Kenneth Stanley Washington (August 31, 1918 June 24, 1971) was an American professional football player who was the first African-American to sign a contract with a National Football League (NFL) team in the modern (post-World War II) era. He played college football for the UCLA Bruins.
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play their home games at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which they share with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The franchise was founded in 1936 as the Cleveland Rams in Cleveland, Ohio. The franchise won the 1945 NFL Championship Game, then moved to Los Angeles in 1946, making way for Paul Brown's Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference and becoming the only NFL championship team to play the following season in another city. The club played its home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum until 1980, when it moved into a reconstructed Anaheim Stadium in Orange County, California. The Rams made their first Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 1979 NFL season, losing Super Bowl XIV to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31–19.
After the 1994 NFL season, the Rams left southern California and moved to St. Louis, Missouri, becoming the St. Louis Rams. Five seasons later, the team defeated the Tennessee Titans to win Super Bowl XXXIV, 23–16. The club then lost Super Bowl XXXVI, 20–17, to the New England Patriots. After the 2015 NFL season, the team sought and received approval from the other owners to move back to Los Angeles in time for the 2016 NFL season. The Rams appeared in Super Bowl LIII but lost to the Patriots, 13–3. Three years later, the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23–20 to win Super Bowl LVI, becoming the second NFL team to win the Super Bowl in its home stadium.The club is the only NFL franchise to win championships representing three cities: Cleveland in 1945, Los Angeles in 1951 and 2021, and St. Louis in 1999.
1946Mar, 21
The Los Angeles Rams sign Kenny Washington, making him the first African American player in the American football since 1933.
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Events on 1946
- 11Mar
Auschwitz concentration camp
Rudolf Höss, the first commandant of Auschwitz concentration camp, is captured by British troops. - 2Sep
Jawaharlal Nehru
The Interim Government of India is formed, headed by Jawaharlal Nehru as Vice President with the powers of a Prime Minister. - 8Sep
Bulgaria
A 95.6% vote in favor of abolishing the monarchy in Bulgaria. - 23Oct
Flushing, Queens
The United Nations General Assembly convenes for the first time, at an auditorium in Flushing, Queens, New York City. - 19Nov
Iceland
Afghanistan, Iceland and Sweden join the United Nations.