About Willie Bethea
Lived 1939 – 2024 (aged 84–85). Willie Bethea was an American canadian football player.
Willie Bethea (July 21, 1938 – January 5, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a running back for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He won the Grey Cup with them in 1963, 1965 and 1967. He was an All-American in football in high school, and attended Rider College on a scholarship to play basketball. They did not have a football team. Bethea played semi-pro football with the Paterson Miners, and secured a trial with the National Football League's Baltimore Colts in 1962. He joined Hamilton in 1963.
Bethea was inducted into the Tiger-Cats Wall of Honour in 2012. He died on January 5, 2024, at the age of 85.
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Important facts
Related people
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Willie Bethea's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Willie Bethea?
Canadian football player
When was Willie Bethea born?
Willie Bethea was born in 1939 in New Jersey.
When did Willie Bethea die?
Willie Bethea died on 5 January 2024.
What was Willie Bethea's occupation?
Willie Bethea was a canadian football player.
What nationality was Willie Bethea?
Willie Bethea was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Willie Bethea. https://biography.guide/willie-bethea/
MLA: "Willie Bethea." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/willie-bethea/.
Chicago: "Willie Bethea." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/willie-bethea/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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