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"I loved playing the Bears. Try a week on us. If you thought Green Bay Packers legend Ray Nitschke was tough, you should get to know his wife Jackie. It was his passion for the game, and the way he could flip a switch once he walked over the painted sideline. 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. Lombardi molded the Bart Starrs, Jerry Kramers, Paul Hornungs, Jim Taylors and Nitschkes into the best football teams of the 1960s. All wear gold jackets, the lone standard for greatness. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. Hed be the first to tell you not to put him on a pedestal above all the other linebackers, Robinson said. A quarterback at Proviso High School, Nitschke cried when Illinois coach Ray Eliot moved him to fullback. So I said (to Peppler), 'Well, do I need to come back there?' ARLINGTON, TX - It was around ten oclock in the evening a week ago Sunday when Im positive that Mr. Among all of us offensive linemen, we supported Zeke 100 percent. He is from USA. ", On the reduction in salaries after the merger agreement: "You know what Donny Anderson got as a No. Biography. He almost always went after Bob Hyland. At 62 years old, Ray Nitschke height Older brothers Robert Jr. (age 21) and Richard (age 17) decided they would raise Ray on their own. An all-time great Packer/NFL player. His father was killed in a car accident in 1940, and his mother died of a blood clot when Ray was 13. The linebacker went on to play all 15 of his professional seasons in Green Bay. He took time for anybody.. (Carr) could play every position. Ray Nitschke was born on December 29, 1936, in Elmwood Park, Illinois, United States. A native of Elmwood Park, Nitschke lived in Green Bay, where he. That was the first year I started making money. They had never met, but she recognized him and said, 'Hi, Coach Lombardi, I'm Bill Lueck's wife.' Welcome tothe NFL 100,The Athleticsendeavor to identify the 100 best players in football history. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981. Related Quizzes and Features Quiz Great Moments in Sports Quiz Sports Quiz . (Nitschke) would test guys. The Nitschke Luncheon is a solemn initiation for the new inductees, who are not allowed to speak. [33] The bridge was constructed in 1998 to replace the former Main Street Bridge built in 1923. A month after the 1958 season ended, Vince Lombardi was hired as head coach. 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]. Ray Nitschke won two Super Bowl championships. His was pierced by a bolt from the tower. It wasnt just the All-Pro honors or the five championships that made Nitschke great. Nitschke was drafted in the third round of the 1958 NFL draft by the Packers, and he never looked back. Nitschke was taken to Venice Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:30 p.m. (EST). I wont mention any names, Robinson said, but there are some people that come in and get the gold jacket and never come back. You cant pay your way into that room.. Excerpts from those interviews will be periodically posted at www.packers.com. The Hall of Famers want to say whatever is on their minds. Ray Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois. In a poll taken recently to pick the Packers greatest player ever, he placed fourth behind Don Hutson, Brett Favre and Bart Starr. According to Nitschke's biography, the tower drove a spike into his helmet, but didn't injure him. [9] Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John (in 1963), Richard (in 1966), and Amy (in 1972). In this day and age of egotistical professional athletes, my friend Ray Nitschke would also have been a unanimous selection for the Nice Guy Hall of Fame. ", On Phil Bengtson as head coach: "I had no issues with him. The gravitas is unmistakable. He hit you with every ounce of his body. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. Other surviving children include his sons John and Richard. Jackie Forchette (26 June1961 - 1996)( her death)( 3 children). In Super Bowl I, Nitschke contributed six tackles and a sack. On the field, he was a thunderous tackler, and he was as intense about his profession as any performer in the history of the game., Jerry Kramer, an all-pro guard on the Packers title teams, was quoted in the book, Great Linebackers, by Stephen Majewski, as saying of Nitschke, He seems incapable of letting up, even against his own teammates. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was younger before he passed. Ray Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois. 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. 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. I became interested in Nitschke when after living in Wisconsin for 8 years I learned that he had become a Christian before he died. We played basketball together. Lombardi ran over to see what had happened, but when told it had fallen on Nitschke, said, "He'll be fine. He died in Venice, Fla., near his winter home in Naples. He was a natural-born leader, Hall of Fame right tackle Ron Yary said. We shook hands. Ray Nitschke was 6 ft 3 inches, 235 lb (1.90 m, 106 kg). Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961, to Jackie Forchette. He taught us proper technique: pulling, how to come off the ball. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961, to Jackie Forchette. I said, 'I get it. Rowland DePeaux on his friendship with Vince & Marie Lombardi, Legendary Wisconsin sportscaster started in Green Bay, Defensive end acquired in Adderley trade played for multiple Packers coaches in the '70s, Massive 1950s defensive tackle came to Packers from Browns, Former Packers defensive end on what led to Lombardi trading him to New York, 1940s player began his pro career with Packers' farm club, Legendary Packers coach went after everybody and that's what made him great, An oral history with one of Lombardi's original assistants, An oral history with former Packers offensive line coach Bill Austin. I think he tried to see how tough you were and if you were going to fight back. He had some of the best football instincts. AKA Raymond Ernest Nitschke. Hes always grabbing people, hitting people, throwing elbows.. Lionel Aldridge, a defensive end, died Feb. 12 at age 57. This must be the 1st quarter because Ray Nitschke barely has any blood on him yet. 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. On being drafted by the Packers: "I was a No. Nitschke grew up in Maywood, Ill., lost his father at age 3 and his mother when he was 13. Nitschke also appeared in the 1974 football comedy The Longest Yard as Guard Bogdanski. Presenter: Phil Bengston. Well guess what? 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. Nitschke died of a heart attack in Venice, Florida at the age of 61 in 1998. His part was of the tough prison guard named Bogdanski. Jackie Nitschke's influence transformed this football madman into a loving husband and father of three adopted children. Mean In The Middle smiled down from heaven as the Green Bay Packers were about to win the Super Bowl. 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. His baseball skills brought him an offer from the professional St. Louis Browns with a $3,000 signing bonus. 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. When was Ray Nitschke inducted to the Hall of Fame? 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. "He was one of the most popular Packers ever," said Packers public relations director Lee Remmel. Nitschke made only one Pro Bowl team because Detroit Lions middle linebacker Joe Schmidt was a perennial selection from 1954 to 1963. In 2019, USA TODAY compiled a group of 19 veteran reporters to vote on and rank the 100 greatest NFL players of all time. ProFootballHistory.com. The film's executive producer, Jim Rivett, said that Nitschke was the first Packer Wife to publicly acknowledge her alcoholism. He'd get up and his helmet was over here to the side of his face. 1 draft choice? In 1998, Ray Nitschke was living comfortably in Naples, Fla. He appeared in the comic film Head, starring The Monkees, as a footballer who repeatedly tackles Peter Tork in a mock war movie sequence. Every day until the season begins, well unveil new members of the list, with the No. Hit him on the head. Klaas walked inside to grab a few drinks, but Nitschke suffered a heart attack while sitting in the parked car. 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. '", On any special memories of farm life: "I used to rope steers. He proved to be a very skilled player and tackler as a linebacker, so much so that, by his senior year, Paul Brown considered him the best linebacker in college football. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Following his death, the Hall named the luncheon after him. His Father passed away when he was 3, and his Mother passed away when he was 13. But in 1969, when Hall of Fame voters honored the NFLs 50th anniversary by naming its 16 best players, Nitschke was one of only five defenders and the lone linebacker. He was a fullback and linebacker for the Illini, and the Packers drafted him as a linebacker on the third round in 1958. Nitschke wore number 33 in 1958 and 66 the rest of his career with the Packers. I'm thinking I'm not going to get what we called, 'punked,' like Hyland did every Friday. 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. Reality becomes difficult to fathom. We laughed about that comment. He said, 'Bill, you don't know the AFL and NFL have merged? "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. For years after his induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978, the NFL. Heres a guy, after all these years, in an exhibition game. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren. Sure. Death Nitschke died of a heart attack in Venice, FL, at the age of 61 in 1998. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica. He is from USA. Keep updated on the latest news and information. The men who speak try to recapture Nitschkes message. You cant go any higher.. He lost both his parents by the age of 14, causing a lot of trouble in school. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. Nitschke ranked ahead of Chuck Bednarik, Mike Singletary, and Roger Staubach on the list. 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. As a microphone is passed around the room, elders explain the magnitude of the honor. Nitschke had a remarkable knack of being where the football was. 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 accused Ditka of a cheap shot in a game, and the two nearly came to blows later that night in a restaurant. A year later, he was traded to Philadelphia. As much as he insisted they all are equals, his passion set him apart. They've been kind of the best-kept secret in Green Bay for a long time, said Rivett. 1 player to be crowned on Wednesday, Sept. 8. had a luncheon the day before its induction ceremony, attended by most of the living members and honoring the new inductees. "People talk about tough he was, how bad he was. Fred and I remained close until about three, four years ago. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. (He had) no personality. Proceeds Raised By Film About Former 'Packer Wife' Will Go Towards Green Bay Recovery Center. He was famous for being a Football Player. We're going to pay you a $15,000 signing bonus and a $15,000 salary your rookie year. He always tried to intimidate offensive guys. His wife is Jackie Forchette (26 June1961 - 1996)( her death)( 3 children). 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 . In 1974, when he came back to Frankfort, he had become a movie star playing in The Longest Yard with Burt Reynolds. He thought of it as an honor for somebody to ask him for an autograph. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. He starred on the varsity football team, playing quarterback on offense and safety on defense for coach Andy Puplis. Ray grew up in Chicago and had a. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Lueck, 74, lives in suburban Phoenix. 5 overall. He was 61. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay and I never want to finish second again. But along the way, Nitschke became an all-around athlete, and turned down a $3,000 bonus from baseballs St. Louis Browns to accept a football scholarship to Illinois. Nitschke started to feel sharp chest pains during the drive, and he pulled over to a nearby rest stop. We had one-on-one time together, his face right up in my grill, Munoz said. Get back to work!". 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. Ray Nitschke's income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. Gale said, 'Bill, it's coming up on your turn. I got the $15,000 signing bonus and they paid us every two weeks and I got seven paychecks. In Super Bowl II, Nitschke led Green Bay's defense with nine tackles. Heres some tidbits about him that a lot of people dont know: * As a young teenager, he was orphaned. We always wondered why Zeke wasn't with another team starting. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital later that day. He definitely wasnt the fastest. 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. 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. I thought so (in 1971) even when I sat on the bench after coach Dan Devine gave Jim Carter my job. [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. 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. You're a starter now.' 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. Fred weighed about 118 pounds when he died. Do I need to get an agent?' He loved it. Who Is Ray Nitschke's Wife? Sign up now! www.jackienitschkecenter.com. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. So we ran the slip block where Bowman would block the defensive tackle and I'd slip and block the middle linebacker. Follow Tim on Twitter @ByTimGraham, Nitschke recorded 25 interceptions and 23 fumble recoveries over his 15 seasons. 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.. Ray Nitschkes income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. 42 on the NFL 100 list. I was always scared to death of him. ", On whether Nitschke ever messed with Gillingham on the practice field: "Never. His tragic death in 1998 shook the organization to its core. I'm like, 'I guess I better get ready.' Congressman Steve Largent, who ended the pregame ceremonies by flipping the coin. If you thought Green Bay Packers legend Ray Nitschke was tough, you should get to know his wife Jackie. 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. Proceeds from the documentary will help fund the center and provide two free scholarships each month. But he's still standing around, so I go in the training room again. My second year, Gale Gillingham said, 'Bill, you're going to be the next guy who gets tested.' How tough was Nitschke? [8] Nitschke was also offered scholarships from college football programs around the country. 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