Pro Football Hall of Fame (inducted 1978) 5 NFL championships 2 Super Bowl championships 2 All-Pro selections 1 Pro Bowl selection. At a luncheon for new inductees and members, Nitschke hailed football and the Hall in a way few could articulate. Nitschke grew up in Maywood, Ill., lost his father at age 3 and his mother when he was 13. I was always scared to death of him. I want him to remember Ray Nitschke, even in his dreams.". Tags: Video. AKA Raymond Ernest Nitschke. He died in Venice, Fla., near his winter home in Naples. 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). 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. His humility and appreciation for having had the opportunity to play the NFL will always stick in my mind.. Proceeds from the documentary will help fund the center and provide two free scholarships each month. 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. So I go through and sure enough, Ray goes bam across my forehead. This is a carousel. 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. 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. I get dressed. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. ?? 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. 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. 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. Ray Nitschke. Don Pierson and Tribune Pro Football Writer. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981. 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. Older brothers Robert Jr. (age 21) and Richard (age 17) decided they would raise Ray on their own. She was a widely-known figure in the movement toward creating better drug and alcohol treatment options in Northeastern Wisconsin. Gale said, 'Bill, it's coming up on your turn. We laughed about that comment. 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. [9] Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John (in 1963), Richard (in 1966), and Amy (in 1972). In a poll that marked the leagues 75th year, he was voted to the all-time all-star team. The personification of gruff and tough, the bald-headed Nitschke's voice and manner remained intimidating 25 years after he left the field. That's how we became connected. "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 . Hall of fame middle linebacker for the Green Bay Packers who was named MVP of the 1962 NFL Championship Game and was a 1964 Pro Bowl selection. [29] The only other Lombardi-era player to have his number retired is quarterback Bart Starr, whose number 15 was retired in 1973. . Nitschke made only one Pro Bowl team because Detroit Lions middle linebacker Joe Schmidt was a perennial selection from 1954 to 1963. On being drafted by the Packers: "I was a No. Try a week on us. Ray Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois. I'm thinking I'm not going to get what we called, 'punked,' like Hyland did every Friday. 1 player to be crowned on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Nitschkes mother died from a blood clot when he was 13. Green Bay Packer, Hall of Famer. "But I have the utmost respect for Ray Nitschke of all the players I ever played against," Ditka later said. Nitschke was 61 years old. Lee Remmel, the Packers public relations director and a former beat writer for the Green Bay Press-Gazette, recalled how well Nitschke treated fans. is 6'3"(1.91m) . In the first Super Bowls, Nitschke had 15 tackles total and a quarterback sack. 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. The Associated Press contributed to this story. After Nitschkes death, iconic defensive end Deacon Jones took over as master of ceremonies. 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. In Super Bowl II, Nitschke led Green Bay's defense with nine tackles. A common response for the muted, new inductees is to look around the room at legends such as Jim Brown, Roger Staubach and Mean Joe Greene. "I thought I was the best middle linebacker even when I was a rookie, trying to beat my good friend Tom Bettis out of a starting job. 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. Those are the ones that would piss Ray off. He was 61. There is only one place in my game and that is first place. ", On whether Nitschke ever messed with Gillingham on the practice field: "Never. [2][3], Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois,[4] the youngest of three sons to Robert and Anna Nitschke. 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. The film's executive producer, Jim Rivett, said that Nitschke was the first Packer Wife to publicly acknowledge her alcoholism. His Father passed away when he was 3, and his Mother passed away when he was 13. Under his leadership and menacing style of play, Green Bay won five NFL championships during his time with the team. You cant even die from this team. Grabo (Jim Grabowski) got $450,000. (Focus on Sport / Getty Images). 66 was the fourth number retired in the franchises rich history. Lombardi gave partial credit for Nitschke's success to Nitschke's wife, whose calming influence helped Ray focus on his career. Drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round (36th overall) of the 1958 NFL draft. '", On any special memories of farm life: "I used to rope steers. Presenter: Phil Bengston. Heres a guy, after all these years, in an exhibition game. We shook hands. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. 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. In 1969, he was named the NFL's all-time top Linebacker by the NFL in honor of the NFL's 50th Anniversary. Nitschke remained popular in Green Bay after retiring, even having his phone number and home address published in the Green Bay phone book. Guess what I got my second year? He'd get up and his helmet was over here to the side of his face. 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 wasnt the biggest or the strongest or the smartest, Robinson said. That was a statement about how much he loved the game.. 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. His father was killed when he was 3, and his mother died when he was 13. 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. We'd run through the plays and Ray would always tee-off on Hyland. The helmet (with the hole) is currently on display in the Packer Hall of Fame in Green Bay. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Older brothers Robert Jr. (age 21) and Richard (age 17) decided they would raise Ray on their own. I remember when they'd grab Bart by the belt of his jersey and pile-drive him into the ground. 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. On defense, Nitschke played linebacker. 66 dash onto the field. Hit him on the head. They said, 'You'll make more in the dairy business. He'd play cornerback. He did everything to help his wife raise. So I said (to Peppler), 'Well, do I need to come back there?' 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. 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). They always listed me at 240. $17,500. I hit him about three times. The guy (Nitschke) was a talented basketball player. Thus he is the only linebacker to have made both the NFL's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. I used to be a bouncer in a bar and so I knew you can't let a guy up. (pre-1974). Nitschke wasnt merely a hitter. He played the rest of the game.[11]. 1 draft choice? 