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. [6], Nitschke entered Proviso Township High School in Maywood shortly before his mother's death. He did everything to help his wife raise. He knows which Hall of Famers speak with fire, which are circumspect. Nitschke also made the NFLs 75th and 100th anniversary rosters. He laid down the law to all the new inductees of what was acceptable and unacceptable, and everybody followed what Ray said.. 66 in the open field. 66 dash onto the field. 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. His humility and appreciation for having had the opportunity to play the NFL will always stick in my mind.. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community, sharing her stories of treatment and rebuilding her life. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren. He gets dressed. ARLINGTON, TX - It was around ten oclock in the evening a week ago Sunday when Im positive that Mr. For years after his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978, the NFL. The Hall of Famers want to say whatever is on their minds. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. "I can remember him intercepting a pass and crawling into the end zone. Lombardi gave partial credit to Nitschke's success to Nitschke's wife, whose calming influence helped him focus on his career. (George) Halas didn't draft me, so I was always ready to go against the Bears," Nitschke often said. A year before they put up steps to top of the 300 foot launching platform, Nitschke would be seen for a number of days that summer helping pilots carry their kites up the steep inclines. Ray Nitschke attended the University of Illinois. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? 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 came out of the locker room and my wife is standing there, and this older gentleman has his arm around her. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 62 years old group. They couldn't live with each other and they couldn't live without each other, said Rivett. "In the heat of competing against each other, things like that happen. On being drafted by the Packers: "I was a No. Jackie Forchette (26 June1961 - 1996)( her death)( 3 children). We laughed about that comment. You don't need an agent. [18] Nitschke returned for a 16th training camp in 1973, then retired in late August.[19][20][21][14]. Many never knew who this man, one of the greatest NFL players of all time, was. 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 liked to forearm your head. That's how we became connected. He protected his turf.. if everything could be upended in one morning like that, maybe someday I'll wake up another day and everything gets flipped back the way it should be just as suddenly. Reality becomes difficult to fathom. Was it a mistake or an act of hate? Ray Nitschke spent two decades informing new Pro Football Hall of Famers none was bigger than the rest. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was younger before he passed. As his wife was dying of cancer he had become a member of a Christian Church in Green Bay. In 1997, the Green Bay Packers named one of their practice fields after him. They said, 'Bill, we'll send you the paperwork and it will be done.' I was scared to death, but I took his helmet and, 'bang!' They had never met, but she recognized him and said, 'Hi, Coach Lombardi, I'm Bill Lueck's wife.' But he's still standing around, so I go in the training room again. After Nitschkes death, iconic defensive end Deacon Jones took over as master of ceremonies. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "Ray was a ballplayer's ballplayer," former teammate Willie Wood said. Ray Nitschke, one of the most fearsome middle linebackers in the history of professional football and an anchor of the championship Green Bay Packer teams of the 1960's, died yesterday in. Lee Remmel, the Packers public relations director and a former beat writer for the Green Bay Press-Gazette, recalled how well Nitschke treated fans. 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 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. With some of the brightest minds in the sport weighing in, Ray Nitschke was ranked No. In a poll taken recently to pick the Packers greatest player ever, he placed fourth behind Don Hutson, Brett Favre and Bart Starr. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961, to Jackie Forchette. [9] Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John (in 1963), Richard (in 1966), and Amy (in 1972). 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. As a microphone is passed around the room, elders explain the magnitude of the honor. ", 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. He performed several of his own TV commercials in which he brought out his dog, "Butkus", named in honor of his Chicago Bears nemesis, Dick Butkus (who like Nitschke, grew up in the Chicago area and played for the Illinois Fighting Illini). Fred could do anything. Welcome tothe NFL 100,The Athleticsendeavor to identify the 100 best players in football history. He intercepted 25 passes and ran two of them back for touchdowns, and also recovered 20 fumbles. He was a wonderful human being. But he had a sense about him. Gillie took me under his wing and said Ray is going to mess with you. Nitschke leaves three adopted children: John, 34; Richard, 32; and Amy, 26, and one granddaughter, Jacqueline Rae, 17 months. He could play quarterback if he had to. 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? He succeeded in raising his grades enough in his sophomore year to allow him to play sports his junior year, when he had grown significantly (to six feet tall). In 1998, Ray Nitschke was living comfortably in Naples, Fla. Among all of us offensive linemen, we supported Zeke 100 percent. Ray Nitschke most personified what the Hall of Fame really meant, Robinson said. 2023 by Wisconsin Public Radio, a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The men who speak try to recapture Nitschkes message. ", On his relationship with fellow No. Ray Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois. In 2019, USA TODAY compiled a group of 19 veteran reporters to vote on and rank the 100 greatest NFL players of all time. 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. That was the first year I started making money. Nitschke was known for his strength and toughness, exhibited prior to his third season in 1960. He'd play cornerback. 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. He was also a great family man, a devoted father to his three children. In 1974, when he came back to Frankfort, he had become a movie star playing in The Longest Yard with Burt Reynolds. ?? He played for 15 seasons before retiring in 1972. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. So then I went in and showered and never turned my back on him. He loved it. "And not just because the National Football League picked me as the top man at that job in the league's first 50 years. Follow Tim on Twitter @ByTimGraham, Nitschke recorded 25 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries over his 15 seasons. He played the rest of the game.[11]. Champion:The Legacy of Jackie Nitschke,premiered in Green Bay this week. In 1998, Ray Nitschke was living comfortably in Naples, Fla. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, High school basketball: Southern California and Northern California Regional results and updated pairings, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame overcomes deficit to win Mission League opener, Still in UCLAs corner, Ben Howland stressed importance of getting No. He gave it all to you. Nitschkes death was the second to strike the ranks of Lombardis great Packer teams in the last month. On July 2, 1973 he told me and Fortin, that a metal tower on the Packers practice field fell over on top of him. Then Chicago Bears middle linebacker Dick Butkus went to eight straight. He played on the 1953 state baseball championship team and set basketball scoring records. All wear gold jackets, the lone standard for greatness. premiered in Green Bay this week. Nitschke was selected in 1964. On Fridays, we'd go out stocking hats and no pads. Nitschke ranked ahead of Chuck Bednarik, Mike Singletary, and Roger Staubach on the list. The Packers had so much talent that there were not always enough honors to go around. Zeke Bratkowski same thing. I'm thinking I'm not going to get what we called, 'punked,' like Hyland did every Friday. Ray Nitschke was born on December 29, 1936, in Elmwood Park, Illinois, United States. He also was a humanitarian, loved children and relished being an ambassador for Green Bay and the NFL. But usually by the time we got done with the preseason, I'd be down to 250, 255. The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of 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. The film's executive producer, Jim Rivett, said that Nitschke was the first "Packer Wife" to publicly acknowledge her alcoholism. He played for 15 seasons before retiring in 1972. A lot of times we had to guide him into the huddle. He was a natural-born leader, Hall of Fame right tackle Ron Yary said. Ray Nitschke was born in IL. We didn't even know he was injured.". Ray Nitschke played linebacker. Ray Nitschke's income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. Fred was a great player. MILWAUKEE (AP) _ Ray Nitschke, the bald-headed, tough-as-nails linebacker on Vince Lombardi's title teams of the 1960s, will be remembered for his off-the-field kindness as much as his dominating play, friends say. His was pierced by a bolt from the tower. The late Jackie Nitschke was married to Lombardi-era Packer Ray Nitschke. Ray Nitschke. 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. So I said (to Peppler), 'Well, do I need to come back there?' Mean In The Middle smiled down from heaven as the Green Bay Packers were about to win the Super Bowl. His bad grades and temper couldnt derail such a phenomenal athlete. He went in and took his shower, and I'm still kind of looking around the door from the training room. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961 to Jackie Forchette. Fred died of dementia. The St. Louis Browns offered him a baseball contract, but he wanted to play Big Ten football. Nowadays, NFL players swap teams seemingly as often as they get new haircuts. This must be the 1st quarter because Ray Nitschke barely has any blood on him yet. 5 overall. Emotionally impactful is just what Nitschke would appreciate in order to hammer home as forcefully as stuffing Joe Don Looney in the backfield what it means to be a Hall of Famer. "He was one of the most popular Packers ever," said Packers public relations director Lee Remmel. He said, 'No, we'll send you the paperwork and you can sign it.' Munoz was elected in January 1998, six weeks before Nitschke died of a heart attack at 61. 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. As for Ray Nitschke, you could never question where his allegiance stood. I know your brother is with the Calgary Stampeders.' His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. 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. 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. This is the only team you cant get cut from or traded from, Robinson said. Cincinnati Bengals left tackle Anthony Munoz didnt get to hear Nitschke speak at the luncheon. ", On the reduction in salaries after the merger agreement: "You know what Donny Anderson got as a No. His part was of the tough prison guard named Bogdanski. My wife and I got in an argument this morning before I left home. Birthplace: Elmwood Park, IL Location of death: Venice, FL Cause of death: Heart Failure Remains: Cre. Then what year did the World Football League come in? His annual treks to Canton, Ohio, for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction weekend became as memorable as his play on all five of coach Vince Lombardi's world championship teams. [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. Nitschke had an unusual pregame routine on Sundays. $17,500. But Packer fans and others around the league who admired Nitschke's professional skills might pick this up as a reminder of the man beneath the armor."[28]. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961 to Jackie Forchette. Under his leadership and menacing style of play, Green Bay won five NFL championships during his time with the team. CTE. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay and I never want to finish second again. When was Ray Nitschke inducted to the Hall of Fame? He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. His father was killed in a car accident in 1940, and his mother died of a blood clot when Ray was 13. He was a fullback and linebacker for the Illini, and the Packers drafted him as a linebacker on the third round in 1958. 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 college did Ray Nitschke attend? Those days are over. Klaas walked inside to grab a few drinks, but Nitschke suffered a heart attack while sitting in the parked car. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. I thought so (in 1971) even when I sat on the bench after coach Dan Devine gave Jim Carter my job. The gravitas is unmistakable. He was MVP of the 1962 title game. We're going to pay you a $15,000 signing bonus and a $15,000 salary your rookie year. 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