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. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community, sharing her stories of treatment and rebuilding her life. Ray Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981. "In fact, he's as mild and as meek as they come, a sweet guy," Wood said. I look out and see he's gone. Champion:The Legacy of Jackie Nitschke,premiered in Green Bay this week. 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. 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. He did everything to help his wife raise. Ray Nitschkes income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. His wife is Jackie Forchette (26 June 1961 - 1996) ( her death) ( 3 children) Ray Nitschke Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. I get dressed. AKA Raymond Ernest Nitschke. We'd run through the plays and Ray would always tee-off on Hyland. He is from USA. His character is listed in the credits as "Private One" because his jersey is emblazoned with the number "1". 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.. Ray Nitschke played linebacker. As his wife was dying of cancer he had become a member of a Christian Church in Green Bay. After three seasons of part-time duty in the middle, Nitschke took over full-time in 1961 on Lombardis first Packer championship team. You cant have a conversation about the greatest NFL linebackers of all time without Ray Nitschke. Packers fans around the world will never forget the gentle giant that was Ray Nitschke. We're going to pay you a $15,000 signing bonus and a $15,000 salary your rookie year. Every year, in a private space only Hall of Famers may enter, Nitschke presided on the first afternoon of induction weekend until his death in March 1998. 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. Hit him on the head. Nitschke grew up in Maywood, Ill., lost his father at age 3 and his mother when he was 13. What is said in the room stays in the room. $17,500. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961 to Jackie Forchette. Lombardi molded the Bart Starrs, Jerry Kramers, Paul Hornungs, Jim Taylors and Nitschkes into the best football teams of the 1960s. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren. Pro Football Hall of Fame (inducted 1978) 5 NFL championships 2 Super Bowl championships 2 All-Pro selections 1 Pro Bowl selection. Older brothers Robert Jr. (age 21) and Richard (age 17) decided they would raise Ray on their own. 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. But he's still standing around, so I go in the training room again. His father was killed when he was 3, and his mother died when he was 13. In the first Super Bowls, Nitschke had 15 tackles total and a quarterback sack. Then what year did the World Football League come in? 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. New inductees are encouraged to return every year to help maintain the Hall of Fames legacy. 5 overall. On Fridays, we'd go out stocking hats and no pads. We would stay at the Elberta beach until darkness. 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. ", On playing against Dick Butkus vs. practicing against Nitschke: "Butkus was tough. He was 61. Cincinnati Bengals left tackle Anthony Munoz didnt get to hear Nitschke speak at the luncheon. I was scared to death, but I took his helmet and, 'bang!' Hed be the first to tell you not to put him on a pedestal above all the other linebackers, Robinson said. He was the one player who most represented legendary coach Vince Lombardis toughness. On March 8, Nitschke took a drive with his daughter, Amy Klaas, and her one-year-old daughter to a friends house. 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. ", 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. Lionel Aldridge, a defensive end, died Feb. 12 at age 57. I kept telling melf. Fred weighed about 118 pounds when he died. In the book, The Defenders, author Murray Olderman quoted Nitschke as saying: I took it out on all the other kids in the neighborhood.. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. If you wanted a leader to emulate, you couldnt pick a better person.. 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. 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. No one ever instilled fear in their opponents quite as Nitschke did. Raymond Ernest Nitschke was a middle linebacker that spent his entire 15-year career with the Green Bay Packers. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. When you die, youre still in the Hall of Fame.. Among the recurring themes is that Canton should be treated as their second home. A substantial aspect of Nitschkes legacy forever will be respecting the Hall of Fames legacy. He loved it. 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. 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. Their success rate is like 78 percent.. And whenever Nitschke met any of his admirers, he rewarded them handsomely for their loyalty. Rivett says up to 14 people can live at the Jackie Nitschke Center for a month while they get sober. Bengtson, after Lombardi left, said you and Freddie can't be roommates anymore. How many Super Bowls did Ray Nitschke win? She pushed back her student's hijab. 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. Guess what I got my second year? Also learn how He earned most of Ray Nitschke networth? Lombardi gave partial credit for Nitschke's success to Nitschke's wife, whose calming influence helped Ray focus on his career. He touched everyone he met with his kindness and generosity. "And not just because the National Football League picked me as the top man at that job in the league's first 50 years. Tags: Video. (Focus on Sport / Getty Images). A fullback and linebacker at the University of Illinois, Nitschke was a member of the NFL's 75th anniversary all-time team. So I go out and guess who's leaning against the driver's seat door to my car? 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 . 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. When Ray met and married his wife, Jackie, he made an outstanding decision. You cant pay your way into that room.. Fred and I remained close until about three, four years ago. I know your brother is with the Calgary Stampeders.' Those days are over. "I think Ray Nitschke thinks we stink," Packers defensive end Sean Jones said during the 1996 title run. [10], In his junior year in 1956 Nitschke lost his four front teeth on the opening kick-off against Ohio State. I liked Schnelker. Munoz was elected in January 1998, six weeks before Nitschke died of a heart attack at 61. Every day until the season begins, well unveil new members of the list, with the No. Gale and I could both bench over 400 pounds and squat 600-plus. "But I have the utmost respect for Ray Nitschke of all the players I ever played against," Ditka later said. While at Illinois, Nitschke smoked, drank heavily, and fought at the drop of a hat. Fred made very few mistakes. 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. It all went for naught, as panelist Bennett Cerf, who had attended the game, guessed his identity immediately. "People talk about tough he was, how bad he was. "I never saw him turn down an autograph or a request to pose for a photo.". Lueck, who played at the University of Arizona, was chosen No. I grew up being a Bears fan. I'm drying off and he's four, five lockers away and he's drying off. ", 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. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. On March 8, Nitschke took a drive with his daughter, Amy Klaas, and her one-year-old daughter to a friend's house. Don Pierson and Tribune Pro Football Writer. 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. He gave it all to you. In 1998, Ray Nitschke was living comfortably in Naples, Fla. Ray Wietecha was still the line coach and he had seen (Nitschke) do that to Hyland so he didn't pull me off. We became best friends after that. Coming up the middle or filling a hole on a running play, I thought Nitschke was better than Butkus. Lee Remmel, the Packers public relations director and a former beat writer for the Green Bay Press-Gazette, recalled how well Nitschke treated fans. In 1974, Lueck's final season with the Packers, he was bothered by an assortment of injuries and started eight of 14 games. ", On playing with Bart Starr for at least parts of four seasons: "Nobody is tougher than Bart Starr. Someones got to be the leader and step forward, and that was a great quality he had. 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