John Sr. was the son of a farmer; he started his own bricklaying business, "Kelly for Brickwork", and became a multimillionaire.

[3] Kelly's younger sister Grace would go on to become an Academy Award-winning film actress and marry Rainier III, Prince of Monaco in 1956.

In 1920, despite his accomplishments as a rower, the senior Kelly's entry was rejected at the then most prestigious rowing event in the world, the Henley Royal Regatta.

According to the minutes of the regatta's Committee of Management, Kelly was excluded for two reasons: first, because having worked as a bricklayer he was not eligible under the regatta's then rules on amateurism (which excluded anyone "...who is or ever has been … by trade or employment for wages a mechanic, artisan or labourer") and second because he was a member of Vesper Boat Club which was banned in 1906 after members of their 1905 crew raised money through a public subscription to pay for their travel expenses.

[7] Kelly's exclusion was widely reported in newspapers in both the UK and US, with many seeing it as an attempt to prevent an American from winning the prestigious Diamond Challenge Sculls event in England.

In 2004, Grace's son (and Kelly's nephew) Prince Albert of Monaco presented the trophies at the Regatta.

At the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, Kelly competed on the same Henley course where he had won the Diamond Challenge Sculls the year before.

Kelly won his opening heat, but did not make the finals after finishing second to eventual silver medalist Eduardo Risso in the semi-finals.

[2] Kelly gave the medal to his sister Grace, who married Prince Rainier earlier that year, as a wedding present.

Kelly's name and connections were important in giving the franchise legitimacy and in negotiating agreements with the city of Philadelphia.

However, as the first season progressed, Kelly stepped aside as the team president in favor of John Bosacco, who owned a controlling interest in the franchise.

[12] Kelly was posthumously inducted into the United States Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame as a contributor.

[13] Kelly was president of the effort to organize a world's fair in Philadelphia to be held in the American Bicentennial year of 1976.

[13] For many years, Kelly played the role of George Washington in the annual Christmas Day reenactment of the famous 1776 crossing of the Delaware River.

[16] In 1975, Kelly's well-publicized fling with a trans woman, Rachel Harlow, saw some members of the public oppose his candidacy in the mayoral election.

Among the attendees were his brother-in-law Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, his nieces Princess Caroline and Princess Stéphanie, his nephew the-then Prince Albert, then Philadelphia mayor Wilson Goode and former Philadelphia mayors William J.

John Kelly Jr. is buried at the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania.