He gave it all to you. You know the first time I met Vince Lombardi, my wife met him at the College All-Star Game. [15][16] Green Bay had clinched the NFC Central division title the week before at Minnesota for their first playoff berth in five seasons. You're a starter now.' While at Illinois, Nitschke smoked, drank heavily, and fought at the drop of a hat. Nitschke never wore a face mask and one of the Buckeye's player's helmets hit him in the mouth knocking out two teeth initially; the other two were hanging by the roots. What position did Ray Nitschke play? I grew up being a Bears fan. Jackie Nitschke's influence transformed this football madman into a loving husband and father of three adopted children. We leave the huddle and Gale says, 'Watch out.' A common response for the muted, new inductees is to look around the room at legends such as Jim Brown, Roger Staubach and Mean Joe Greene. Fred weighed about 118 pounds when he died. I just want to get along.' (Ken) Bowman would put up with no crap from Ray. I get dressed. He could throw the ball. You know his classic lines, if it doesnt matter who wins or loses, then why do we keep score or the dictionary is the only place where success comes before work.. I remember when they'd grab Bart by the belt of his jersey and pile-drive him into the ground. [12] It included three other significant Packers of the 1960s, linebacker Dan Currie of Michigan State (3rd overall), fullback Jim Taylor of LSU (15th overall) and right guard Jerry Kramer of Idaho (39th overall). Presenter: Phil Bengston. You don't need an agent. Ray played in the 230s, but he hit like he was 300 pounds. Nitschke was 61 years old. Prior to its retirement, number 66 had remained in circulation and was last worn in 1983 by offensive lineman Lawrence Pfohl, who would go on to fame as a professional wrestler under the ring name Lex Luger.[30]. ", On whether the players knew Wietecha, who was in charge of the running game, and Bob Schnelker, in charge of the passing game, were at odds: "We knew there was something going, on. Their success rate is like 78 percent.. It was during those four hours that I first learned much more about the great Packer. Hell, even Tom Brady moved on from the New England Patriot after 20 historic years. Nitschke appeared on the television show, Whats My Line following the 1962 NFL championship game, wearing his standard black rimmed glasses and not looking at all like one of the most feared players in pro football. He was a wonderful human being. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. So I go out and guess who's leaning against the driver's seat door to my car? Yet no one was more emotional or more sincere in his love for the game. Nitschke was the leader and captain of the Packers defense throughout the entire 1960s. [2][3], Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois,[4] the youngest of three sons to Robert and Anna Nitschke. My second year, Gale Gillingham said, 'Bill, you're going to be the next guy who gets tested.' No matter how much he was bleeding, he wouldnt leave the game. Fred made very few mistakes. In the 2005 version of the movie, there is no Bogdanski- probably because they couldnt find as mean a person as Ray Nitschke to play the part. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. We stopped at a service station and I went in for water and a soft drink. Ray Nitschke. The contact he made with Larry Csonka impressed me, but what I remember was Ray Nitschke getting up and laughing like he just won the $1 million lottery. Drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round (36th overall) of the 1958 NFL draft. His wife, Jackie, died of cancer in 1996. Nitschke grew up in Maywood, Ill., lost his father at age 3 and his mother when he was 13. [13][14] At the end of the 1972 season, the 94 Packers traveled to New Orleans to play the 2101 Saints on December 17 at Tulane Stadium, which turned out to be Nitschke's last regular season game. He didn't always follow the defense. Lueck, 74, lives in suburban Phoenix. So I said (to Peppler), 'Well, do I need to come back there?' 448-449. Ray Nitschke. He hit you with every ounce of his body. He played the rest of the game.