| Born: | October 18, 1869 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died: | August 3, 1922 (aged 52) New York, New York, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | End |
| College | Princeton |
| Career history | |
| As coach | |
| 1891–1892 | Purdue (assistant) |
| 1893 | Iowa |
| 1893 | Allegheny Athletic Association |
| 1895 | Chicago Athletic Association |
| 1897 | Washington & Jefferson (assistant) |
| As player | |
| 1891 | Manhattan Athletic Club |
| 1892 | Chicago Athletic Association |
| 1892–1894 | Allegheny Athletic Association |
| 1895 | Chicago Athletic Association |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Benjamin Shenstone "Sport" Donnelly (October 18, 1869 – August 3, 1922) was an American football player and coach. He was the second-ever known professional football player, after Pudge Heffelfinger. He was paid $250 for one game on November 19, 1892 by the Allegheny Athletic Association, for a game against the Washington & Jefferson Presidents football team. The November 19 date was exactly seven days after the team paid Heffelfinger $500 for a game. In 1893, Donnelly was hired by the Allegheny Athletic Association as player-coach, making him the first man to ever coach a known pro team.[1] Heffelfinger once said that Donnelly was the only man that he had played against who "could slug you and at the same time keep his eyes on the ball".[2] Donnelly also served as the second head football coach at the University of Iowa for a single season in 1893, compiling a record of 3–4.