Harry Connolly (American football)

Connolly was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1920 and attended Norwalk High School. He played high school football at Norwalk under Frank Leahy, who coached on a part-time basis while serving as the line coach at Fordham University. When Leahy became the head coach at Boston College, he recruited Connolly to play for him there.[1]

Connolly followed Leahy and played college football for the Boston College Eagles from 1940 to 1942. He was a versatile player known for his speed as a runner, passing ability, kicking, and also his propensity for intercepting passes on defense.[2] In November 1942, The Boston Globe called him "B. C.'s best all-round athlete, most versatile football player".[3]

Connolly was selected by the Steagles in the fifth round (37th overall pick) of the 1943 NFL Draft, but he never played in the NFL.[4] Instead, he served in the Navy during World War II. He was assigned to the North Carolina Pre-Flight Cloudbusters football team.

After the war, Connolly played in the All-America Football Conference for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946. He appeared in three games, two of them as a starter, and rushed for 18 yards on eight carries and completed two passes for 29 yards.[4]

He died in 2006 in New Bedford, Massachusetts.[4]