everyone except opposing O linemen. I'm glad to see him honored.

[PlanoStang]

#72 on the right.

[MrMustang1965]

When Big Louie says "Pony Ears Up!", everyone had better listen!

SMU needs to have a "Welcome Back, Louie Kelcher!" event at Ford for the 2006 season and have the Mustang Band play "Louie, Louie" numerous times!