ray nitschke wife
I walk up to the car and he says, 'Bill, I want to apologize. I know I hit him hard and he hit me hard, and I think that's where it should be left.". Lueck played in 90 games for the Packers over seven seasons. Ray Nitschke was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. I want him to remember Ray Nitschke, even in his dreams.". I was scared to death, but I took his helmet and, 'bang!' "But it turned out all right," Remmel said. I'm thinking I'm not going to get what we called, 'punked,' like Hyland did every Friday. He would lament this embarrassment for the rest of his life.[7]. Lionel Aldridge, a defensive end, died Feb. 12 at age 57. Gale said, 'Bill, it's coming up on your turn. That becomes a most profound reality. Although Nitschke was known for his hard hitting, he was an athletic all-around linebacker who also intercepted 25 passes over his career. The Nitschke Luncheon is like a family reunion and for many Hall of Famers ranks as the favorite part of induction weekend. On being drafted by the Packers: "I was a No. The excerpt above was from a 2019 interview. Nitschkes rage was effectively channeled. 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. Discover Ray Nitschke's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. A fullback and linebacker at the University of Illinois, Nitschke was a member of the NFL's 75th anniversary all-time team. Reality becomes difficult to fathom. Ray Nitschke was 6 ft 3 inches, 235 lb (1.90 m, 106 kg). 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. The NFL legend was twice named a First-Team All-Pro, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. Dad suddenly started having chest pains, Klaas said. As a rookie, he backed up both left guard Gale Gillingham and right guard Jerry Kramer. Fred could do anything. "I can remember him intercepting a pass and crawling into the end zone. In Super Bowl II, Nitschke led Green Bay's defense with nine tackles. A native of Elmwood Park, Nitschke lived in Green Bay, where he. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay and I never want to finish second again. "He was one of the most popular Packers ever," said Packers public relations director Lee Remmel. It felt like I was in the Wizard of Oz or something, Reed said afterward. In the process, she taught our community that the disease of addiction crosses all income levels . He was pronounced dead at Venice Hospital. As for Ray Nitschke, you could never question where his allegiance stood. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Ray Nitschke attended the University of Illinois. Sure. . The linebackers wore helmets. ", 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. 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. The University of Illinois converted him to fullback and linebacker. Older brothers Robert Jr. (age 21) and Richard (age 17) decided they would raise Ray on their own. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. We leave the huddle and Gale says, 'Watch out.' That was a statement about how much he loved the game.. All wear gold jackets, the lone standard for greatness. Nitschke was drafted in the third round of the 1958 NFL draft by the Packers, and he never looked back. 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 . 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. Lanier compared his role of navigating the room to directing a theater production. Then Chicago Bears middle linebacker Dick Butkus went to eight straight. He was famous for being a Football Player. This is a carousel. Pro Football Hall of Fame (inducted 1978) 5 NFL championships 2 Super Bowl championships 2 All-Pro selections 1 Pro Bowl selection. His wife, Jackie, died of cancer in 1996. Hell, even Tom Brady moved on from the New England Patriot after 20 historic years. A year later, he was traded to Philadelphia. But he had a sense about him. Having played with the Green Bay Packers and the number of championships they won, the number of Hall of Famers that played for (coach Vince) Lombardi, who happens to have his name on the trophy, seemed to signify a purity of someone who accepted his role in the game and played it with a fervor.. He was a wonderful human being. 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. And certainly, a week ago Sunday, he was smiling down on Cowboy Stadium and the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl victory. Ray Nitschke most personified what the Hall of Fame really meant, Robinson said. So it was a volatile relationship.. I liked Schnelker. 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). Grabo (Jim Grabowski) got $450,000. Nitschke made only one Pro Bowl team because Detroit Lions middle linebacker Joe Schmidt was a perennial selection from 1954 to 1963. 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. If you wanted a leader to emulate, you couldnt pick a better person.. ", On Ray Wietecha, his first line coach: "I thought he was a very good coach. According to Nitschke's biography, a spike was driven into his helmet, but did not injure him. He'd get up and his helmet was over here to the side of his face. 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. A substantial aspect of Nitschkes legacy forever will be respecting the Hall of Fames legacy. 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,. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961 to Jackie Forchette. Nitschke will be buried in Green Bay. $750,000. "And not just because the National Football League picked me as the top man at that job in the league's first 50 years. The film's executive producer, Jim Rivett, said that Nitschke was the first "Packer Wife" to publicly acknowledge her alcoholism. We didn't even know he was injured.". Bengtson, after Lombardi left, said you and Freddie can't be roommates anymore. That's how I got big. 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. In his sophomore year in 1955, due to a depletion of players in the offensive backfield, Illini head coach Ray Eliot moved Nitschke from quarterback to fullback,[9] shattering his childhood dream of quarterbacking a team to a victory in the Rose Bowl. 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.. When he got up to speak, you knew he was speaking from the heart. 