| No. 81 | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Flanker-split end |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | March 31, 1936 Medford, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died: | May 16, 2004 (aged 68) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight: | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Quincy (Quincy, Massachusetts) |
| College: | Boston College |
| NFL draft: | 1959 / round: 30 / pick: 353 |
| Career history | |
| As a player: | |
| As a coach: | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
James Michael Colclough (Pronounced: COAL-claw) (March 31, 1936 – May 16, 2004) was an American football flanker-split end, member of the original Boston Patriots team in the American Football League (AFL) and later head coach of the Division III Boston State College football team. Known as Coleslaw, a spin off his last name, Colclough played college football at Boston College, one season as a defensive back in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Montreal Alouettes in 1959 and nine more with the Patriots from 1960 to 1968, including the AFL's inaugural 1960 season.
In 2009, Colclough was named to the Patriots' 1960s All-Decade Team. His 17.7-yards average per reception ranks third in franchise history and his 39 touchdown catches are fourth on its all-time list.
Among receivers, Colclough was one of the premier deep threats in Patriots history. His ten receptions for touchdowns and 21.7 yards per reception in 1962 earned him a spot on the East Division All-Star team. His career highlights included a seven-reception, 142-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 45-17 romp over the Denver Broncos on Sept. 16, 1961 at Nickerson Field. Overall, he had 283 receptions for 5,001 yards and 39 touchdowns in his AFL career.
In 1970, Colclough partnered with two of the most eligible bachelors in professional sports, Derek Sanderson of the NHL's Boston Bruins and Joe Namath of the NFL's New York Jets, as proprietors of the popular "Bachelors III" dating bar in downtown Boston.
After retirement as a player, Colclough served as the head coach at Boston State College in the 1978 and 1979 campaigns. Under his tutelage, the Warriors compiled a 10–8 record in the New England Football Conference (currently Commonwealth Coast Football). In his first season, they were NEFC co-champions with a 6–2 record (6–3 overall).
Colclough died on May 16, 2004, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston from complications of hepatitis C.[1]