July 24, 1944

Pro football player Bill Yearby was born in Birmingham on this day. Born William M. Yearby, he was an All-American defensive tackle for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team from 1963-1965. He went on to play defensive lineman for the New York Jets in 1966 after being drafted in the first round. A pre-season knee injury cut his career short with the Jets. In 1967, not fully recovered from the knee injury, he went to the Bridgeport Knights of the Atlantic Coast Conference, which was the Jets’ minor league affiliate. While playing linebacker for the Knights, Yearby hurt his knee again and his pro football career was over. Yearby died in December 2010.

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