He thought of it as an honor for somebody to ask him for an autograph. ", On Lombardi's role as general manager and his dealings with him:"He was in the locker room. You cant go any higher.. In a poll that marked the leagues 75th year, he was voted to the all-time all-star team. , money, salary, income, and assets. When Nitschke became a born-again Christian in 1995, his wife Jackie told Ray he wore that number because there are 66 books in the Holy Bible, per Gruver. On the field, he was a ferocious middle linebacker who at times seemed to truly enjoy hitting people. 1 draft choice and in 1968, (personnel director) Pat Peppler called me. He was a natural-born leader, Hall of Fame right tackle Ron Yary said. Don Pierson and Tribune Pro Football Writer. In such a violent sport, thats a pretty elusive title to hold. His father died in a car accident when Nitschke was 3. Ray Nitschke. Lombardi molded the Bart Starrs, Jerry Kramers, Paul Hornungs, Jim Taylors and Nitschkes into the best football teams of the 1960s. When he walked off the field and put on his horn-rimmed glasses, Robinson said, youd think he was a CPA unless he took his teeth out.. Nitschke left his savage persona on the field and occasionally on camera for The Longest Yard and Miller Lite commercials. I said, 'I admit I'm a dumb farm kid who just got back from milking cows, how does this process work? [17] In the divisional round of the playoffs on Christmas Eve, Green Bay lost 163 at Washington. Well guess what? 1 player to be crowned on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Ray Nitschke was born in IL. * In high school, he played quarterback and at the University of Illinois actually played fullback, along with the linebacker position. https://www.britannica.com/facts/Ray-Nitschke, 66 (Green Bay Packers, 19591972) 33 (Green Bay Packers, 1958). [27] Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John in 1963, Richard in 1966, and Amy in 1972. Ray Nitschke won two Super Bowl championships. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nitschke was known for his viciousness on the field, a ferocity that welled within him from childhood. "But it turned out all right," Remmel said. But I didn't think he was as good as Nitschke. The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of "But I have the utmost respect for Ray Nitschke of all the players I ever played against," Ditka later said. A man at the station helped get him out of the car and started CPR.. So the World League offered me $45,000, $55,000, $75,000 on a three-year contract. But he's still standing around, so I go in the training room again. I was scared to death, but I took his helmet and, 'bang!' "I never saw him turn down an autograph or a request to pose for a photo.". His Father passed away when he was 3, and his Mother passed away when he was 13. As a microphone is passed around the room, elders explain the magnitude of the honor. . They called me a mezzanine rookie the second year until you played in a certain number of games. How tough was Nitschke? He taught us proper technique: pulling, how to come off the ball. The NFL legend was twice named a First-Team All-Pro, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. Yary witnessed the fury before he entered the NFL in 1968 with the Minnesota Vikings as the first draft choice. The Packers had so much talent that there were not always enough honors to go around. In the game, Nitschke recovered two fumbles and deflected a pass that was intercepted. "He was one of the most popular Packers ever," said Packers public relations director Lee Remmel. 5 overall. So it was a volatile relationship.. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. In that years Chicago College All-Star Game, played against the reigning NFL champs, a maniacal Nitschke gave Yary a glimpse of what lie ahead in the pros. ", 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. On being drafted by the Packers: "I was a No. Fred weighed about 118 pounds when he died. With a choice acquired from New Orleans, the Packers drafted linebacker Fred Carr No. A year later, he was traded to Philadelphia. www.jackienitschkecenter.com. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961 to Jackie Forchette. When a certain message needs to be delivered, Lanier knows who to call upon. 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. I've just had a rough day. A native of Elmwood Park, Nitschke lived in Green Bay, where he played middle linebacker from 1958-72 and became one of sport's few legends instantly identified solely by their last names. In 1973, Mean on Sunday: The Autobiography of Ray Nitschke ("as told to Robert W. Wells") was published by Doubleday. Then what year did the World Football League come in? Nitschke was the anchor of the defense under head coach Vince Lombardi in the 1960's, leading the Packers to five NFL championships and victories in the first two Super Bowls. You cant even die from this team. He didn't always follow the defense. Also, the team has named one of its two outdoor practice fields "Ray Nitschke Field". Jackie Forchette (26 June1961 - 1996)( her death)( 3 children). The discussion was heated, but remained private. On March 8, Nitschke took a drive with his daughter, Amy Klaas, and her one-year-old daughter to a friend's house. He was the one player who most represented legendary coach Vince Lombardis toughness. 