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. I know your brother is with the Calgary Stampeders.' Related Quizzes and Features Quiz Great Moments in Sports Quiz Sports Quiz Nitschke is considered one of the toughest NFL players to ever live. His wife is Jackie Forchette (26 June1961 - 1996)( her death)( 3 children). As a microphone is passed around the room, elders explain the magnitude of the honor. I thought maybe I'll get $75,000, $100,000. Sign up now! Ray Wietecha was still the line coach and he had seen (Nitschke) do that to Hyland so he didn't pull me off. (Complete Story). They couldn't live with each other and they couldn't live without each other, said Rivett. All the wives. "In the heat of competing against each other, things like that happen. Fred weighed about 118 pounds when he died. 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. He said, 'Bill, you don't know the AFL and NFL have merged? Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. Were all equal, going in with 80 percent of the vote. 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. His No. Zeke was really good and he's sitting on the bench. With his bald head, horn-rimmed glasses and impeccable attire, he could have passed for a business executive or a college professor. Ray Nitschke was born on December 29, 1936, in Elmwood Park, Illinois, United States. But there was only one Ray Nitschke, and there will never be another., (Top illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic; photo: Focus on Sport / Getty Images). 66 in the open field. Other surviving children include his sons John and Richard. We stopped at a service station and I went in for water and a soft drink. That was when I got Gale. The Packers won the first two Super Bowls in NFL history thanks in large part to Nitschke. 1 draft choice and in 1968, (personnel director) Pat Peppler called me. "I never saw him turn down an autograph or a request to pose for a photo.". 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. Thus he is the only linebacker to have made both the NFL's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. (pre-1974). As much as he insisted they all are equals, his passion set him apart. That was the first year I started making money. Nitschke remained a starter through the 1970 season, but in 1971 he was benched by new coach Dan Devine and became a reserve to Jim Carter. Nitschke was known for his strength and toughness. "Ray was a ballplayer's ballplayer," former teammate Willie Wood said. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. I said, 'I admit I'm a dumb farm kid who just got back from milking cows, how does this process work? That's how we became connected. "The Hall of Fame meant more to him than it did to anybody," an emotional Hall of Fame Vice President Don Smith said upon hearing of Nitschke's death. Gale and I could both bench over 400 pounds and squat 600-plus. He liked to forearm your head. Remembering the mean, tough Packer Ray Nitschke, who loved Frankfort. After Nitschkes death, iconic defensive end Deacon Jones took over as master of ceremonies. They said, 'You'll make more in the dairy business. Nitschke and his family, who were staying at the PAC Inn and the Crystal Beach Resort that week, fell in love with the town and in particular, the sport of hang gliding. * 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. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren. While he wasnt bombing his classes or getting into fistfights, he played quarterback and safety at Proviso High in suburban Chicago. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 29 December. Nitschke's wife, Jackie, died of cancer in 1996. In the book, The Defenders, author Murray Olderman quoted Nitschke as saying: I took it out on all the other kids in the neighborhood.. Nitschke was 61 years old. The linebacker went on to play all 15 of his professional seasons in Green Bay. This is the first of two parts with Bill Lueck. Ray Nitschke's life was the embodiment of the power of love, the power of family, and the power of an individual to transform himself into a better person. Encyclopdia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them. 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. Everybody loved (Lombardi). Just a few of the recognitions Ray had, he was voted the . Their rookie season in 1958 under first-year head coach Ray "Scooter" McLean was dismal, with just one win and one tie for the worst record in the 12-team league. Nitschke wore number 33 in 1958 and 66 the rest of his career with the Packers. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community, sharing her stories of treatment and rebuilding her life. Fred was a great player. "But I have the utmost respect for Ray Nitschke of all the players I ever played against," Ditka later said. Supplement 1, pp. Lanier took over when Jones died in 2013. He feuded with Mike Ditka and scoffed at the notion that Butkus was a younger, improved version of himself. While at Illinois, Nitschke smoked, drank heavily, and fought at the drop of a hat. I'm like, 'I guess I better get ready.' "I can remember Nitschke breaking his arm, busting his knee up and playing a whole half without even saying anything," Wood said. 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. Munoz was elected in January 1998, six weeks before Nitschke died of a heart attack at 61. [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. For years after his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978, the NFL. Drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round (36th overall) of the 1958 NFL draft. 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. Then to $21,500. You cant go any higher.. * 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. How many Super Bowls did Ray Nitschke win? He gets dressed. 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. His part was of the tough prison guard named Bogdanski. 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. Excerpts from those interviews will be periodically posted at www.packers.com. We'd run through the plays and Ray would always tee-off on Hyland. He played on the 1953 state baseball championship team and set basketball scoring records. 26 overall in what was the second common draft following the merger agreement between the NFL and AFL. Guess what I got my second year? He was the one player who most represented legendary coach Vince Lombardis toughness. 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. An all-time great Packer/NFL player. Heres a guy, after all these years, in an exhibition game. Jackie Nitschke's influence transformed this football madman into a loving husband and father of three adopted children. He touched everyone he met with his kindness and generosity. ", On playing against Dick Butkus vs. practicing against Nitschke: "Butkus was tough. 