Quick Facts
Biography
Frederick "Fred" Kelsall (birth registered April→June 1906 – died 14 May 1931(1931-05-14) (aged 25)) birth registered in Great Sankey, Warrington, Lancashire, was an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 1930s, playing at representative level for England, and Cheshire, and at club level for Widnes, as a Prop, i.e. number 8 or 10, during the era of contested scrums, he died in Eccleston, St Helens, Lancashire.
Described as the heaviest and most skilled of the Widnes pack that won an unlikely victory at Wembley in 1930, Fred Kelsall would have likely added to his county and international honours but for his tragic death in a motorcycle accident (in which his pillion passenger Miss Minnie Salt and two persons on another motorcycle were also killed) in May 1931.
Playing career
International honours
Fred Kelsall won a cap for England while at Widnes in 1930 against Other Nationalities.
Challenge Cup final appearances
Fred Kelsall played Prop, in Widnes' 10-3 victory over St. Helens in the 1930 Challenge Cup final during the 1929–30 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 3 May 1930 in front of a crowd of 36,544.
County Cup final appearances
Fred Kelsall played Left-Prop, i.e. number 8, in Widnes' 4-5 defeat by Wigan in the 1928 Lancashire Cup final during the 1928–29 season at Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington on Saturday 24 November 1928.