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Topic: OT: Woody Wills, Ohio Class of 1937
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OhioCatFan
2/28/2018 9:16 PM
I'm cross posting this on the basketball and football forums, because this involves not only an upcoming basketball game but a former Ohio football player.

I will be attending the OHIO-Redchicken basketball game on Friday. It's a long story, but through my brother-in-law we will be having a pre-game Pizza party with the widow of Woody Wills, Ohio Class of '37, who was a long-time baseball head coach and assistant football coach at Oxford Tech. He was a football star at Ohio.

I'm curious if anyone of BA knows much about Mr. Wills? I found out basic information about his coaching career here: https://tinyurl.com/y6w5awek But, does anyone here know anything more about him? Where was he from? Where did he play high school ball?

Also, his widow is apparently an Athens native. Does anyone know anything about her? What her maiden name might have been?

Just trying to do my due diligence before meeting this 96-year-old lady on Friday.

Thanks for any information anyone knows or can dig up.
Last Edited: 2/28/2018 9:20:07 PM by OhioCatFan
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OhioCatFan
3/1/2018 11:10 PM
Well, I did find out a little by myself, in case anyone is interested.

Wills was inducted into the OHIO Athletic Hall of Fame in 1973 with the following others:

Elmore Banton, '65 (cross country, track and field/cross country head coach)
O.C. Bird '22-'48 (athletics director)
Joseph W. Colvin, '33 (football)
Raymond C. Davis, '21 (men’s basketball, football)
Howard E. Jolliff, '65 (men’s basketball)
Dave Solomon, '70 (swimming and diving)
Woodrow "Woody" Wills, '37 (baseball, football)

His widow is from Athens, and her maiden name was Higgins.

I still don't know where Wills was from or where he played high school ball.
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Ted Thompson
3/1/2018 11:41 PM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
Well, I did find out a little by myself, in case anyone is interested.

Wills was inducted into the OHIO Athletic Hall of Fame in 1973 with the following others:

Elmore Banton, '65 (cross country, track and field/cross country head coach)
O.C. Bird '22-'48 (athletics director)
Joseph W. Colvin, '33 (football)
Raymond C. Davis, '21 (men’s basketball, football)
Howard E. Jolliff, '65 (men’s basketball)
Dave Solomon, '70 (swimming and diving)
Woodrow "Woody" Wills, '37 (baseball, football)

His widow is from Athens, and her maiden name was Higgins.

I still don't know where Wills was from or where he played high school ball.
Did you check the online yearbooks? They usually include sections for Athletics.
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Ted Thompson
3/1/2018 11:50 PM

From 1937 Yearbook:

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Ted Thompson
3/1/2018 11:55 PM

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Ted Thompson
3/2/2018 12:11 AM

From 1938 Yearbook, couldn't find anything on him in yearbooks prior to 1937.

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Ted Thompson
3/2/2018 12:22 AM

From the November 13th, 1936 Green and White newspaper. Talks about his then-girlfriend (not from Athens) and high school career. And his fondness for laxatives?

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OhioCatFan
3/2/2018 10:23 AM
Thanks, Ted. This is great stuff. I'm going to print it out and take it with me.
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OhioCatFan
3/2/2018 10:26 AM
Ted Thompson wrote:expand_more
From the November 13th, 1936 Green and White newspaper. Talks about his then-girlfriend (not from Athens) and high school career. And his fondness for laxatives?
Perhaps, I better not mention that former girlfriend to her!
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OhioCatFan
3/2/2018 11:47 PM

doubledribble and his old family friend Mrs. Betty Higgins Wills at the Miami-Ohio game this evening.  It was a fond reunion.

Mrs. OCF. OCF and Mrs. OCF's brother, with Mrs. Wills (seated) at pizza party before the game.  Note that Mrs. Wills is wearing OHIO green, not Miami red, though her husband coached baseball (head coach) and football (assistant coach) at Miami for many, many years.  She's an Athens native, and we are planning to bring her back to Athens sometime relatively soon.  She is a neat lady, with a very sharp mind and still ambulatory at age 98  We all had a wonderful time.

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Jeff McKinney
3/7/2018 8:24 AM
I saw Mr. Wills' photo in the Miami Hall of Fame Monday.
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Mike Johnson
3/7/2018 10:09 AM
OhioCatFan wrote:expand_more
doubledribble and his old family friend Mrs. Betty Higgins Wills at the Miami-Ohio game this evening. It was a fond reunion.

Mrs. OCF. OCF and Mrs. OCF's brother, with Mrs. Wills (seated) at pizza party before the game. Note that Mrs. Wills is wearing OHIO green, not Miami red, though her husband coached baseball (head coach) and football (assistant coach) at Miami for many, many years. She's an Athens native, and we are planning to bring her back to Athens sometime relatively soon. She is a neat lady, with a very sharp mind and still ambulatory at age 98 We all had a wonderful time.
Lovely photos. All look genuinely happy to be together.
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OhioStunter
3/8/2018 1:04 PM
Ted Thompson wrote:expand_more
From the November 13th, 1936 Green and White newspaper. Talks about his then-girlfriend (not from Athens) and high school career. And his fondness for laxatives?
This article is the cat's pajamas. And it is the most bizarre newspaper article I've ever read (that is saying a lot).
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OhioCatFan
3/9/2018 12:31 AM
OhioStunter wrote:expand_more
From the November 13th, 1936 Green and White newspaper. Talks about his then-girlfriend (not from Athens) and high school career. And his fondness for laxatives?
This article is the cat's pajamas. And it is the most bizarre newspaper article I've ever read (that is saying a lot).
All true, my sense is that part of it at least was written tongue-in-cheek, or with hidden subtle college humor of the day. It was indeed strange.
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