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. ", 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. ", On his relationship with fellow No. Neither championships nor individual trophies weighed more. Ray Nitschke was born on the 29th of December, 1936. 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. , money, salary, income, and assets. They've been kind of the best-kept secret in Green Bay for a long time, said Rivett. She's bossing me around.' Lombardi gave partial credit for Nitschke's success to Nitschke's wife, whose calming influence helped Ray focus on his career. He was your regular neighborhood nice guy living in Green Bay, the ultimate small town city of professional sports, and even after his retirement, his phone number and home address were always published in the citys telephone book and he would answer his phone personally. Ive been trying to get to the Emerald City, and the Emerald City was right in that room. pic.twitter.com/wy2S8g98pb, Packers Legend Jerry Kramer Worried for His Country When the Cowboys Were Named Americas Team. He certainly didnt look like he was one of the meanest and best football players of all time. Ray Nitschke's income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. A lot of times we had to guide him into the huddle. The Hall of Famers want to say whatever is on their minds. Nitschke guided a Packers defense that won five NFL championships, including the first two Super Bowls. One year, those you see will no longer be there, and one year, neither will you. He had football smarts. Lombardi molded the Bart Starrs, Jerry Kramers, Paul Hornungs, Jim Taylors and Nitschkes into the best football teams of the 1960s. In 1974, Lueck's final season with the Packers, he was bothered by an assortment of injuries and started eight of 14 games. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. Munoz, however, had a chance to absorb Nitschkes words. Tim Graham is a senior writer for The Athletic, covering Buffalo sports. His tragic death in 1998 shook the organization to its core. The St. Louis Browns offered him a baseball contract, but he wanted to play Big Ten football. Nitschke accused Ditka of a cheap shot in a game, and the two nearly came to blows later that night in a restaurant. The discussion was heated, but remained private. It all went for naught, as panelist Bennett Cerf, who had attended the game, guessed his identity immediately. On March 8, Nitschke took a drive with his daughter, Amy Klaas, and her one-year-old daughter to a friend's house. Nitschkes death was the second to strike the ranks of Lombardis great Packer teams in the last month. He was a natural-born leader, Hall of Fame right tackle Ron Yary said. He took time for anybody.. I said, 'I get it. Their success rate is like 78 percent.. 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. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Nitschke was known for his viciousness on the field, a ferocity that welled within him from childhood. A new documentary tells the story of the wife of a former football player for the Green Bay Packers and her struggle with alcohol. Was it a mistake or an act of hate? I think he tried to see how tough you were and if you were going to fight back. Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John in 1963, Richard in 1966, and Amy in 1972. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961, to Jackie Forchette. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren. None. 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. 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. Am I in trouble? In Super Bowl I, Nitschke contributed six tackles and a sack. 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. ARLINGTON, TX - It was around ten oclock in the evening a week ago Sunday when Im positive that Mr. Ray Nitschke (Raymond Edward Nitschke) was born on 29 December, 1936 in Elmwood Park, Illinois, USA, is an Actor. He played for 15 seasons before retiring in 1972. [10], In his junior year in 1956 Nitschke lost his four front teeth on the opening kick-off against Ohio State. 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 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). "I loved playing the Bears. We shook hands. 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. His character is listed in the credits as "Private One" because his jersey is emblazoned with the number "1". 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. We laughed about that comment. He could throw the ball. Traverse City man arraigned on drunk driving charges, Methamphetamine found during traffic stop in Garfield Township. Nitschke wasnt merely a hitter. Fred and I remained close until about three, four years ago. His father was killed in a car accident in 1940,[5] and his mother died of a blood clot when Ray was 13. And Gale told me if you let him know he can't just get away with abusing you like he does with Hyland, you'll get his respect. 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 . What college did Ray Nitschke attend? He was like the epitome of what a football player should be, Klaas told the Associated Press after her fathers death. On Fridays, we'd go out stocking hats and no pads. We played basketball together. Besides Klaas, Nitschke is survived by two sons, John and Richard. ", On the reduction in salaries after the merger agreement: "You know what Donny Anderson got as a No. But I didn't think he was as good as Nitschke. We became best friends after that. Nitschke also made the NFLs 75th and 100th anniversary rosters. Those are the ones that dont understand what this is all about.. "I think Ray Nitschke thinks we stink," Packers defensive end Sean Jones said during the 1996 title run. www.jackienitschkecenter.com. He thought of it as an honor for somebody to ask him for an autograph. Ray Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois. Rivett says up to 14 people can live at the Jackie Nitschke Center for a month while they get sober. Nitschke died of a heart attack in Venice, Florida at the age of 61 in 1998. Get back to work!". 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. The Jackie Nitschke Center is named in honor of Jackie Nitschke, wife of former Packers great Ray Nitschke. With some of the brightest minds in the sport weighing in, Ray Nitschke was ranked No. He intercepted 25 passes and ran two of them back for touchdowns, and also recovered 20 fumbles. Packers fans around the world will never forget the gentle giant that was Ray Nitschke. Coming up the middle or filling a hole on a running play, I thought Nitschke was better than Butkus.
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