In retirement, Nitschke became an inner voice for Hall of Famers. So then I went in and showered and never turned my back on him. "I've always thought I was the best middle linebacker in professional football," Nitschke once said. 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. He played for 15 seasons before retiring in 1972. Nitschke ranked ahead of Chuck Bednarik, Mike Singletary, and Roger Staubach on the list. https://www.britannica.com/facts/Ray-Nitschke, 66 (Green Bay Packers, 19591972) 33 (Green Bay Packers, 1958). What college did Ray Nitschke attend? Ive been trying to get to the Emerald City, and the Emerald City was right in that room. The heaviest I ever got there was a little over 260. I thought maybe I'll get $75,000, $100,000. 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. Nearly killed during a 1960 practice when a 25-foot photographers' tower fell on him in a windstorm, Nitschke continued practicing after changing helmets. 66 was retired in 1983, the fourth of six numbers retired by the Packers. Biography in: "American National Biography". Sign up now! In the game, Nitschke recovered two fumbles and deflected a pass that was intercepted. He wasnt the biggest or the strongest or the smartest, Robinson said. His wife, Jackie, died of cancer in 1996. ", On the reduction in salaries after the merger agreement: "You know what Donny Anderson got as a No. 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. I get dressed. ", On other members of a defensive unit coming off a third straight NFL championship: "I'll tell you the guy who did the most damage to the head was Ray Nitschke. Ray Nitschke was 6 ft 3 inches, 235 lb (1.90 m, 106 kg). Incredibly, Nitschke played in the Pro Bowl only once. They called me a mezzanine rookie the second year until you played in a certain number of games. He also was a humanitarian, loved children and relished being an ambassador for Green Bay and the NFL. It wasnt just the All-Pro honors or the five championships that made Nitschke great. With some of the brightest minds in the sport weighing in, Ray Nitschke was ranked No. had a luncheon the day before its induction ceremony, attended by most of the living members and honoring the new inductees. 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 . A lot of times we had to guide him into the huddle. You cant go any higher.. 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. Fred and I remained close until about three, four years ago. Proceeds from the documentary will help fund the center and provide two free scholarships each month. New inductees are encouraged to return every year to help maintain the Hall of Fames legacy. We stopped at a service station and I went in for water and a soft drink. Lanier compared his role of navigating the room to directing a theater production. Nitschke accused Ditka of a cheap shot in a game, and the two nearly came to blows later that night in a restaurant. He was famous for being a Football Player. He was a wonderful human being. In a poll taken recently to pick the Packers greatest player ever, he placed fourth behind Don Hutson, Brett Favre and Bart Starr. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. When he got up to speak, you knew he was speaking from the heart. ?? Watch the trailer for the documentary below: For questions or comments, contact WPRs Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444, email listener@wpr.org or use our Listener Feedback form. Hed be the first to tell you not to put him on a pedestal above all the other linebackers, Robinson said. 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 Fridays, we'd go out stocking hats and no pads. Ray Nitschke played linebacker. My parents kept telling me to come back and go in the dairy business because they were ready to retire and all three of my brothers were in it. So, how much is Ray Nitschke worth at the age of 62 years old? Nitschke was known for his viciousness on the field, a ferocity that welled within him from childhood. Ray Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois. He could throw the ball. You cant pay your way into that room.. Jackie Nitschke's influence transformed this football madman into a loving husband and father of three adopted children. Do I need to get an agent?' No matter how much he was bleeding, he wouldnt leave the game. The University of Illinois converted him to fullback and linebacker. This is a carousel. Was it a mistake or an act of hate? He liked to forearm your head. The discussion was heated, but remained private. The Hall of Famers want to say whatever is on their minds. Munoz was elected in January 1998, six weeks before Nitschke died of a heart attack at 61. 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If you thought Green Bay Packers legend Ray Nitschke was tough, you should get to know his wife Jackie. Encyclopdia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them. You cant even die from this team. Keep updated on the latest news and information. He was a natural-born leader, Hall of Fame right tackle Ron Yary said. He is from USA. ", On Ray Wietecha, his first line coach: "I thought he was a very good coach. 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. We're going to pay you a $15,000 signing bonus and a $15,000 salary your rookie year. Nitschke grew up in Maywood, Ill., lost his father at age 3 and his mother when he was 13. If you wanted a leader to emulate, you couldnt pick a better person.. He was 61. Follow Tim on Twitter @ByTimGraham, Nitschke recorded 25 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries over his 15 seasons. 1 draft choice and in 1968, (personnel director) Pat Peppler called me. I was always trying to gain weight. Those guys would take some of the worst hits. ", On whether Nitschke ever messed with Gillingham on the practice field: "Never. Ray grew up in Chicago and had a. I was on one-year contracts and I was making like $25,500 and had started every game in Green Bay except my rookie year. I used to be a bouncer in a bar and so I knew you can't let a guy up. It felt like I was in the Wizard of Oz or something, Reed said afterward. He said, 'No, we'll send you the paperwork and you can sign it.' Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community, sharing her stories of treatment and rebuilding her life. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. ", 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. ", On how his friendship with fellow guard Gale Gillingham got started: "Weightlifting. He lost both his parents by the age of 14, causing a lot of trouble in school. Their success rate is like 78 percent.. Nitschke will be buried in Green Bay. In Super Bowl II, Nitschke led Green Bay's defense with nine tackles. , money, salary, income, and assets. As a rookie, he backed up both left guard Gale Gillingham and right guard Jerry Kramer. This must be the 1st quarter because Ray Nitschke barely has any blood on him yet. I have found his comments to be poignant for anybody.. It all went for naught, as panelist Bennett Cerf, who had attended the game, guessed his identity immediately. Try a week on us. AKA Raymond Ernest Nitschke. 