Fred and I remained close until about three, four years ago. Ray Nitschke was born on December 29, 1936, in Elmwood Park, Illinois, United States. That was the first year I started making money. Lee Remmel, the Packers public relations director and a former beat writer for the Green Bay Press-Gazette, recalled how well Nitschke treated fans. He didn't always follow the defense. In Super Bowl I, Nitschke contributed six tackles and a sack. Those are the ones that dont understand what this is all about.. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961 to Jackie Forchette. So, how much is Ray Nitschke worth at the age of 62 years old? The second year, no more offensive and defensive guys rooming together. Nitschke was born Dec. 29, 1936, in Elmwood Park. And whenever Nitschke met any of his admirers, he rewarded them handsomely for their loyalty. Dad suddenly started having chest pains, Klaas said. "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. Lueck, 74, lives in suburban Phoenix. He was a natural-born leader, Hall of Fame right tackle Ron Yary said. He protected his turf.. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was younger before he passed. 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. It's supposed to be like a walk-through. ", 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. (Focus on Sport / Getty Images). If you thought Green Bay Packers legend Ray Nitschke was tough, you should get to know his wife Jackie. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. ?? Not only is Ray Nitschke one of the best LBs in NFL history, he had an act at making something out of nothing. The discussion was heated, but remained private. You cant even die from this team. " Champion: The Legacy of Jackie Nitschke, " premiered in Green Bay this week. "I loved playing the Bears. Andre Reed finally got to his first Nitschke Luncheon in 2014 after eight years of being a finalist. Ray Nitschke was born on the 29th of December, 1936. His Father passed away when he was 3, and his Mother passed away when he was 13. His character is listed in the credits as "Private One" because his jersey is emblazoned with the number "1". When you die, youre still in the Hall of Fame.. All the wives. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community, sharing her stories of treatment and rebuilding her life. So it was a volatile relationship.. 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. "And not just because the National Football League picked me as the top man at that job in the league's first 50 years. www.jackienitschkecenter.com. 66 in the open field. 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 gave it all to you. On the field, he was a ferocious middle linebacker who at times seemed to truly enjoy hitting people. 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.. Incredibly, Nitschke played in the Pro Bowl only once. 2023 by Wisconsin Public Radio, a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 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. Nitschke had an unusual pregame routine on Sundays. He had been the Buffalo News' enterprise reporter and previously covered the AFC East at ESPN and the Miami Dolphins at the Palm Beach Post. Packers Experiences powered by QuintEvents. "I can remember Nitschke breaking his arm, busting his knee up and playing a whole half without even saying anything," Wood said. Nitschke appeared on the television show, Whats My Line following the 1962 NFL championship game, wearing his standard black rimmed glasses and not looking at all like one of the most feared players in pro football. He was famous for being a Football Player. The linebackers wore helmets. Nitschke was drafted in the third round of the 1958 NFL draft by the Packers, and he never looked back. ", On what happened next: "(I'm a) mezzanine rookie, and I had seen (Nitschke) take his frustration out every Friday on Hyland. He could throw the ball. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Who Is Ray Nitschke's Wife? Then to $21,500. Klaas walked inside to grab a few drinks, but Nitschke suffered a heart attack while sitting in the parked car. New inductees are encouraged to return every year to help maintain the Hall of Fames legacy. "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 . He recorded the only pass reception of his career, a 34-yard gain after a blocked Packer field goal attempt, and they won 3020 to finish at 104, their best regular season record since 1966. (Complete Story). All wear gold jackets, the lone standard for greatness. We shook hands. Ray Nitschke's net worth 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. He intercepted 25 passes and ran two of them back for touchdowns, and also recovered 20 fumbles. He laid down the law to all the new inductees of what was acceptable and unacceptable, and everybody followed what Ray said.. None. Cincinnati Bengals left tackle Anthony Munoz didnt get to hear Nitschke speak at the luncheon. Yary witnessed the fury before he entered the NFL in 1968 with the Minnesota Vikings as the first draft choice. Ray Nitschke. ", 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. ", Comparing Bratkowski to Starr: "Zeke had the arm. (George) Halas didn't draft me, so I was always ready to go against the Bears," Nitschke often said. Lueck played in 90 games for the Packers over seven seasons. On the field, he was a ferocious middle linebacker who at times seemed to truly enjoy hitting people. 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. The Nitschke Luncheon is a solemn initiation for the new inductees, who are not allowed to speak. What is said in the room stays in the room. 