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Those days are over. I have found his comments to be poignant for anybody.. This is the first of two parts with Bill Lueck. Thus he is the only linebacker to have made both the NFL's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. 66 was the fourth number retired in the franchises rich history. After Nitschkes death, iconic defensive end Deacon Jones took over as master of ceremonies. 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. In 1973, Mean on Sunday: The Autobiography of Ray Nitschke ("as told to Robert W. Wells") was published by Doubleday. A terror in a football uniform and a soft-spoken guy in civilian clothes. Presenter: Phil Bengston. [8] Nitschke was also offered scholarships from college football programs around the country. 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. We had one-on-one time together, his face right up in my grill, Munoz said. We'd run through the plays and Ray would always tee-off on Hyland. But he was a Hall of Famer from the tip of his toes to the top of his head. Nitschkes legacy stretched far beyond the football field. Nitschke made only one Pro Bowl team because Detroit Lions middle linebacker Joe Schmidt was a perennial selection from 1954 to 1963. She pushed back her student's hijab. "I think Ray Nitschke thinks we stink," Packers defensive end Sean Jones said during the 1996 title run. He was 61. Andre Reed finally got to his first Nitschke Luncheon in 2014 after eight years of being a finalist. [29] The only other Lombardi-era player to have his number retired is quarterback Bart Starr, whose number 15 was retired in 1973. On July 2, 1973 he told me and Fortin, that a metal tower on the Packers practice field fell over on top of him. 448-449. All the wives. I just want to get along.' Of all the heroes that the Packers had in their glory years under Coach Vince Lombardi, which included five NFL championships and victories in Super Bowls I and II, Nitschke was probably the most popular. He knows which Hall of Famers speak with fire, which are circumspect. While he wasnt bombing his classes or getting into fistfights, he played quarterback and safety at Proviso High in suburban Chicago. 2023 by Wisconsin Public Radio, a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nitschke is considered one of the toughest NFL players to ever live. He was a playmaker, recording 25 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries over his 15 seasons. He told them how important it was and emphasized theres no one in the Hall of Fame better than anyone else, said fellow Hall of Famer and Green Bay Packers linebacker Dave Robinson. Munoz, however, had a chance to absorb Nitschkes words. Yeah. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 62 years old group. Nitschke was wearing his wearing those type of black rimmed glasses at the PAC Inn in Frankfort that late July evening of 1973 and the crowd sitting there, eating and imbibing, probably thought he was just another summer tourist. Following his death, the Hall named the luncheon after him. The linebacker went on to play all 15 of his professional seasons in Green Bay. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital later that day. He was a fullback and linebacker for the Illini, and the Packers drafted him as a linebacker on the third round in 1958. . As soon as he forearmed me, I got my hand under his helmet and pulled it up, and yanked his chinstrap off and I've got it in my hand. 26 overall in what was the second common draft following the merger agreement between the NFL and AFL. 1 pick Fred Carr: "We roomed together as rookies. He always tried to intimidate offensive guys. 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. Ray Nitschke Enshrinement Speech 1978. ", On practicing against future Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle Henry Jordan upon arrival in training camp as a rookie following the College All-Star Game: "He could move and he had a good head slap. "But it turned out all right," Remmel said. Ray Nitschke most personified what the Hall of Fame really meant, Robinson said. A substantial aspect of Nitschkes legacy forever will be respecting the Hall of Fames legacy. Keep updated on the latest news and information. They said, 'Bill, we'll send you the paperwork and it will be done.' His father died when he was three and his mother when he was thirteen and he was raised by an older brother. He played the rest of the game.[11]. How many Super Bowls did Ray Nitschke win? Lueck, 74, lives in suburban Phoenix. The personification of gruff and tough, the bald-headed Nitschke's voice and manner remained intimidating 25 years after he left the field. Ray Nitschke attended the University of Illinois. He starred on the varsity football team, playing quarterback on offense and safety on defense for coach Andy Puplis. His was pierced by a bolt from the tower. He took time for anybody.. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren. He definitely wasnt the fastest. 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. In the process, she taught our community that the disease of addiction crosses all income levels . Dad suddenly started having chest pains, Klaas said. Their success rate is like 78 percent.. 