[11]. In 1996, with wife Jackie dying of cancer, Nitschke was in tears as he related to inductees that his wife had implored him to go to the ceremony in Canton, where he belonged. No one ever instilled fear in their opponents quite as Nitschke did. On July 2, 1973 he told me and Fortin, that a metal tower on the Packers practice field fell over on top of him. [31] Every year, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has a luncheon the day before its induction ceremony, attended by most of the living members and honoring the new inductees. As a rookie, he backed up both left guard Gale Gillingham and right guard Jerry Kramer. The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of Fred was a great player. None. Green Bay Packer, Hall of Famer. During his freshman year at Proviso, he played fullback on one of the school's three football teams. Then from 1969 to 1973, he unofficially started 67 of 70 regular-season games at left guard based on official play-by-plays (he also might have started another, but wasn't listed in the lineup) and also the 1972 NFC Divisional playoff. "And not just because the National Football League picked me as the top man at that job in the league's first 50 years. When a certain message needs to be delivered, Lanier knows who to call upon. With a choice acquired from New Orleans, the Packers drafted linebacker Fred Carr No. The late Jackie Nitschke was married to Lombardi-era Packer Ray Nitschke. He was the MVP of the 1962 NFL Championship Game, accepting the prize of a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette. We always wondered why Zeke wasn't with another team starting. This is a carousel. [1] He had been driving to the home of a family friend, according to his daughter, Amy Klaas, who was with him when he was stricken. AKA Raymond Ernest Nitschke. One guy, Grant Smith of Detroit, asked Nitschke if he wanted to learn how to hang glide and the Packer, then 36 years old at the time, said it looked too dangerous for him. That was the first year I started making money. Biography in: "American National Biography". The Green Bay Packers legend played 15 seasons in the green and yellow and led the team to five NFL championships. His father was killed when he was 3, and his mother died when he was 13. He was adopted by an older brother, and grew up as a self-acknowledged bully. "He was one of the most popular Packers ever," said Packers public relations director Lee Remmel. Encyclopdia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them. He did everything to help his wife raise. 66 was the fourth number retired in the franchises rich history. He said, 'No, we'll send you the paperwork and you can sign it.' Am I in trouble? "People talk about tough he was, how bad he was. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was younger before he passed. While he wasnt bombing his classes or getting into fistfights, he played quarterback and safety at Proviso High in suburban Chicago. The helmet (with the hole) is currently on display in the Packer Hall of Fame in Green Bay. Discover Ray Nitschke's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Your email address will not be published. "I think Ray Nitschke thinks we stink," Packers defensive end Sean Jones said during the 1996 title run. Raymond Ernest Nitschke was a middle linebacker that spent his entire 15-year career with the Green Bay Packers. Ray Nitschke was born on December 29, 1936, in Elmwood Park, Illinois, United States. The late Jackie Nitschke was married to Lombardi-era Packer Ray Nitschke. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. So then I went in and showered and never turned my back on him. A quarterback at Proviso High School, Nitschke cried when Illinois coach Ray Eliot moved him to fullback. Guess what I got my second year? Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961, to Jackie Forchette. In the game, Nitschke recovered two fumbles and deflected a pass that was intercepted. He proved to be a very skilled player and tackler as a linebacker, so much so that, by his senior year, Paul Brown considered him the best linebacker in college football. On the field, he was a ferocious middle linebacker who at times seemed to truly enjoy hitting people. (Carr) could play every position. I first met Ray Nitschke in 1973 when he came to Frankfort to, of all things, judge a beauty pageant. 1 draft choice and in 1968, (personnel director) Pat Peppler called me. According to Nitschke's biography, the tower drove a spike into his helmet, but didn't injure him. In this day and age of egotistical professional athletes, my friend Ray Nitschke would also have been a unanimous selection for the Nice Guy Hall of Fame. Congressman Steve Largent, who ended the pregame ceremonies by flipping the coin. Older brothers Robert Jr. (age 21) and Richard (age 17) decided they would raise Ray on their own. Guard Bill Lueck was the second of two first-round draft picks selected by the Packers in 1968, just days before Vince Lombardi stepped down as coach to concentrate on his general manager duties . That was a statement about how much he loved the game.. However, he was chosen by the Green Bay Packers late in the third round (36th overall) of what is considered the greatest draft in the franchise's history. ", On his relationship