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. 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. This must be the 1st quarter because Ray Nitschke barely has any blood on him yet. [6], Nitschke entered Proviso Township High School in Maywood shortly before his mother's death. Biography. Excerpts from those interviews will be periodically posted at www.packers.com. Nitschke ranked ahead of Chuck Bednarik, Mike Singletary, and Roger Staubach on the list. 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. [18] Nitschke returned for a 16th training camp in 1973, then retired in late August.[19][20][21][14]. His father was killed when he was 3, and his mother died when he was 13. Ray Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois. They had never met, but she recognized him and said, 'Hi, Coach Lombardi, I'm Bill Lueck's wife.' "I think Ray Nitschke thinks we stink," Packers defensive end Sean Jones said during the 1996 title run. 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. (pre-1974). Nitschke had a remarkable knack of being where the football was. He almost always went after Bob Hyland. The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica. When was Ray Nitschke inducted to the Hall of Fame? Get back to work!". 5 overall. 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. That was a statement about how much he loved the game.. I'm like, 'I guess I better get ready.' 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. His father died when he was three and his mother when he was thirteen and he was raised by an older brother. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. 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. So, how much is Ray Nitschke worth at the age of 62 years old? 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. I came out of the locker room and my wife is standing there, and this older gentleman has his arm around her. The men who speak try to recapture Nitschkes message. That was when I got Gale. 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. He was 61. He could play quarterback if he had to. In a poll conducted in conjunction with the NFLs 50th anniversary, Nitschke was voted the all-time best linebacker. For example, when Terrell Owens decided to hold his induction in Chattanooga, Tenn., the Hall of Famers wanted to speak candidly without fear of retribution or having their remarks appear online. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. As for Ray Nitschke, you could never question where his allegiance stood. I know I hit him hard and he hit me hard, and I think that's where it should be left.". In such a violent sport, thats a pretty elusive title to hold. 1 player to be crowned on Wednesday, Sept. 8. 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. Guess what? Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? As a microphone is passed around the room, elders explain the magnitude of the honor. Hell, even Tom Brady moved on from the New England Patriot after 20 historic years. (Nitschke) would test guys. "He was one of the most popular Packers ever," said Packers public relations director Lee Remmel. At 62 years old, Ray Nitschke height He certainly didnt look like he was one of the meanest and best football players of all time. I said, 'I get it. $17,500. Those are the ones that would piss Ray off. In a poll taken recently to pick the Packers greatest player ever, he placed fourth behind Don Hutson, Brett Favre and Bart Starr. We would stay at the Elberta beach until darkness. had a luncheon the day before its induction ceremony, attended by most of the living members and honoring the new inductees. It wasnt just the All-Pro honors or the five championships that made Nitschke great. Fred died of dementia. The helmet (with the hole) is currently on display in the Packer Hall of Fame in Green Bay. "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. Finally, the coaches pulled me off of him and everybody was laughing. He died in Venice, Fla., near his winter home in Naples. We had one-on-one time together, his face right up in my grill, Munoz said. Older brothers Robert Jr. (age 21) and Richard (age 17) decided they would raise Ray on their own. Reality becomes difficult to fathom. 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 have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay and I never want to finish second again. One guy, Grant Smith of Detroit, asked Nitschke if he wanted to learn how to hang glide and the Packer, then 36 years old at the time, said it looked too dangerous for him. Even when he was relegated to backup duty in the twilight of his 15-year career, they cheered his every move. After Nitschkes death, iconic defensive end Deacon Jones took over as master of ceremonies. [15][16] Green Bay had clinched the NFC Central division title the week before at Minnesota for their first playoff berth in five seasons. A fullback and linebacker at the University of Illinois, Nitschke was a member of the NFL's 75th anniversary all-time team. A month after the 1958 season ended, Vince Lombardi was hired as head coach. Also, the team has named one of its two outdoor practice fields "Ray Nitschke Field". We didn't even know he was injured.". Nitschke was selected in 1964. You know the first time I met Vince Lombardi, my wife met him at the College All-Star Game. 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. pic.twitter.com/wy2S8g98pb, Packers Legend Jerry Kramer Worried for His Country When the Cowboys Were Named Americas Team. 