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. Ray Nitschke spent two decades informing new Pro Football Hall of Famers none was bigger than the rest. ", On playing against Dick Butkus vs. practicing against Nitschke: "Butkus was tough. His wife is Jackie Forchette (26 June1961 - 1996)( her death)( 3 children). During his freshman year at Proviso, he played fullback on one of the school's three football teams. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. They couldnt wait until they saw No. "I've always thought I was the best middle linebacker in professional football," Nitschke once said. When he came into the game, he was in charge. In 1974, Lueck's final season with the Packers, he was bothered by an assortment of injuries and started eight of 14 games. You know the first time I met Vince Lombardi, my wife met him at the College All-Star Game. 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.. 42 on the NFL 100 list. He was 61. He could play quarterback if he had to. He was the MVP of the 1962 NFL Championship Game, accepting the prize of a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette. The NFL legend was twice named a First-Team All-Pro, and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. If you thought Green Bay Packers legend Ray Nitschke was tough, you should get to know his wife Jackie. I just want to get along.' Ray Nitschke most personified what the Hall of Fame really meant, Robinson said. Incredibly, Nitschke played in the Pro Bowl only once. CTE. You cant have a conversation about the greatest NFL linebackers of all time without Ray Nitschke. 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. 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 certainly didnt look like he was one of the meanest and best football players of all time. His wife, Jackie, died of cancer in 1996. After three seasons of part-time duty in the middle, Nitschke took over full-time in 1961 on Lombardis first Packer championship team. The late Jackie Nitschke was married to Lombardi-era Packer Ray Nitschke. Remembering the mean, tough Packer Ray Nitschke, who loved Frankfort. Nitschke had a remarkable knack of being where the football was. $750,000. 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. He was the one player who most represented legendary coach Vince Lombardis toughness. With a choice acquired from New Orleans, the Packers drafted linebacker Fred Carr No. I walk up to the car and he says, 'Bill, I want to apologize. He had football smarts. This is the only team you cant get cut from or traded from, Robinson said. (George) Halas didn't draft me, so I was always ready to go against the Bears," Nitschke often said. On the field, he was a ferocious middle linebacker who at times seemed to truly enjoy hitting people. ", 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. That becomes a most profound reality. 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. A fullback and linebacker at the University of Illinois, Nitschke was a member of the NFL's 75th anniversary all-time team. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. Yet no one was more emotional or more sincere in his love for the game. ", On Lombardi's role as general manager and his dealings with him:"He was in the locker room. (He had) no personality. "In the heat of competing against each other, things like that happen. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The contact he made with Larry Csonka impressed me, but what I remember was Ray Nitschke getting up and laughing like he just won the $1 million lottery. Ray Nitschke (Raymond Edward Nitschke) was born on 29 December, 1936 in Elmwood Park, Illinois, USA, is an Actor. He knows which Hall of Famers speak with fire, which are circumspect. His bad grades and temper couldnt derail such a phenomenal athlete. But he had a sense about him. ARLINGTON, TX - It was around ten oclock in the evening a week ago Sunday when Im positive that Mr. He was a natural-born leader, Hall of Fame right tackle Ron Yary said. If you don't like it go to the Canadian Football League. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community, sharing her stories of treatment and rebuilding her life. 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). 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. When Ray met and married his wife, Jackie, he made an outstanding decision. He would lament this embarrassment for the rest of his life.[7]. Guess what? Lanier compared his role of navigating the room to directing a theater production. He was adopted by an older brother, and grew up as a self-acknowledged bully. We leave the huddle and Gale says, 'Watch out.' For years after his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978, the NFL. You cant go any higher.. Nitschke was known for his strength and toughness. So I go out and guess who's leaning against the driver's seat door to my car? (It was erroneously first reported as 5,000lb (2,270kg). While he wasnt bombing his classes or getting into fistfights, he played quarterback and safety at Proviso High in suburban Chicago. In 1997, the Green Bay Packers named one of their practice fields after him. [27] Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John in 1963, Richard in 1966, and Amy in 1972. But Nitschke wasnt just an incredible player and a fiery leader. Zeke Bratkowski same thing. In 1998, Ray Nitschke was living comfortably in Naples, Fla. [15][16] Green Bay had clinched the NFC Central division title the week before at Minnesota for their first playoff berth in five seasons. You cant pay your way into that room.. ", On who was better at eluding the pass rush: "Probably Zeke. 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. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren. "But it turned out all right," Remmel said. [8] Nitschke was also offered scholarships from college football programs around the country. 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. Nitschke's wife, Jackie, died of cancer in 1996. I know your brother is with the Calgary Stampeders.' He played for 15 seasons before retiring in 1972. They've been kind of the best-kept secret in Green Bay for a long time, said Rivett. We played basketball together. www.jackienitschkecenter.com. 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. * 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. Zeke was really good and he's sitting on the bench. (Carr) could play every position. 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. Discover Ray Nitschke's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. We had one-on-one time together, his face right up in my grill, Munoz said. As for Ray Nitschke, you could never question where his allegiance stood. Sure. Raised by two older brothers, Nitschke praised Proviso coach Andy Puplis and other high school coaches for keeping him on the right track. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay and I never want to finish second again. I chuckle to myself, `Well, yeah, OK.' But when it came down to the business of football, he was as tough as they come.". The linebackers wore helmets. 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 . Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. Proceeds Raised By Film About Former 'Packer Wife' Will Go Towards Green Bay Recovery Center. New inductees are encouraged to return every year to help maintain the Hall of Fames legacy. Ray Nitschke was 6 ft 3 inches, 235 lb (1.90 m, 106 kg). )[22][23] Lombardi ran over to see what had happened, but when told it had fallen on Nitschke, said, "He'll be fine. 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