R. Norman Wood Explained

R. Norman Wood
Death Date:February 19, 2015 (age 84)
Player Years1:1951–1954
Player Team1:Harvard
Coach Years1:1959–1965
Coach Team1:Princeton
Overall Record:49–88–1

Reginald Norman 'Woody' Wood (?– February 19, 2015) was an American ice hockey player and head coach who headed the program at Princeton for six years.[1]

Career

A Massachusetts native, Wood attended Harvard in the early 1950s, playing varsity hockey for 3 years and serving as team captain in his senior season.[2] After graduating Wood served in the military before returning to college hockey as a head coach for Princeton in 1959. Wood's first season with the Tigers was a mild success as the team compiled a winning season for the first time in four years but afterwards the club lost ground and routinely finished near the bottom of the newly created ECAC Hockey standings. He stayed with the program until 1965 before stepping down in favor of John E. Wilson.

After leaving Princeton Wood returned to Massachusetts and joined the Boston-area real estate firm of Hunneman & Company. In 1969 he was elected as president and CEO of National Realty Investors and later became president of Moors & Cabot Properties, Inc.[3]

Personal life

While living in Massachusetts Wood became a season ticket holder for the Boston Bruins and would regularly take his sons to games.[4] His eldest, Randy, ended up playing in the NHL for several years[5] and was followed by Norman's grandson Miles Wood who made his NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils in 2016.

Norman Wood died at Kaplan house on February 19, 2015, at the age of 84.

Head coaching record

[6]

Notes and References

  1. News: Princeton Men's Hockey Team History. USCHO.com. 2017-07-10.
  2. News: R. Norman Wood. Town Topics. 2015-02-25. 2017-07-10.
  3. News: R. Norman Wood. Legacy.com. 2017-07-10.
  4. News: PRO HOCKEY; Islanders Rally in Overtime. New York Times. 1990-02-11. 2017-07-10.
  5. News: Randy Wood. NJSports.com. 2017-07-10.
  6. News: Men's Hockey Year-by-Year. Princeton Tigers. 2017-07-10.