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NFL Draft: Kyle Rote from SMU first pick by New York Giants

William Kyle Rote Sr. (October 27, 1928 – August 15, 2002) was an American professional football player who was a running back and wide receiver for eleven years in the National Football League (NFL)...

William Kyle Rote Sr. (October 27, 1928 – August 15, 2002) was an American professional football player who was a running back and wide receiver for eleven years in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants. He was an All-American running back for the SMU Mustangs and was the first overall selection of the 1951 NFL draft. Following his playing career, Rote was the Giants backfield coach and later a sports broadcaster for WNEW and WNBC radio in New York and for NBC television.

Historical Significance

William Kyle Rote Sr.

Events Before

  1. Emil Jannings dies

    Emil Jannings, Swiss-born German actor, known for german actor, died on 1950-01-02. Emil Jannings was a Swiss-born German actor who was popular in Hollywood films in the 1920s.

  2. The Dutch government raises all wages by a maximum of 5%

    The Dutch government raises all wages by a maximum of 5%

  3. Israeli Knesset declares Jerusalem the capital of Israel

    The Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem, known to Israelis as the reunification of Jerusalem, refers to the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War, and its…

  4. US President Harry Truman publicly announces support for the development of a hydrogen bomb

    Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States, serving from 1945 to 1953.

  5. British naturalist and future broadcaster David Attenborough (24) weds British classmate and cook Jane Elizabeth Ebswort

    British naturalist and future broadcaster David Attenborough (24) weds British classmate and cook Jane Elizabeth Ebsworth Oriel, until her death in 1997

Events After

  1. Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 5th string quartet and premieres it in Leningrad in 1953

    The 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87 by Dmitri Shostakovich are a set of 24 musical pieces for solo piano, one in each of the major and minor keys of the chromatic scale.

  2. "Today Show" premieres with Dave Garroway & Jack Lescoulie on NBC-TV

    Today (also called The Today Show) is an American morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952.

  3. Jawaharlal Nehru's Indian National Congress wins India's first general election

    The Indian National Congress (INC), also known as the Congress Party, or simply the Congress, is a big tent political party in India.

  4. First TV detector van begins operating in the UK to identify users of unlicensed television sets

    First TV detector van begins operating in the UK to identify users of unlicensed television sets

  5. Queen Elizabeth II succeeds King George VI to the British throne and is proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom and the o

    Queen Elizabeth II succeeds King George VI to the British throne and is proclaimed Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

More from the 1950s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on January 18, 1951?
William Kyle Rote Sr. (October 27, 1928 – August 15, 2002) was an American professional football player who was a running back and wide receiver for eleven years in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants. He was an All-American running back for the SMU Mustangs and was the first overall selection of the 1951 NFL draft.
Why is NFL Draft: Kyle Rote from SMU first pick by New York Giants significant?
William Kyle Rote Sr.

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