Lombardi gave partial credit to Nitschke's success to Nitschke's wife, whose calming influence helped him focus on his career. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. As she shared her journey with others, she taught that the disease of addiction crosses all income levels and families. Also in 1997, the Jackie Nitschke Center started our Intensive Outpatient program to help provide a continuum of care for people leaving Residential treatment. Older brothers Robert Jr. (age 21) and Richard (age 17) decided they would raise Ray on their own. He played varsity basketball and was a pitcher and left fielder for the varsity baseball team. At the end of the 1972 season, the 9–4 Packers traveled to New Orleans to play the 2–10–1 Saints on December 17 at Tulane Stadium, which turned out to be Nitschke's last regular season game. Nitschke remained popular in Green Bay after retiring, even having his phone number and home address published in the Green Bay phone book. The helmet (with the hole) is currently on display in the Packer Hall of Fame in Green Bay. )[20][21] Lombardi ran over to see what had happened, but when told it had fallen on Nitschke, said, "He'll be fine. About American Football (American) Player Ray Nitschke was born Raymond Ernest Nitschke on 29th December, 1936 in Elmwood Park, IL and … Funeral arrangements are pending. [25] Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John in 1963, Richard in 1966, and Amy in 1972. His first date with his wife was the Ice Bowl. Although he had a Besides Klaas, Nitschke is survived by two sons, John and Richard. Ray Nitschke has a lot of this on the defense for us…" Nitschke was named the most valuable player of the 1962 NFL Championship Game when the Packers beat the New York Giants, 16-7, … Jackie Nitschke was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate for the recovery community. Puplis advised him to accept a football scholarship. Nitschke also appeared in the 1974 football comedy The Longest Yard as Guard Bogdanski. She and Ray were honorary chair-persons for 22 years. The Jackie Nitschke Center traces its roots to March of 1971 when a group of volunteers met to discuss starting a halfway house for alcoholics. Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Mike Pettine is shown Monday, August 24, 2020 during the team's training camp at Ray Nitschke Field in Ashwaubenon. Ray Nitschke played football with passion and in pain. Born in Elmwood Park, Illinois, Nitschke was the youngest of three sons to Robert and Anna Nitschke. Nitschke was known for his strength and toughness, exhibited prior to his third season in 1960. 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. Although Nitschke was known for his hard hitting, he was an athletic all-around linebacker who also intercepted 25 passes over his career. In 1969, he was awarded as the NFL's all-time top Linebacker by the NFL in honor of the NFL's 50th Anniversary. He starred on the varsity football team, playing quarterback on offense and safety on defense for coach Andy Puplis. His wife, Jackie, died of cancer in 1996. However, he was chosen by the Green Bay Packers late in the third round (36th overall) of what is considered the greatest draft in the franchise's history. The importance of continuing care can’t be understated since research has shown that clients who actively engage in continuing care are more likely to remain sober. 2 years ago It's a tradition that dates back at least 50 years, and … His wife, Jackie, died in 1996. 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. Citations Personal life … We believe that everyone affected by substance abuse, including families, should have a chance at recovery. Nitschke, the Hall of Fame middle linebacker who played for the Packers from 1958 to 1972, died in … In June of 1973, the Samaritan House was open. In 1996, with wife Jackie dying of cancer, Nitschke was in tears as he related to inductees that his wife had … [6], Nitschke entered Proviso High School in Maywood shortly before his mother's death. 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 election—as 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. Nitschke died of a heart attack in Venice, Florida at the age of 61 in 1998. Ray Nitschke was born in Elmwood Park, Illinois. In Super Bowl II, Nitschke led Green Bay's defense with nine tackles. Lombardi gave partial credit to Nitschke's success to Nitschke's wife, whose calming influence helped him focus on his career. In Super Bowl I, Nitschke contributed six tackles and a sack. In 1999, he was ranked number 18 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players, making him the highest-ranked player coached by Vince Lombardi, second among Packers behind Don Hutson, and third among linebackers behind Lawrence Taylor and Dick Butkus. He played the rest of the game.[11]. This meant becoming the primary residential treatment center in Brown County. Ray Wietecha was still the line coach and he had seen (Nitschke) do that to Hyland so he didn't pull me off. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. Thus he is the only linebacker to have made both the NFL's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. 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. Relationships Ray Nitschke was in a relationship with Jackie Forchette. NITSCHKERichard Elwood Nitschke, M.D., died peacefully on April 26, 2011 at the age of 97 years. Each year, we treat over 250 clients in our Residential and Intensive Outpatient programs, offering a scholarship program for those who struggle to afford care. Ray Nitschke was one of the greatest of the great Green Bay Packers. In the late 1980s, Nitschke owned an automobile dealership in Green Bay. Nitschke remained popular in Green Bay after The Ray Nitschke Memorial Bridge, a twin-leaf bascule bridge over the Fox River on Main Street (US 141) in Green Bay,[28] was named in honor of Nitschke. 