Two NFL players from Washington

Sept. 26, 2011

Washington, Iowa

To the Editor:

I want to correct a reporting error in The Journal recently. Washington can boast of having TWO players in the NFL. Keith Molesworth was born in Washington in 1905 and graduated from Washington High. Due to his size (5 feet 7 inches and 98 pounds) he never started a prep football game. At 5 feet 9 inches and 167 pounds, he went to Monmouth College in Illinois, where he lettered for three years in four sports ? football, baseball, basketball and track ? earning a rare 12 letters. He was elected to the Monmouth College Hall of Fame in 1984.

Keith played four seasons in minor league baseball, then played for the independent pro Ironton Tanks football, beating the Chicago Bears in November 1930 and impressing Papa Bear Halas. He tried out for the Bears and played seven seasons as T-formation quarterback with Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski. The Bears were NFL Champs in 1930 and 1932. He was elected to the Iowa Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990.

Keith went on to spend eight years as back-field coach at the U.S. Naval Academy, then six years as semi-pro coach in minor league baseball before becoming backfield coach for the Steelers in 1952.

He was head coach of the Baltimore Colts in 1953 (their first season in existence). He remained with them as vice president and director of personnel until he died of a heart attack in 1966 at the age of 60.