They've been kind of the best-kept secret in Green Bay for a long time, said Rivett. The linebackers wore helmets. He was adopted by an older brother, and grew up as a self-acknowledged bully. 1 pick Fred Carr: "We roomed together as rookies. 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. A fullback and linebacker at the University of Illinois, Nitschke was a member of the NFL's 75th anniversary all-time team. 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. Nitschke wore number 33 in 1958 and 66 the rest of his career with the Packers. I chuckle to myself, `Well, yeah, OK.' But when it came down to the business of football, he was as tough as they come.". With his bald head, horn-rimmed glasses and impeccable attire, he could have passed for a business executive or a college professor. 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. Try a week on us. The Calgary Stampeders offered me the same amount of money. He was probably remembering another Coach Lombardi quote: There is no room for second place. 66 in the open field. In the first Super Bowls, Nitschke had 15 tackles total and a quarterback sack. Growing up in the outskirts of Chicago, Nitschke had idolized the Bears and he hoped to be chosen by them in the 1958 NFL Draft, held on December 2, 1957. Get back to work!" The linebacker went on to play all 15 of his professional seasons in Green Bay. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. As a rookie, he backed up both left guard Gale Gillingham and right guard Jerry Kramer. If you wanted a leader to emulate, you couldnt pick a better person.. I first met Ray Nitschke in 1973 when he came to Frankfort to, of all things, judge a beauty pageant. The NFL legend was twice named a First-Team All-Pro, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. This is a carousel. Bengtson, after Lombardi left, said you and Freddie can't be roommates anymore. Ray grew up in Chicago and had a. 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. And certainly, a week ago Sunday, he was smiling down on Cowboy Stadium and the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl victory. Just a few of the recognitions Ray had, he was voted the . In 2019, USA TODAY compiled a group of 19 veteran reporters to vote on and rank the 100 greatest NFL players of all time. So it was a volatile relationship.. Fred was a great player. He protected his turf.. [29] The only other Lombardi-era player to have his number retired is quarterback Bart Starr, whose number 15 was retired in 1973. Guess what I got my second year? Thus he is the only linebacker to have made both the NFL's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. Nitschke also appeared in the 1974 football comedy The Longest Yard as Guard Bogdanski. His character is listed in the credits as "Private One" because his jersey is emblazoned with the number "1". 5 overall. I hit him about three times. The film's executive producer, Jim Rivett, said that Nitschke was the first Packer Wife to publicly acknowledge her alcoholism. 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. Ray Nitschkes income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. The Packers won 167 and finished the season with a 141 record. is 6'3"(1.91m) . 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. Nitschke left his savage persona on the field and occasionally on camera for The Longest Yard and Miller Lite commercials. This is the only team you cant get cut from or traded from, Robinson said. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. The University of Illinois converted him to fullback and linebacker. ", On playing against Dick Butkus vs. practicing against Nitschke: "Butkus was tough. Rivett says up to 14 people can live at the Jackie Nitschke Center for a month while they get sober. Keep updated on the latest news and information. 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. Gale and I could both bench over 400 pounds and squat 600-plus. Those are the ones that would piss Ray off. A terror in a football uniform and a soft-spoken guy in civilian clothes. "In the heat of competing against each other, things like that happen. '", On any special memories of farm life: "I used to rope steers. Nitschke started to feel sharp chest pains during the drive, and he pulled over to a nearby rest stop. He starred on the varsity football team, playing quarterback on offense and safety on defense for coach Andy Puplis. Ray Nitschke attended the University of Illinois. Munoz, however, had a chance to absorb Nitschkes words. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren. Every day until the season begins, well unveil new members of the list, with the No. That was when I got Gale. Together with his three fine youngsters the family life has meant an awful lot to his wife and his career. 26 overall in what was the second common draft following the merger agreement between the NFL and AFL. 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.. They couldnt wait until they saw No. After three seasons of part-time duty in the middle, Nitschke took over full-time in 1961 on Lombardis first Packer championship team. There are too many guys who think it was a privilege for the league to have them., That was years and years ago, but I can hear him say it like it was yesterday. The personification of gruff and tough, the bald-headed Nitschke's voice and manner remained intimidating 25 years after he left the field. Of ballcarriers, he said: "I don't intend that he'll make an inch, let alone a touchdown, and then I want him to go back to the huddle shaking his head and thinking about Ray Nitschke. Nitschke remained popular in Green Bay after retiring, even having his phone number and home address published in the Green Bay phone book. New inductees are encouraged to return every year to help maintain the Hall of Fames legacy. As a microphone is passed around the room, elders explain the magnitude of the honor. 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. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. [15][16] Green Bay had clinched the NFC Central division title the week before at Minnesota for their first playoff berth in five seasons. [22][23][24][25][26] 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. (It was erroneously first reported as 5,000lb (2,270kg). That's how I got big. While he wasnt bombing his classes or getting into fistfights, he played quarterback and safety at Proviso High in suburban Chicago. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? He took time for anybody.. Lombardi gave partial credit to Nitschke's success to Ray's wife, whose calming influence helped him focus on his career. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. ARLINGTON, TX - It was around ten oclock in the evening a week ago Sunday when Im positive that Mr. The Ray Nitschke Memorial Bridge, a twin-leaf bascule bridge over the Fox River on Main Street (US 141) in Green Bay,[32] was named in honor of Nitschke. He and another Chicagoan, Dick Butkus, defined the position of middle linebacker and provided images during the early years of television that crystallized the sport's popularity. Ray Nitschke was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. Ray Nitschke played linebacker. "Ray Nitschke had a style of play, a personality, a consciousness about being fully imbued into that which brought life to something called professional football," said Hall of Fame linebacker . * 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. Grabo (Jim Grabowski) got $450,000. In Super Bowl I, Nitschke contributed six tackles and a sack. , money, salary, income, and assets. Birthplace: Elmwood Park, IL Location of death: Venice, FL Cause of death: Heart Failure Remains: Cre. You're a starter now.' Among all of us offensive linemen, we supported Zeke 100 percent. Ray Nitschke's income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. He feuded with Mike Ditka and scoffed at the notion that Butkus was a younger, improved version of himself. Am I in trouble? In 1969, he was named the NFL's all-time top Linebacker by the NFL in honor of the NFL's 50th Anniversary. [33] The bridge was constructed in 1998 to replace the former Main Street Bridge built in 1923. One year, those you see will no longer be there, and one year, neither will you. He always tried to intimidate offensive guys. The gravitas is unmistakable. 66 was retired in 1983, the fourth of six numbers retired by the Packers. He was a natural-born leader, Hall of Fame right tackle Ron Yary said. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was younger before he passed. [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. This is the first of two parts with Bill Lueck. Gale said, 'Bill, it's coming up on your turn. 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. Nitschke will be buried in Green Bay. Ray Nitschke's net worth Who Is Ray Nitschke's Wife? He was MVP of the 1962 title game. So then I went in and showered and never turned my back on him. According to Nitschke's biography, a spike was driven into his helmet, but did not injure him. Nearly killed during a 1960 practice when a 25-foot photographers' tower fell on him in a windstorm, Nitschke continued practicing after changing helmets. Munoz was elected in January 1998, six weeks before Nitschke died of a heart attack at 61. Older brothers Robert Jr. (age 21) and Richard (age 17) decided they would raise Ray on their own. His father died in a car accident when Nitschke was 3. I just want to get along.' ", On Ray Wietecha, his first line coach: "I thought he was a very good coach. 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. Knocking him in the head, blooding his nose, just because he was (bleeped) off every Friday. Ray Nitschke, according to Hall of Fame quarterback and teammate Bart Starr, was a "classic example of Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde." Off the field he was a thoughtful caring person. Nitschke was known for his viciousness on the field, a ferocity that welled within him from childhood. Then Chicago Bears middle linebacker Dick Butkus went to eight straight. His Father passed away when he was 3, and his Mother passed away when he was 13. Congressman Steve Largent, who ended the pregame ceremonies by flipping the coin. His wife, Jackie, died of cancer in 1996. 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 played the rest of the game.[11]. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community, sharing her stories of treatment and rebuilding her life. He thought that was a privilege. Nitschke leaves three adopted children: John, 34; Richard, 32; and Amy, 26, and one granddaughter, Jacqueline Rae, 17 months. If you thought Green Bay Packers legend Ray Nitschke was tough, you should get to know his wife Jackie. Klaas walked inside to grab a few drinks, but Nitschke suffered a heart attack while sitting in the parked car. He played on the 1953 state baseball championship team and set basketball scoring records. In the game, Nitschke recovered two fumbles and deflected a pass that was intercepted. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. He would lament this embarrassment for the rest of his life.[7]. ", Comparing Bratkowski to Starr: "Zeke had the arm. He died in Venice, Fla., near his winter home in Naples. Get back to work!". 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. As his wife was dying of cancer he had become a member of a Christian Church in Green Bay. He is a member of famous Actor with the age 62 years old group. When Ray met and married his wife, Jackie, he made an outstanding decision. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. She pushed back her student's hijab. I walk up to the car and he says, 'Bill, I want to apologize. Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John in 1963, Richard in 1966, and Amy in 1972. The Packers won the first two Super Bowls in NFL history thanks in large part to Nitschke. And whenever Nitschke met any of his admirers, he rewarded them handsomely for their loyalty. That becomes a most profound reality. Then to $21,500. 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