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. 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. With his bald head, horn-rimmed glasses and impeccable attire, he could have passed for a business executive or a college professor. Ray Nitschke Enshrinement speech. Nitschke made only one Pro Bowl team because Detroit Lions middle linebacker Joe Schmidt was a perennial selection from 1954 to 1963. Mean In The Middle smiled down from heaven as the Green Bay Packers were about to win the Super Bowl. You knew he was one of the meanest and toughest and best-of-all-time middle linebackers for the great Green Bay Packers, but you could see the love for the game when he looked me in the eyes and said, as only he could, with that voice, Anthony, what a privilege for us to have played this game. My second year, Gale Gillingham said, 'Bill, you're going to be the next guy who gets tested.' He'd get in the huddle and he doesn't know where he is. You don't need an agent. I know I hit him hard and he hit me hard, and I think that's where it should be left.". They said, 'You'll make more in the dairy business. He certainly didnt look like he was one of the meanest and best football players of all time. Green Bay Packer, Hall of Famer. 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. All the wives. Nitschke also appeared in the 1974 football comedy The Longest Yard as Guard Bogdanski. Nitschke guided a Packers defense that won five NFL championships, including the first two Super Bowls. Yeah. 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. 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 . Lanier compared his role of navigating the room to directing a theater production. Nitschke had an unusual pregame routine on Sundays. If you thought Green Bay Packers legend Ray Nitschke was tough, you should get to know his wife Jackie. [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. When Ray met and married his wife, Jackie, he made an outstanding decision. He recorded the only pass reception of his career, a 34-yard gain after a blocked Packer field goal attempt, and they won 3020 to finish at 104, their best regular season record since 1966. 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. He laid down the law to all the new inductees of what was acceptable and unacceptable, and everybody followed what Ray said.. Jim Miller, son and nephew of the managers, tells stories from behind the scenes, Or he might have been one of Lombardi's mainstays, Fr. When he got up to speak, you knew he was speaking from the heart. The men who speak try to recapture Nitschkes message. On the field or off, though, Packer fans had an unwavering love affair with Nitschke. While at Illinois, Nitschke smoked, drank heavily, and fought at the drop of a hat. He'd get up and his helmet was over here to the side of his face. Encyclopdia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them. So we ran the slip block where Bowman would block the defensive tackle and I'd slip and block the middle linebacker. I remember when they'd grab Bart by the belt of his jersey and pile-drive him into the ground. [6], Nitschke entered Proviso Township High School in Maywood shortly before his mother's death. Here was a guy, who made a living for 15 years in the pros being a mean, tough linebacker, in awe of these young adults flying off from the bluffs. Discover Ray Nitschke's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. he recalled the time when his father Robert Sr. passed away due to a fatal car accident, When the two men played in the pro football ranks years later, Dallas Cowboys center Dave Manders said (via Nitschkes 2002 biography), Hall of Fame halfback Paul Hornung said (via Gruver), The Packers head coach even thought Ray might kill somebody,, No less than future Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr dubbed Nitschke a classic example of Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde, The Life And Career Of Don Majkowski (Story), The Life And Career Of Forrest Gregg (Story), The Life And Career Of Paul Hornung (Story), The Life And Career Of Bobby Dillon (Story), The Life And Career Of Don Hutson (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Matt Flynn (Story), The Life And Career Of Gilbert Brown (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of James Lofton (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Antonio Freeman (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Sterling Sharpe (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Vince Lombardi (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Donald Driver (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Max McGee (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Brett Favre (Complete Story), The Life and Career Of Johnny "Blood" McNally (Complete Story), The Life And Career Of Safety Chuck Cecil (Complete Story), What Happened To Tony Mandarich? Packers Experiences powered by QuintEvents. We became best friends after that. Do I need to get an agent?' He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981. We didn't even know he was injured.". If you thought Green Bay Packers legend Ray Nitschke was tough, you should get to know his wife Jackie. Nitschke wasnt merely a hitter. Welcome tothe NFL 100,The Athleticsendeavor to identify the 100 best players in football history. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community, sharing her stories of treatment and rebuilding her life. ", On whether Nitschke ever messed with Gillingham on the practice field: "Never. I liked Schnelker. I said, 'I get it. 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. For years after his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978, the NFL. The linebacker went on to play all 15 of his professional seasons in Green Bay. The linebackers wore helmets. When I came back to the car, he had had a heart attack. So I started beating him down and they didn't pull me off of him until I had him on the ground. In 1997, the Green Bay Packers named one of their practice fields after him. "Champion" tells the story of howJackie Nitschke became the first "Packer Wife" to openly acknowledge her alcoholism. Gale and I could both bench over 400 pounds and squat 600-plus. In retirement, Nitschke became an inner voice for Hall of Famers. Although Nitschke was known for his hard hitting, he was an athletic all-around linebacker who also intercepted 25 passes over his career. But Nitschke wasnt just an incredible player and a fiery leader. Theres barely any loyalty around the league anymore. 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 humility and appreciation for having had the opportunity to play the NFL will always stick in my mind.. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren. Nitschkes death was the second to strike the ranks of Lombardis great Packer teams in the last month. He could play quarterback if he had to. 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. Knocking him in the head, blooding his nose, just because he was (bleeped) off every Friday. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. He was adopted by an older brother, and grew up as a self-acknowledged bully. His No. He thought that was a privilege. 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. The loss of both parents enraged Nitschke, and the lack of a parental disciplinarian to quell his rage caused him to engage in fights with other kids in the neighborhood. His father died when he was three and his mother when he was thirteen and he was raised by an older brother. It all went for naught, as panelist Bennett Cerf, who had attended the game, guessed his identity immediately. "I loved playing the Bears. The excerpt above was from a 2019 interview. Puplis advised him to accept a football scholarship. He had football smarts. They always listed me at 240. pic.twitter.com/vf59f532Sw. That was a statement about how much he loved the game.. 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. Cincinnati Bengals left tackle Anthony Munoz didnt get to hear Nitschke speak at the luncheon. (Nitschke) would test guys. 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. According to Nitschke's biography, the tower drove a spike into his helmet, but didn't injure him. He hit you with every ounce of his body. At this time, college football had reverted to primarily single-platoon football, meaning those players that were on offense had to switch to defense, and vice versa, when ball possession changed. They couldnt wait until they saw No. At a luncheon for new inductees and members, Nitschke hailed football and the Hall in a way few could articulate. He was pronounced dead at Venice Hospital. He gave it all to you. Heres some tidbits about him that a lot of people dont know: * As a young teenager, he was orphaned. 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. Cliff Christl started gathering oral histories with former Packers and others associated with the team in 2000 and will continue to gather them as Packers historian. In that room full of alpha males is where Nitschke stood up and explained what it means to join footballs greatest team. Fred died of dementia. As publisher of the "Ray Nitschke Packer Report," Nitschke was able to enjoy the team's return to glory, but he never allowed the new heroes the luxury of becoming too fond of themselves. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay and I never want to finish second again. He was a playmaker, recording 25 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries over his 15 seasons. Just a few of the recognitions Ray had, he was voted the . We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 29 December. Nearly killed during a 1960 practice when a 25-foot photographers' tower fell on him in a windstorm, Nitschke continued practicing after changing helmets. Nitschke started to feel sharp chest pains during the drive, and he pulled over to a nearby rest stop. "In the heat of competing against each other, things like that happen. Nitschke is considered one of the toughest NFL players to ever live. 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