with fellow No. Tim Graham is a senior writer for The Athletic, covering Buffalo sports. Jackie Forchette (26 June1961 - 1996)( her death)( 3 children). I would journey with him and longtime TV 7 & 4 news and weatherman Dave Fortin to the Elberta beach to watch the hang gliders fly off the bluffs. Also learn how He earned most of Ray Nitschke networth? ", On who was better at eluding the pass rush: "Probably Zeke. Nitschke always spoke at this luncheon, telling the new inductees what a great honor they were receiving, and that they were now members of the greatest team of them all. He's got a helmet on and I've got a stocking cap, but I learned at the University of Arizona, the first thing you do is get the helmet off if you're going to have a fight or you're going to just bust your hands. His bad grades and temper couldnt derail such a phenomenal athlete. Gale and I could both bench over 400 pounds and squat 600-plus. "I never saw him turn down an autograph or a request to pose for a photo.". Coming up the middle or filling a hole on a running play, I thought Nitschke was better than Butkus. He could play quarterback if he had to. Nitschke was taken to Venice Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:30 p.m. (EST). Although Nitschke was known for his hard hitting, he was an athletic all-around linebacker who also intercepted 25 passes over his career. She's bossing me around.' In Super Bowl II, Nitschke led Green Bay's defense with nine tackles. The University of Illinois converted him to fullback and linebacker. On Fridays, we'd go out stocking hats and no pads. Someones got to be the leader and step forward, and that was a great quality he had. Ray Nitschke attended the University of Illinois. He'd play cornerback. He was the one player who most represented legendary coach Vince Lombardis toughness. Neither championships nor individual trophies weighed more. Fred could do anything. On March 8, Nitschke took a drive with his daughter, Amy Klaas, and her one-year-old daughter to a friends house. Nitschkes death was the second to strike the ranks of Lombardis great Packer teams in the last month. He played for 15 seasons before retiring in 1972. When I told Green Bay what I was offered, they matched it. Ray Wietecha was still the line coach and he had seen (Nitschke) do that to Hyland so he didn't pull me off. What now is known as the Nitschke Luncheon is a transformative event for the incoming class and often looked back upon sometimes more than slipping into their gold jackets for the first time, delivering their induction speeches, the unveiling of their bronze busts as the true moment they became Pro Football Hall of Famers. He went in and took his shower, and I'm still kind of looking around the door from the training room. In 1999, he was ranked number 18 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest-ranked player coached by Vince Lombardi, second among Packers behind Don Hutson, and third among linebackers behind Lawrence Taylor and Dick Butkus. The heaviest I ever got there was a little over 260. His baseball skills brought him an offer from the professional St. Louis Browns with a $3,000 signing bonus. In such a violent sport, thats a pretty elusive title to hold. What college did Ray Nitschke attend? Ray Nitschke played linebacker. Birthplace: Elmwood Park, IL Location of death: Venice, FL Cause of death: Heart Failure Remains: Cre. Said Remmel: I remember sitting in hotel lobbies when the team was on the road and watch Ray obligingly pose for photographs and sign hundreds of autographs. How tough was Nitschke? Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John in 1963, Richard in 1966, and Amy in 1972. He grew up a Chicago Bears fan, but quickly learn to hate them after being drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of 1958. He was probably remembering another Coach Lombardi quote: There is no room for second place. That was when I got Gale. That was Ray Nitschke, Hall of Fame linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, who died Sunday of a massive heart attack in Venice, Fla. Nitschke, 61, was stricken while driving with his daughter, Amy Klaas, and granddaughter, Jacqueline, from his summer home in Naples, Fla. to visit friends. Upon the election of former teammate Henry Jordan to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the eve of Super Bowl XXIX in Miami Gardens, Florida, Nitschke flew down to Florida to participate in the game's coin-toss ceremonies, joining three other 75th Anniversary Team representatives--Otto Graham (1950s), Mean Joe Greene (1970s) and Gale Sayers (1960s), all three of whom had been announced as representatives of their respective decades in the ceremony months prior to the PFHOF electionas well as three of Jordan's fellow Class of 1995 newcomers, all of whom represented the 1980s: Kellen Winslow, Lee Roy Selmon, and then-U.S. Bobby Bell, for instance, will make a comment to everyone in the room for them to look around closely and acknowledge the others they see, Lanier said, because next year a certain number will not be here. "I've always thought I was the best middle linebacker in professional football," Nitschke once said. