 Ellis was an MLB All-Star in 1965.Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Ellis was signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent in 1961 after playing college baseball at Mississippi State University (MSU) for the Mississippi State Bulldogs.At Mississippi State, he lettered one year (1961) with a pitching record of 12–7, leading the team in strikeouts (73) and innings pitched (57).