66 was and how bad he was and, yes, those things were … 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. Ray Nitschke : biography December 29, 1936 – March 8, 1998 Raymond Ernest "Ray" Nitschke (December 29, 1936 – March 8, 1998) was a professional football player who played his entire career as a middle linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. "In my opinion, there will never be another Ray Nitschke." On defense, Nitschke played linebacker. Over the years, the Jackie Nitschke Center has evolved into an intensive, continuous, and personal substance abuse treatment facility reaching out to the individuals and families affected by addiction. In the game, Nitschke recovered two fumbles and deflected a pass that was intercepted. During his freshman year at Proviso, he played fullback on one of the school's three football teams. When the Samaritan House contracted with Brown County to provide care in 1995, its mission transitioned from being a halfway house to providing residential treatment. Lombardi gave partial credit to Nitschke's success to Ray's wife, whose calming influence helped him focus on his career. Mostly, you remember Ray Nitschke the gruff and tough linebacker. Due to his desire to play at a Big Ten university, with a chance to play in the Rose Bowl, he accepted a football scholarship to the University of Illinois in 1954. Nitschke will be buried in Green Bay. [27] Every year, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has a luncheon the day before its induction ceremony, attended by most of the living members and honoring the new inductees. [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. Ray Nitschke was truly a class act. According to Nitschke's biography, a spike was driven into his helmet, but did not injure him. On June 26, 1961, Ray married Jackie Forchette. Following his death, the Hall named the luncheon after him. 66 was retired in 1983, the fourth of six numbers retired by the Packers. Who is he dating right now? [26] The only other Lombardi-era player to have his number retired is quarterback Bart Starr, whose #15 was retired in 1973. Our program completion rate is among the nation’s highest and focuses on family involvement. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an … (It was errantly first reported as 5,000 lb (2,270 kg). Birthday: December 29, 1936Date of Death: March 8, 1998Age at Death: 61. Ray Nitschke, the most beloved, feared and dominant player in Green Bay's long and storied history. Jackie was a recovering alcoholic and an outspoken advocate in the recovery community. Just a few of the recognitions Ray had, he was Together with his three fine youngsters the family life has meant an awful lot to his wife and his career. Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961 to Jackie Forchette. Nitschke, the wife of former Green Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke, died Tuesday. He played for 15 seasons before retiring in 1972. 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). I hit him about three times. Left: Nitschke's helmet from coaching tower incident in September, Ray Nitschke—awards, championships, and honors, "Ray Nitschke, 61, linebacker during Packers' glory years", http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/40250287.html, "Packers get last laugh in slapstick game", http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1960/09/02/page/43/article/helmet-saves-ray-nitschke-as-steel-tower-falls-on-him, http://www.packers.com/team/players/nitschke_ray/, "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=1006617033, Players of American football from Illinois, Illinois Fighting Illini football players, National Football League players with retired numbers, Short description is different from Wikidata, 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, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 13 February 2021, at 21:20. Packers25 11 Hoffman Packers25 11 Hoffman The facility was designed for males who had completed treatment and needed a structured living environment to remain sober. He had encounters with Packers legends like Bart Starr and Ray Nitschke. Jackie Nitschke is fondly remembered for her work with the annual Cerebral Palsy telethon. [13][14] Green Bay had clinched the NFC Central division title the week before at Minnesota for their first playoff berth in five seasons. He was the MVP of the 1962 NFL Championship Game, accepting the prize of a 1963 Chevrolet Corvette. 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. He was a devoted and loving husband to Lella Len Mewhinney Nitschke … His father was killed in a car accident in 1940, and his mother died of a blood clot when Ray was 13. He succeeded in raising his grades sufficiently enough in his sophomore year to allow him to play sports his junior year, when he had grown significantly (to six feet tall). Get back to work!" He would lament this embarrassment for the rest of his life.[7]. Please visit treatment options for more details. Congressman Steve Largent, who ended the pregame ceremonies by flipping the coin. The achievements of NFL Hall-of-Famer and Green Bay Packer Ray Nitschke are widely known. He was MVP of the 1962 title game. His No. [16] Nitschke returned for a 16th training camp in 1973, then retired in late August.[17][18][19]. He was pronounced dead at Venice Hospital.[2]. When Ray met and married his wife, Jackie, he made an outstanding decision. In addition to his daughter, Nitschke is survived by two sons, John and Richard, and a granddaughter. His baseball skills brought him an offer from the professional St. Louis Browns with a $3,000 signing bonus. In 1977, Belva House, the first female halfway house, was opened. Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. Personal life Nitschke was married on June 26 [9] [2][3], Born in Elmwood Park, Illinois,[4] Nitschke was the youngest of three sons to Robert and Anna Nitschke. Nitschke remained popular in Green Bay after retiring, even having his phone number and home address published in the Green Bay phone book. During their marriage Ray and Jackie adopted three children, John in 1963, Richard in 1966 and Amy in 1972. In 1997, the facility name was changed to the Jackie Nitschke Center, Inc. in honor of Jackie Nitschke, the wife of Packers great Ray Nitschke. [12] It included three other significant Packers of the 1960s, linebacker Dan Currie of Michigan State (3rd overall), fullback Jim Taylor of LSU (15th overall) and right guard Jerry Kramer of Idaho (39th overall). We offer traditional residential programs as well as Intensive Outpatient programs. He might have enjoyed crushing an opposing quarterback, but off the field he was set a great example as someone who cared deeply for his family, friends and teammates. The facility was founded in 1971, and is named after the wife of Green Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke. He was a poor student and his grades eventually caught up with him as he was declared academically ineligible to play sports his sophomore year. The Packers won 16–7 and finished the season with a 14–1 record. Never a good student in high school, his grades suffered at college. His father was killed in a car accident in 1940,[5] and his mother died of a blood clot when Ray was 13. [8] Nitschke was also offered scholarships from college football programs around the country. Ray Nitschke (December 29, 1936 – March 8, 1998) was a professional American football middle linebacker who spent his entire 15-year National Football League (NFL) career with the Green Bay Packers. His character is listed in the credits as "Private One" because his jersey is emblazoned with the number "1". Ray and Jackie had a winter home in Naples, Florida. Since that time, the program has expanded to include people who start treatment at the Intensive Outpatient level of care. [10], In his junior year in 1956 against Ohio State, Nitschke lost his four front teeth on the opening kick-off. His first date with his wife was … Nitschke was married on June 26, 1961 to Jackie Forchette.Jackie was unable to have children, so they adopted three: John (in 1963), Richard (in 1966), and Amy (in 1972). 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. He appeared in the comic film Head, starring The Monkees, as a footballer who repeatedly tackles Peter Tork in a mock war movie sequence. Also, the team has named one of its two outdoor practice fields "Ray Nitschke Field". In the late 1980’s, Nitschke also owned an automobile dealership where he performed several of his own TV commercials in which he brought out his dog, “Butkus”, named in honor of his Chicago Bears nemesis, … The two combined in 1981 and moved to 630 Cherry Street, our current location. Ray Nitschke, Actor: The Longest Yard. 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. Ray Nitschke, one of the most fearsome middle linebackers in the history of pro football and an anchor of the championship Green Bay Packers teams … Raymond Ernest Nitschke (December 29, 1936 – March 8, 1998) was a professional American football middle linebacker who spent his entire 15-year National Football League (NFL) career with the Green Bay Packers. Wearing #66, he played fifteen seasons, from 1958-72. Our treatment follows scientifically-proven techniques with a focus on continuing care. A month after the 1958 season ended, Vince Lombardi was hired as head coach. © Copyright 2016 Jackie Nitschke Center, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. He recorded the only pass reception of his career, a 34-yard gain after a blocked Packer field goal attempt, and they won 30–20 to finish at 10–4, their best regular season record since 1966. Nitschke died of a heart attack in Venice, Florida at the age of 61 in 1998. Ray Nitschke Memorial Bridge The Ray Nitschke Memorial Bridge , a twin-leaf bascule bridge over the Fox River on Main Street ( US 141 ) in Green Bay, [28] was named in honor of Nitschke. Older brothers Robert Jr 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. [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. People talk about how tough No. Once, when he returned an intercepted pass for a touchdown, he had to limp into the end zone, a … As a child of the 1960’s I grew up with Jim Taylor, Forrest Gregg, Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Herb Adderley, Willie Davis, Jim Ringo, Paul Hornung, Willie Wood and Henry Jordan. While at Illinois, Nitschke smoked, drank heavily, and fought at the drop of a hat. [29] The bridge was constructed in 1998 to replace the former Main Street Bridge built in 1923. In 1997, the facility name was changed to the Jackie Nitschke Center, Inc. in honor of Jackie Nitschke, the wife of Packers great Ray Nitschke. [15] In the divisional round of the playoffs on Christmas Eve, Green Bay lost 16–3 at Washington. Rest in peace. The Jackie Nitschke Center has been saving lives and restoring families from substance abuse for nearly 50 years. If you were to try and draw a comparison between Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde and any football player who ever His Father passed away when he was 3, and his Mother passed away when he was 13. [29] The bridge was constructed in 1998 to replace the former Main Street Bridge built in 1923. On the Packers' practice field on September 1, a 1,000-pound (450 kg) steel coaching tower was blown over by a strong gust of wind, on top of Nitschke. [20][21][22][23][24] 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. 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 was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981. Nitschke wore number 33 in 1958 and 66 the rest of his career with the Packers.
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