Willie Wood Hall of Fame DB, dies at 83

LOS ANGELES, Feb 4, (AP): Willie Wood, the Hall of Fame defensive back who won five NFL championships with the Green Bay Packers under coach Vince Lombardi and made the first interception in Super Bowl history, died Monday. He was 83.

Wood died of natural causes in Washington, according to Robert Schmidt, his longtime friend and former teammate at Southern California. Wood had suffered from advanced dementia for several years.

After being undrafted out of Southern California, Wood sent postcards to several NFL teams seeking a tryout. He signed as a free agent with the Packers and played safety for them from 1960-71.

Wood had a key interception in the first Super Bowl, returning it 50 yards to set up a third quarter touchdown that sealed the Packers’ 35-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in 1967.

Wood had a 31-yard punt return in the second Super Bowl that stood as a record for 16 years. The Packers beat the Oakland Raiders 33-14 in the 1968 title game.

“The Green Bay Packers family lost a legend,” Packers President and CEO Mark Murphy said. “Willie’s success story, rising from an undrafted rookie free agent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is an inspiration to generations of football fans. While his health challenges kept him from returning to Lambeau Field in recent years, his alumni weekend visits were cherished by both Willie and our fans.”

Wood was a nine-time All-NFL first or second team honoree, an Associated Press All-Pro from 1964-68, and played in eight Pro Bowls. He won five of the six NFL championship games he played in. In his career, he had 48 interceptions and had 1,391 yards on 187 punt returns. His 154 career starts was an NFL record for a safety.

He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Packers Hall of Fame in 1977. He was named to the NFL 1960s All-Decade team and was one of two safeties chosen on the Super Bowl Silver Anniversary Team in 1990.

“The game has lost a true legend with the passing of Willie Wood,” Hall of Fame President and CEO David Baker said. “He had an unbelievable football career which helped transform Green Bay, Wisconsin, into Titletown USA. Willie was a rare player who always fought to be a great teammate and achieve success.” The flag at the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, will be flown at half-staff in Wood’s memory.

At USC, Wood played quarterback and defensive back from 1957-59. He was the first black quarterback in what is now the Pac-12 Conference. He was a team captain as a senior when the Trojans were 8-2. He came to USC after playing the 1956 season at Coalinga (California) Junior College, where he was a JC All-American

Wood went into coaching after his playing days. He became the first black head coach in the sport’s modern era with the World Football League’s Philadelphia Bell in 1975. He also was the first black head coach in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts in 1980 and ‘81. He also had stints as an assistant coach with the San Diego Chargers and Argonauts. 8-0 victory over Panama on Friday, scored some six minutes later.

Press, who plays for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League, added her second goal in the 36th minute.

Mewis scored on a free kick by Press in the 63rd minute and Jessica McDonald added a goal in the 77th before Mewis’ second goal, which appeared to just barely hit the line after deflecting down off the crossbar.

The crowd at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium was announced at 7,082.

Costa Rica rested top players Shirley Cruz and Raquel Rodriguez in anticipation of the semifinals on Friday.

The US have qualified for every Olympics since women’s soccer was introduced in 1996, and have won the gold medal four times. The team have five consecutive titles in the qualifying tournament.

Six teams have already made the field for Tokyo: Japan, Brazil, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Sweden and New Zealand.

Nerilia Mondesir and Mikerline Saint-Felix each scored twice and Haiti beat Panama 6-0.

It was the final match of the tournament for both teams.

Mondesir scored on a penalty kick in the fifth minute, and SaintFeliz added goals in the 11th and 29th to give Haiti a 3-0 first-half lead. Melchie Daelle Dumonay and Batcheba Louis scored in the second half before Mondesir capped scoring with a goal in the 84th minute.

Panama goalkeeper and captain Yenith Bailey did not play after she was injured in the team’s 8-0 loss to the United States on Friday. Sasha Fabregas replaced her in goal for the final match.