John Kelley John " Snooks " Kelley ( July 11 , 1907 - April 10 , 1986 ) is a former American ice hockey coach . Kelley was coach of the Boston College Eagles ice hockey team for 36 years . Kelley won the 1949 NCAA ice hockey title and was the first coach to win 500 games in the NCAA . He was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame , in 1974 Career . Kelley arrived at Boston College in 1925 after attending Boston College High School . He was a two sport athlete for the Eagles , playing both baseball and ice hockey . Kelley finished his collegiate playing career following his graduation in 1930 . Kelley ’ s graduation came just after hockey was removed from as a varsity sport due to the Great Depression . On January 8 , 1933 Kelley agreed to coach a group of BC students while he was completing his teaching at Cambridge Latin . The position offered no pay , and forced him to give up playing with the Boston Hockey Club , but it was the beginning of a career that would last until 1972 . Kelley ’ s coaching career was put on hold with the outbreak of World War II . In 1942 Kelley joined the United States Navy and remained enlisted until 1946 , before returning to coaching . Just three years after serving with the Navy Kelley lead his Boston College team over Dartmouth and win the NCAA National Championship . It would be the first championship won by an Eastern school . The 1949 National Championship was the only one of his career , however he would lead the Eagles back to the title game in 1965 . Boston College lost the championship game to Michigan Tech 8 - 2 . On December 26 , 1952 Boston ’ s famous Beanpot Tournament was established . Kelley enjoyed great success in the tournament winning 5 of the first 10 . Some have pointed to his success in the Beanpot leading to Kelley gaining his stature as the face of BC hockey . Kelley coached BC to eight Beanpot titles in thirteen years , including three in a row from 1963 - 65 . In addition to the National Championship and his Beanpot wins Kelley also racked up an impressive amount of accolades including : eight New England Championships , nine appearances in the ECAC Division I playoffs , one ECAC playoff title and nine NCAA Tournament appearances . Kelley won the Spencer Penrose Award as College Hockey ' s Coach of the Year in 1959 and 1972 . His success at BC earned him the nickname " Dean of American College Hockey Coaches " . In a February , 23 1972 game against rival Boston University Kelley eared his 500th win making him the first NCAA Division - I men ' s hockey coach to reach that mark . For his career Kelley posted a record of 501 - 243 - 15 in his 36 year career . In 1970 Kelley was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame . Two years later , in 1972 , Kelley received the Lester Patrick Trophy for his contribution to hockey in the United States , not only for his accomplishments on the ice but also because he steadfastly refused to recruit players from Canada . Kelley felt recruiting Canadians would deprive Americans of a chance to develop their hockey potential . In 1974 Kelley be inducted in the United States Hockey Hall of Fame . On April , 10 1986 following a long bout with an illness John ” Snooks ” Kelley passed away , he was 78 years old .