Gary Wood
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Date of birth: | February 5, 1942 | ||||||||
| Place of birth: | Taylor, New York, U.S. | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| College: | Cornell | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1964 / Round: 8 / Pick: 109 | ||||||||
| AFL draft: |
1964 / Round: 17 / Pick: 132 (By the Boston Patriots) | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
| CFL All Star - 1970 | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Gary Fay Wood (July 9, 1942 – March 3, 1994) was an American football quarterback in the National Football League from 1964 until 1969.
The 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) quarterback was drafted out of Cornell University in the 1964 NFL Draft by the New York Giants in the eighth round. Wood in his time in the NFL had a career completion percentage of 46.5% and a passer rating of 54.5.[1]
Wood was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame on March 24, 1996.[2]
College career
After graduating from Cortland High School in Cortland, New York, Wood had an outstanding career as the three-year starting quarterback at Cornell beginning in 1961, his sophomore season. Wood was the leading rusher and passer for the Big Red every year in which he was the starter. In 1962, Wood led the nation in all purpose yards with 1,395 (155.0 yards per game). Wood was elected team captain in 1963 and during his senior year was elected to the National Honor Society. During his years at Cornell he was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity.
Professional career
In 1964, Wood was selected in the eighth round (109th overall) of the NFL Draft by the New York Giants. In his rookie season for the Giants he backed up starter Y. A. Tittle.
In 1967, Wood was picked up in the expansion draft for the New Orleans Saints. Wood played in only two games for the Saints in the 1967 season, demoted to third string behind Billy Kilmer and Gary Cuozzo. Following the season, he was traded back to New York for a draft pick.
Wood spent the remainder of his NFL career in New York backing up Fran Tarkenton. He ended his NFL career in 1969 having played in 63 games.
After the NFL
After retiring from the NFL, Wood played in the Canadian Football League from 1970—1971 for the Ottawa Rough Riders.
Following his stint in the CFL, Wood opened an insurance firm in New York City and helped build Christ City Church in Melville, New York. He was inducted into the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1989, and the New York Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
Wood died in March 1994 of a heart attack, at his home on Long Island. He was 52.
See also
- List of NCAA major college yearly punt and kickoff return leaders
- List of select Jewish football players
References
- ↑ "Gary Wood". Jt-sw.com. January 20, 2003. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
- ↑ http://www.jewishsports.org/jewishsports/detail.asp?id=72
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