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. 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. Ray Nitschke won two Super Bowl championships. It was a big-time hit, Yary said. 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. 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. www.jackienitschkecenter.com. 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. Hes always grabbing people, hitting people, throwing elbows.. Nitschke's wife, Jackie, died of cancer in 1996. 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. Nitschkes rage was effectively channeled. Nitschke was drafted in the third round of the 1958 NFL draft by the Packers, and he never looked back. Nitschke was the leader and captain of the Packers defense throughout the entire 1960s. 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. 42 on the NFL 100 list. His father was killed in a car accident in 1940,[5] and his mother died of a blood clot when Ray was 13. And whenever Nitschke met any of his admirers, he rewarded them handsomely for their loyalty. He once scored four times in a game against Iowa State, all on long runs. We didn't even know he was injured.". 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. 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.' ", On whether that was the end of it: "We go into the locker room and (Nitschke) lockered about four, five lockers away and I didn't want to get in a fight in the shower so I went into the training room. . He almost always went after Bob Hyland. He was pronounced dead at Venice Hospital. Ray Nitschke attended the University of Illinois. "In fact, he's as mild and as meek as they come, a sweet guy," Wood said. Also learn how He earned most of Ray Nitschke networth? He had football smarts. No one ever instilled fear in their opponents quite as Nitschke did. I got the $15,000 signing bonus and they paid us every two weeks and I got seven paychecks. Someones got to be the leader and step forward, and that was a great quality he had. pic.twitter.com/wy2S8g98pb, Packers Legend Jerry Kramer Worried for His Country When the Cowboys Were Named Americas Team. Lombardi gave partial credit to Nitschke's success to Nitschke's wife, whose calming influence helped him focus on his career. Tim Graham is a senior writer for The Athletic, covering Buffalo sports. He played varsity basketball and was a pitcher and left fielder for the varsity baseball team. [1] Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978, he was the anchor of the defense for head coach Vince Lombardi in the 1960s, leading the Packers to five NFL championships and victories in the first two Super Bowls. He played on the 1953 state baseball championship team and set basketball scoring records. "And not just because the National Football League picked me as the top man at that job in the league's first 50 years. He went in and took his shower, and I'm still kind of looking around the door from the training room. Wanting to play at a Big Ten university, with a chance to appear in the Rose Bowl, he accepted a football scholarship to the University of Illinois in 1954. Biography. He was probably remembering another Coach Lombardi quote: There is no room for second place. [15][16] Green Bay had clinched the NFC Central division title the week before at Minnesota for their first playoff berth in five seasons. Nowadays, NFL players swap teams seemingly as often as they get new haircuts. 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. As for Ray Nitschke, you could never question where his allegiance stood. Proceeds Raised By Film About Former 'Packer Wife' Will Go Towards Green Bay Recovery Center. Ray Nitschke most personified what the Hall of Fame really meant, Robinson said. The Packers won 167 and finished the season with a 141 record. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981. He knows which Hall of Famers speak with fire, which are circumspect. He definitely wasnt the fastest. When we got back into Frankfort, Nitschke, Fortin and myself settled into the Pac Inns watering hole area and there we were with bartender Sherm Blood, who was entertaining us playing the spoons, until 2 a.m. I became interested in Nitschke when after living in Wisconsin for 8 years I learned that he had become a Christian before he died. Other surviving children include his sons John and Richard. 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. I said, 'I admit I'm a dumb farm kid who just got back from milking cows, how does this process work? (It was erroneously first reported as 5,000lb (2,270kg). (Gillingham) was probably 275, 280. The Associated Press contributed to this story. ProFootballHistory.com. Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John in 1963, Richard in 1966, and Amy in 1972. That was a statement about how much he loved the game.. Tags: Video. They always listed me at 240. So I go through and sure enough, Ray goes bam across my forehead. He said, 'Bill, you don't know the AFL and NFL have merged? Green Bay Packer, Hall of Famer. Nitschke was a third-round choice of the Packers in the 1958 draft that also landed Jim Taylor and Jerry Kramer a year before Lombardi arrived. A man at the station helped get him out of the car and started CPR.. His father was killed when he was 3, and his mother died when he was 13. But I didn't think he was as good as Nitschke. In 1974, when he came back to Frankfort, he had become a movie star playing in The Longest Yard with Burt Reynolds. You don't need an agent. ", On his relationship with fellow No. The Packers won the first two Super Bowls in NFL history thanks in large part to Nitschke. Hit him on the head. We shook hands. When Ray met and married his wife, Jackie, he made an outstanding decision. A fullback and linebacker at the University of Illinois, Nitschke was a member of the NFL's 75th anniversary all-time team. Andre Reed finally got to his first Nitschke Luncheon in 2014 after eight years of being a finalist. He certainly didnt look like he was one of the meanest and best football 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? Lueck, 74, lives in suburban Phoenix. His baseball skills brought him an offer from the professional St. Louis Browns with a $3,000 signing bonus. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. He could play quarterback if he had to. Lombardi ran over to see what had happened, but when told it had fallen on Nitschke, said, "He'll be fine. Nitschke is considered one of the toughest NFL players to ever live. Guess what I got my second year? You know the first time I met Vince Lombardi, my wife met him at the College All-Star Game. 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. Yary witnessed the fury before he entered the NFL in 1968 with the Minnesota Vikings as the first draft choice. (Ken) Bowman would put up with no crap from Ray. 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