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 62 years old group. He protected his turf.. But, let me tell you, off the field, Ray Nitschke, who was selected as a linebacker on both the 50th and 75th anniversary all-time National Football League teams was a pussycat. I was the executive secretary of the National Soaring and Hang Gliding Festival and Paul Alfred Corey and his sister Carol, the owners of the PAC Inn, and Gustafson Oil Company had arranged through Detroit Lions general manager Nick Kerbawy to have the perennial All-Pro linebacker, who had recently retired, in the Port City to be part of a five-judge panel to select the first National Soaring Queen. Wood remembered Nitschke working at his image on and off the field. Nitschke's wife, Jackie, died of cancer in 1996. I've just had a rough day. Lee Remmel, the Packers public relations director and a former beat writer for the Green Bay Press-Gazette, recalled how well Nitschke treated fans. Nitschke was known for his viciousness on the field, a ferocity that welled within him from childhood. Klaas walked inside to grab a few drinks, but Nitschke suffered a heart attack while sitting in the parked car. Nitschke became a full-time starter in 1962, the anchor of a disciplined defense that helped win five NFL titles and the first two Super Bowls in the 1960s. 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Hed be the first to tell you not to put him on a pedestal above all the other linebackers, Robinson said. On being drafted by the Packers: "I was a No. After three seasons of part-time duty in the middle, Nitschke took over full-time in 1961 on Lombardis first Packer championship team. Don Pierson and Tribune Pro Football Writer. I thought maybe I'll get $75,000, $100,000. The guy (Nitschke) was a talented basketball player. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica. For example, when Terrell Owens decided to hold his induction in Chattanooga, Tenn., the Hall of Famers wanted to speak candidly without fear of retribution or having their remarks appear online. He was a playmaker, recording 25 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries over his 15 seasons. I was always scared to death of him. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community, sharing her stories of treatment and rebuilding her life. I know your brother is with the Calgary Stampeders.' Supplement 1, pp. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital later that day. In his sophomore year in 1955, due to a depletion of players in the offensive backfield, Illini head coach Ray Eliot moved Nitschke from quarterback to fullback,[9] shattering his childhood dream of quarterbacking a team to a victory in the Rose Bowl. This must be the 1st quarter because Ray Nitschke barely has any blood on him yet. He appeared in the comic film Head, starring The Monkees, as a footballer who repeatedly tackles Peter Tork in a mock war movie sequence. Funeral arrangements are pending. They always listed me at 240. Ray Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois. (Gillingham) was probably 275, 280. I'm thinking I'm not going to get what we called, 'punked,' like Hyland did every Friday. Left: Nitschke's helmet from the coaching tower incident in September, Ray Nitschkeawards, championships, and honors, "Ray Nitschke, 61, linebacker during Packers' glory years", "Packers get last laugh in slapstick game", "Chicago Tribune - Historical Newspapers", "Larger-than-life pro wrestling icon would love to have had career with Green Bay Packers", "Hard nosed Ray Nitschke just a softie over induction", National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ray_Nitschke&oldid=1142190700, Players of American football from Illinois, Illinois Fighting Illini football players, National Football League players with retired numbers, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, NFL player missing current team parameter, Infobox NFL biography articles missing alt text, Infobox NFL biography articles with old NFL.com URL, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 00:49. Finally, the coaches pulled me off of him and everybody was laughing. The 23-year-old man was arraigned on Feb. 23 after being arrested for driving his 2016 Toyota Two people have been charged with possession of methamphetamine after a traffic stop in Garfield Kindergarten round-up is for all parents interested in learning more about the kindergarten program. I think he tried to see how tough you were and if you were going to fight back. Nitschke remained a starter through the 1970 season, but in 1971 he was benched by new coach Dan Devine and became a reserve to Jim Carter. ?? Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Ray Nitschke was 6 ft 3 inches, 235 lb (1.90 m, 106 kg). His wife died shortly thereafter. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. Never a good student in high school, his grades suffered at college. Raymond Ernest Nitschke (December 29, 1936 March 8, 1998) was an American professional football player who spent his entire 15-year career as a middle linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers. He thought of it as an honor for somebody to ask him for an autograph. He loved it. The NFL legend was twice named a First-Team All-Pro, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. Having played with the Green Bay Packers and the number of championships they won, the number of Hall of Famers that played for (coach Vince) Lombardi, who happens to have his name on the trophy, seemed to signify a purity of someone who accepted his role in the game and played it with a fervor.. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. He was MVP of the 1962 title game. A substantial aspect of Nitschkes legacy forever will be respecting the Hall of Fames legacy. Among all of us offensive linemen, we supported Zeke 100 percent. * In the NFL championship game of 1962, he would recover two fumbles and deflect a pass that was intercepted gaining MVP honors and a new Chevrolet Corvette. In 2019, USA TODAY compiled a group of 19 veteran reporters to vote on and rank the 100 greatest NFL players of all time. Raymond Ernest Nitschke (Wildman) Position: LB 6-3 , 235lb (190cm, 106kg) Born: December 29 in Elmwood Park, IL More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame 1x Pro Bowl 2x All-Pro 2x SB Champ 5x NFL Champ HOF All-1960s Team 33 66 SUMMARY Career G 190 AV 120 Int 25 Yds 385 TD 2 Ray Nitschke Overview Game Logs Career Postseason 1958 1959 1960 Nitschke, his wife and family would come back to Frankfort every summer for a number of years and a few weeks before he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 1978 he sent me a personal invitation to join him for the ceremonies. His was pierced by a bolt from the tower. That becomes a most profound reality. Nitschke also appeared in the 1974 football comedy The Longest Yard as Guard Bogdanski. Nitschke and his family, who were staying at the PAC Inn and the Crystal Beach Resort that week, fell in love with the town and in particular, the sport of hang gliding. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. He almost always went after Bob Hyland. He had football smarts. He also was a humanitarian, loved children and relished being an ambassador for Green Bay and the NFL. * He would be drafted by the Packers in 1958 along with Taylor and Kramer and Green Bay would win one game their first year before Lombardi was hired as the head coach. Nitschke is considered one of the toughest NFL players to ever live. Thus he is the only linebacker to have made both the NFL's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. [8] Nitschke was also offered scholarships from college football programs around the country. 66 dash onto the field. [10], In his junior year in 1956 Nitschke lost his four front teeth on the opening kick-off against Ohio State. The St. Louis Browns offered him a baseball contract, but he wanted to play Big Ten football. This is the first of two parts with Bill Lueck. The Eagles paid me my last year. ", On what happened next: "(I'm a) mezzanine rookie, and I had seen (Nitschke) take his frustration out every Friday on Hyland. The Packers had so much talent that there were not always enough honors to go around. Ray grew up in Chicago and had a. Nitschke wore number 33 in 1958 and 66 the rest of his career with the Packers. Incredibly, Nitschke played in the Pro Bowl only once. He was a total family man. Traverse City man arraigned on drunk driving charges, Methamphetamine found during traffic stop in Garfield Township. I kept telling melf. Actor: The Longest Yard. But Nitschke wasnt just an incredible player and a fiery leader. I was scared to death. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. $17,500. He gets dressed. They couldn't live with each other and they couldn't live without each other, said Rivett. * In high school, he played quarterback and at the University of Illinois actually played fullback, along with the linebacker position. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren.