Willie Evans, American football player, Died at 79

  Sports

Willie R. Evans was born on December 1, 1937, and died on January 4, 2017.

He was an American football player.

He was a running back for the University at Buffalo football team in the late 1950s.

During 1958, the Buffalo Bulls refused an offer to play Florida State University in the Tangerine Bowl because Evans and backup defensive end Mike Wilson were not welcome to play in Orlando because they were black.

Following his graduation, he was drafted by Ralph Wilson for the inaugural season of the American Football League’s Buffalo Bills.

Following his football career, Willie Evans taught in Buffalo area schools for more than 30 years.

Willie coached football, and tennis and swimming, and ran a city parks program for most of that time as well.

Evans served as an adviser for the university’s alumni association.

He died in Buffalo.

Willie Evans passed away at 79 years old.