Harold Ely


Harold Ellsworth Ely was an American football tackle who played three seasons in the National Football League with the Chicago Bears and Brooklyn Dodgers. He played college football at the University of Iowa and attended Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa.

Professional career

Chicago Bears

Ely played in six games, starting one, for the Chicago Bears during the 1932 season. In November 1932, he was said to have been the heaviest pro football player at the time, weighing 275 pounds. A New York Times article from November 2, 1932 also said that he wore the number #275 on his jersey.

Brooklyn Dodgers

Ely played in 24 games, starting twenty, for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1932 to 1934.