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. He was adopted by an older brother, and grew up as a self-acknowledged bully. Ray Nitschke Enshrinement Speech 1978. 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. Try a week on us. We stopped at a service station and I went in for water and a soft drink. 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). He was the one player who most represented legendary coach Vince Lombardis toughness. 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'd get in the huddle and he doesn't know where he is. His wife died shortly thereafter. Heres a guy, after all these years, in an exhibition game. Were all equal, going in with 80 percent of the vote. Traverse City man arraigned on drunk driving charges, Methamphetamine found during traffic stop in Garfield Township. Ray Nitschke most personified what the Hall of Fame really meant, Robinson 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. Ray wanted everybody to know were all equal. 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. Proceeds from the documentary will help fund the center and provide two free scholarships each month. So we ran the slip block where Bowman would block the defensive tackle and I'd slip and block the middle linebacker. I was scared to death. I look out and see he's gone. He touched everyone he met with his kindness and generosity. The excerpt above was from a 2019 interview. Lombardi gave partial credit to Nitschke's success to Ray's wife, whose calming influence helped him focus on his career. * 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. As his wife was dying of cancer he had become a member of a Christian Church in Green Bay. He liked to forearm your head. Zeke was really good and he's sitting on the bench. 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]. The late Jackie Nitschke was married to Lombardi-era Packer Ray Nitschke. [17] In the divisional round of the playoffs on Christmas Eve, Green Bay lost 163 at Washington. "Ray was a ballplayer's ballplayer," former teammate Willie Wood said. ProFootballHistory.com. 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. 1 draft choice? He was like the epitome of what a football player should be, Klaas told the Associated Press after her fathers death. ", On his relationship with fellow No. His Father passed away when he was 3, and his Mother passed away when he was 13. The personification of gruff and tough, the bald-headed Nitschke's voice and manner remained intimidating 25 years after he left the field. In 1973, Mean on Sunday: The Autobiography of Ray Nitschke ("as told to Robert W. Wells") was published by Doubleday. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981. 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. Nitschke died of a heart attack in Venice, Florida at the age of 61 in 1998. I said, 'I admit I'm a dumb farm kid who just got back from milking cows, how does this process work? It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. CTE. $750,000. He played the rest of the game.[11]. He played for 15 seasons before retiring in 1972. Raymond Ernest Nitschke (December 29, 1936 March 8, 1998) was an American professional football player who spent his entire 15-year career as a middle linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) with the Green Bay Packers. We became best friends after that. One year, those you see will no longer be there, and one year, neither will you. He took time for anybody.. 42 on the NFL 100 list. Everybody loved (Lombardi). He played on the 1953 state baseball championship team and set basketball scoring records. Nitschke started to feel sharp chest pains during the drive, and he pulled over to a nearby rest stop. [29] The only other Lombardi-era player to have his number retired is quarterback Bart Starr, whose number 15 was retired in 1973. Sign up now! ", 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. Raymond Ernest Nitschke was a middle linebacker that spent his entire 15-year career with the Green Bay Packers. Growing up in the outskirts of Chicago, Nitschke had idolized the Bears and he hoped to be chosen by them in the 1958 NFL Draft, held on December 2, 1957. Knocking him in the head, blooding his nose, just because he was (bleeped) off every Friday. He was the MVP of the 1962 NFL Championship Game, accepting the prize of a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette. He was 61. I kept telling melf. 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. 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. In 1974, when he came back to Frankfort, he had become a movie star playing in The Longest Yard with Burt Reynolds. But usually by the time we got done with the preseason, I'd be down to 250, 255. Your email address will not be published. In the 2005 version of the movie, there is no Bogdanski- probably because they couldnt find as mean a person as Ray Nitschke to play the part. Lee Remmel an outspoken advocate in the room a heart attack is Nitschke. At www.packers.com during the 1996 ray nitschke wife run 26, 1961 to Jackie Forchette ) decided they would raise Ray their! The Hall of Fame right ray nitschke wife Ron Yary said induction ceremony, attended by of... Fred and I 'd be down to 250, 255 in Garfield Township the Nitschke Luncheon in after... And he was like the epitome of what a football player should be, Klaas told the Associated after! As a microphone is passed around the room stays in the huddle and he does n't where... 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