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Births on December 23

Willie Wood (American football)
1936Dec, 23

Willie Wood (American football)

Willie Wood, American football player
William Vernell Wood Sr. (December 23, 1936 – February 3, 2020) was an American professional football player and coach. He played as a safety with the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League (NFL). Wood was an eight-time Pro Bowler and a nine-time All-Pro. In 1989, Wood was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Wood played college football for the USC Trojans, becoming the first African-American quarterback to play in what is now the Pac-12 Conference. Undrafted out of USC, he was granted a try-out with Green Bay. Wood changed his position to safety in his rookie year, and played for the Packers from 1960 to 1971, winning five NFL championships. He later coached in the NFL, World Football League (WFL), and Canadian Football League (CFL).

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Events on 1936

  • 7Mar

    Treaty of Versailles

    Prelude to World War II: In violation of the Locarno Pact and the Treaty of Versailles, Germany reoccupies the Rhineland.
  • 29Mar

    Remilitarization of the Rhineland

    In Germany, Adolf Hitler receives 99% of the votes in a referendum to ratify Germany's illegal remilitarization and reoccupation of the Rhineland, receiving 44.5 million votes out of 45.5 million registered voters.
  • 9May

    Addis Ababa

    Italy formally annexes Ethiopia after taking the capital Addis Ababa on May 5.
  • 26Jul

    Spanish Civil War

    The Axis powers decide to intervene in the Spanish Civil War.
  • 7Sep

    Benjamin the thylacine

    The last thylacine, a carnivorous marsupial named Benjamin, dies alone in its cage at the Hobart Zoo in Tasmania.