RELATED LINKS:
--Fans Of #SkinsCamp: Day 8
--Fans Of #SkinsCamp: Day 7
For more from the team, including exclusive videos, photos and written content, be sure to “like” the Redskins’ Official Facebook page.
Halfway through speaking to Kelso, a Richmond native of 40 years and a Redskins fan for even longer, another fan interrupted, asking if he could take a picture. Here was their brief interaction.
"I'm a Skins fan from the time they traded Norm Snead for Jurgensen."
"63?" replied Kelso.
"Excellent memory."
The reason for the picture is clear once you take a look at Kelso, donning Redskins garb from head (a felted top hat) to foot (Redskins socks and shoes).
He has been a season ticket holder since 1961, has seen close to a thousand games and has gone to five Super Bowls.
"My dad, my granddad, we're all season ticket holders," Kelso said. "My granddad started going to games in the 40s, I started going to games in late 50s and I've been a fan ever since. Ive got kids that are fans and I've got grandkids that are fans. Mixed generations."
As a kid, Kelso remembers going to Griffith Stadium, remembers watching quarterbacks like Johnny Unitas, Y.A. Tittle and, of course, Sonny Jurgensen, winning passing titles, remembers finally getting a winning season once head coach Vince Lombardi came to town.
"I enjoy seeing the new faces, the new draftees, seeing what's up," Kelso, retired from the textile industry, said of watching training camp. "So far, so good. I like what they've done with the draft. Last two years have been pretty rough. I worry about the younger fans. It's tough for them because they don't remember the Super Bowl."
His grandkids can at least rely on his stories and his tradition to make them just as big of fans.
After all, he wears history on his neck.
Besides some of the medallions he received last year at training camp, the tickets to the 2005 game against the Cowboys, the game Santana Moss caught two touchdowns from Mark Brunell in the final five minutes to win, also hang in a laminated pouch around his neck. Brunell even signed them.
And, as for those pins in his felt hat, there are roughly 100 of them, the most that can fit on there at one time, he said, and there are a couple hundred more at his home.
Oh, and on the back of his jersey…
Kelso proudly claims he has jerseys for New York and Philadelphia, too.
.
.
.
