Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly

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Alvin “Shipwreck” Kelly was a famous pole sitter in the 1920s and 1930s. He was born Aloysius Anthony Kelly in New York City on May 11, 1893. His early life was hard: his mother died in childbirth and his father died before he was born. He ran away to sea at 13, changed his name to Alvin, and later worked as a steelworker, steeplejack, high diver, boxer, and movie stunt double. He also became a licensed pilot and served as an ensign in the U.S. Naval Auxiliary Reserve during World War I.

Kelly started pole sitting as a kid, climbing a pole at seven and doing a “human fly” trick at nine. He popularized the stunt in 1924, sitting atop a flagpole for 13 hours and 13 minutes to promote a movie. He soon set several long-standing records: seven days and one hour in St. Louis (1926); twelve days in Newark (1927); and 23 days in Baltimore (1929). In 1930, he set a world record by sitting 225 feet up on a flagpole at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City for 49 days and one hour. He toured 28 cities, charging admission to people who wanted to watch from rooftops, and earned money from endorsements, appearances, and books. He called himself “the luckiest fool in the world.”

His fame faded after the stock market crash of 1929. By the mid-1930s, authorities grew tired of the stunts, and police often intervened. In 1935, he was arrested for public nuisance while trying to beat another record in the Bronx. He later worked in the U.S. Merchant Marine during World War II.

There are many stories about his nickname. He claimed to have survived several accidents, and his wife said he survived the sinking of the Titanic, though that claim is not supported by evidence. His last pole-sitting appearance was October 4, 1952, in Orange, Texas; after two heart attacks forced him down, he retired.

Kelly died on October 11, 1952, after being struck by a car in New York City. He was buried in Long Island National Cemetery. His belongings, including ropes and pole-sitting gear, were found in his room, and he carried a scrapbook titled “The Luckiest Fool on Earth.”