Ray Nitschke Enshrinement Speech 1978. Everybody loved (Lombardi). A substantial aspect of Nitschkes legacy forever will be respecting the Hall of Fames legacy. "But it turned out all right," Remmel said. Tags: Video. I thought maybe I'll get $75,000, $100,000. In 1997, the Green Bay Packers named one of their practice fields after him. My wife and I got in an argument this morning before I left home. ", On the reduction in salaries after the merger agreement: "You know what Donny Anderson got as a No. Traverse City man arraigned on drunk driving charges, Methamphetamine found during traffic stop in Garfield Township. 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). CTE. He touched everyone he met with his kindness and generosity. He and another Chicagoan, Dick Butkus, defined the position of middle linebacker and provided images during the early years of television that crystallized the sport's popularity. Hed be the first to tell you not to put him on a pedestal above all the other linebackers, Robinson said. Lanier compared his role of navigating the room to directing a theater production. We leave the huddle and Gale says, 'Watch out.' A native of Elmwood Park, Nitschke lived in Green Bay, where he. Lanier took over when Jones died in 2013. (It was erroneously first reported as 5,000lb (2,270kg). Wood remembered Nitschke working at his image on and off the field. As a rookie, he backed up both left guard Gale Gillingham and right guard Jerry Kramer. He loved it. He died in Venice, Fla., near his winter home in Naples. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. After three seasons of part-time duty in the middle, Nitschke took over full-time in 1961 on Lombardis first Packer championship team. His father was killed in a car accident in 1940,[5] and his mother died of a blood clot when Ray was 13. They've been kind of the best-kept secret in Green Bay for a long time, said Rivett. Their success rate is like 78 percent.. When Ray met and married his wife, Jackie, he made an outstanding decision. Discover Ray Nitschke's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. They called me a mezzanine rookie the second year until you played in a certain number of games. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. What now is known as the Nitschke Luncheon is a transformative event for the incoming class and often looked back upon sometimes more than slipping into their gold jackets for the first time, delivering their induction speeches, the unveiling of their bronze busts as the true moment they became Pro Football Hall of Famers. 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 went in and took his shower, and I'm still kind of looking around the door from the training room. Knocking him in the head, blooding his nose, just because he was (bleeped) off every Friday. He was a frequent golfer in retirement, and he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren. His baseball skills brought him an offer from the professional St. Louis Browns with a $3,000 signing bonus. His No. Ray Nitschke was born on the 29th of December, 1936. Born in Elmwood Park, Illinois, Nitschke was the youngest of three sons to Robert and Anna Nitschke. The Associated Press contributed to this story. (Nitschke) would test guys. His bad grades and temper couldnt derail such a phenomenal athlete. 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. The late Jackie Nitschke was married to Lombardi-era Packer Ray Nitschke. This is the only team you cant get cut from or traded from, Robinson said. I came out of the locker room and my wife is standing there, and this older gentleman has his arm around her. As his wife was dying of cancer he had become a member of a Christian Church in Green Bay. A man at the station helped get him out of the car and started CPR.. 66 was retired in 1983, the fourth of six numbers retired by the Packers. "And not just because the National Football League picked me as the top man at that job in the league's first 50 years. 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. Gale said, 'Bill, it's coming up on your turn. 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. ", On playing with Bart Starr for at least parts of four seasons: "Nobody is tougher than Bart Starr. Actor: The Longest Yard. Theres barely any loyalty around the league anymore. Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John in 1963, Richard in 1966, and Amy in 1972. Lombardi, as most ole football followers knew or are learning from a recent Broadway production, was a screamer and a drill sergeant as the Packer coach. The film's executive producer, Jim Rivett, said that Nitschke was the first Packer Wife to publicly acknowledge her alcoholism. The Packers won 167 and finished the season with a 141 record. 448-449. * 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. Raymond Ernest Nitschke was a middle linebacker that spent his entire 15-year career with the Green Bay Packers. 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. 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. The gravitas is unmistakable. I know your brother is with the Calgary Stampeders.' But he had a sense about him. Nitschke remained popular in Green Bay after retiring, even having his phone number and home address published in the Green Bay phone book. They had never met, but she recognized him and said, 'Hi, Coach Lombardi, I'm Bill Lueck's wife.' Ray Nitschke attended the University of Illinois. In 1973, Mean on Sunday: The Autobiography of Ray Nitschke ("as told to Robert W. Wells") was published by Doubleday. It felt like I was in the Wizard of Oz or something, Reed said afterward. Grabo (Jim Grabowski) got $450,000. I think he tried to see how tough you were and if you were going to fight back. Packers fans around the world will never forget the gentle giant that was Ray Nitschke. If you don't like it go to the Canadian Football League. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. He had some of the best football instincts. Proceeds from the documentary will help fund the center and provide two free scholarships each month. Don Pierson and Tribune Pro Football Writer. 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. Lueck, 74, lives in suburban Phoenix. 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. Ray Nitschke, one of pro football's greatest players and most eloquent ambassadors, died Sunday of a heart attack. Even when he was relegated to backup duty in the twilight of his 15-year career, they cheered his every move. 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. That becomes a most profound reality. Lombardi molded the Bart Starrs, Jerry Kramers, Paul Hornungs, Jim Taylors and Nitschkes into the best football teams of the 1960s. This must be the 1st quarter because Ray Nitschke barely has any blood on him yet. 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). Nitschke was taken to Venice Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:30 p.m. (EST). Sign up now! His father died when he was three and his mother when he was thirteen and he was raised by an older brother. He thought that was a privilege. They always listed me at 240. Thus he is the only linebacker to have made both the NFL's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. We're going to pay you a $15,000 signing bonus and a $15,000 salary your rookie year. In 1969, he was named the NFL's all-time top Linebacker by the NFL in honor of the NFL's 50th Anniversary. Ray Nitschke. 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. Nitschke accused Ditka of a cheap shot in a game, and the two nearly came to blows later that night in a restaurant. He liked to forearm your head. We became best friends after that. [27] Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John in 1963, Richard in 1966, and Amy in 1972. According to Nitschke's biography, a spike was driven into his helmet, but did not injure him. According to Nitschke's biography, the tower drove a spike into his helmet, but didn't injure him. [2][3], Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois,[4] the youngest of three sons to Robert and Anna Nitschke. Maybe it was the missing teeth or the oversized facemask, but no NFL player wanted to meet No. Gillie took me under his wing and said Ray is going to mess with you. Ray Nitschke Enshrinement speech. Also, the team has named one of its two outdoor practice fields "Ray Nitschke Field". I wont mention any names, Robinson said, but there are some people that come in and get the gold jacket and never come back. Packers Experiences powered by QuintEvents. As for Ray Nitschke, you could never question where his allegiance stood. Nitschke had an unusual pregame routine on Sundays. Hornungs, Jim Rivett, said that Nitschke was the first Packer wife to publicly acknowledge her alcoholism nose just. Was raised by an older brother seasons of part-time duty in the Bay!, they cheered his every move ( 2,270kg ) in an argument this before! 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