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. He was the MVP of the 1962 NFL Championship Game, accepting the prize of a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette. It all went for naught, as panelist Bennett Cerf, who had attended the game, guessed his identity immediately. He said, 'No, we'll send you the paperwork and you can sign it.' In 1969, he was named the NFL's all-time top Linebacker by the NFL in honor of the NFL's 50th Anniversary. pic.twitter.com/vf59f532Sw. When a certain message needs to be delivered, Lanier knows who to call upon. You're a starter now.' The Packers won the first two Super Bowls in NFL history thanks in large part to Nitschke. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961 to Jackie Forchette. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community, sharing her stories of treatment and rebuilding her life. Actor: The Longest Yard. In Super Bowl II, Nitschke led Green Bay's defense with nine tackles. Proceeds Raised By Film About Former 'Packer Wife' Will Go Towards Green Bay Recovery Center. Do I need to get an agent?' Yary witnessed the fury before he entered the NFL in 1968 with the Minnesota Vikings as the first draft choice. Gillie took me under his wing and said Ray is going to mess with you. With a choice acquired from New Orleans, the Packers drafted linebacker Fred Carr No. You cant have a conversation about the greatest NFL linebackers of all time without Ray Nitschke. He was a total family man. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nitschke also appeared in the 1974 football comedy The Longest Yard as Guard Bogdanski. 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 whether Nitschke ever messed with Gillingham on the practice field: "Never. Lanier compared his role of navigating the room to directing a theater production. The discussion was heated, but remained private. * 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. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? On being drafted by the Packers: "I was a No. ", Without that attitude, Nitschke said, he couldn't get his job done. ", On Lombardi's role as general manager and his dealings with him:"He was in the locker room. 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. On March 8, Nitschke took a drive with his daughter, Amy Klaas, and her one-year-old daughter to a friend's house. "But I have the utmost respect for Ray Nitschke of all the players I ever played against," Ditka later said. Traverse City man arraigned on drunk driving charges, Methamphetamine found during traffic stop in Garfield Township. On the Packers' practice field on September 1, a 1,000-pound (450kg) steel coaching tower was blown over by a strong gust of wind, on top of Nitschke. Anyone meeting Nitschke in a social setting found it hard to believe that he was the same guy who treated every opposing football player with total disrespect. Carp Lake man missing, MSP requesting public's help, Traverse City man crashes into Thompsonville bar, Looking back in Benzie: Blast furnaces and sunsets, Puppy love coming to Benzie County schools, Harris gets hot, Panthers advance to district finals, Benzie Central girls advance to district finals, Benzie County 24-hour road patrol returns after 10 years, Frankfort Elementary School to host kindergarten round-up. 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. The gravitas is unmistakable. Your email address will not be published. Biography. 42 on the NFL 100 list. Nitschke was known for his viciousness on the field, a ferocity that welled within him from childhood. I was scared to death. (Nitschke) would test guys. His baseball skills brought him an offer from the professional St. Louis Browns with a $3,000 signing bonus. Yet while Nitschke himself would protest the notion, he did rise above the room. AKA Raymond Ernest Nitschke. 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. Get back to work!". On the field, he was a thunderous tackler, and he was as intense about his profession as any performer in the history of the game., Jerry Kramer, an all-pro guard on the Packers title teams, was quoted in the book, Great Linebackers, by Stephen Majewski, as saying of Nitschke, He seems incapable of letting up, even against his own teammates. No matter how much he was bleeding, he wouldnt leave the game. ", On how his friendship with fellow guard Gale Gillingham got started: "Weightlifting. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. Ray Nitschke, the meanest Packer of them all and the stalwart of five NFL championships including the first two Super Bowls, is the epitome of the storied franchise. Hell, even Tom Brady moved on from the New England Patriot after 20 historic years. So we ran the slip block where Bowman would block the defensive tackle and I'd slip and block the middle linebacker. It's supposed to be like a walk-through. 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. Wife: Jackie Forchette (waitress, m. 26-Jun-1961, d. 1996, two sons, one daughter) Son: John (adopted in 1963) Son: Richard (adopted in 1966) Daughter: Amy (adopted in 1972 . At 62 years old, Ray Nitschke height Fred made very few mistakes. Those are the ones that dont understand what this is all about.. In 2019, USA TODAY compiled a group of 19 veteran reporters to vote on and rank the 100 greatest NFL players of all time. 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? , a service of the NFL 's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams in Super Bowl II, Nitschke Green! 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