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Ray Wietecha
Raymond Walter Wietecha (November 2, 1928 – December 14, 2002) was an American professional football player who was a center for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and Northwestern Wildcats. Wietecha was selected to the Pro Bowl four times and was a first or second team All-Pro four times. He never missed a game during his ten-year career with the Giants, playing in 124 consecutive games overall. He was made the team's starting center in his second year, and started 112 consecutive games at center over nine years, missing only one play on offense during that entire time. He played in five NFL championship games between 1956 and 1962. He was the offensive line coach for the Green Bay Packers teams that won three consecutive NFL championships from 1965 to 1967 and the first two Super Bowls.
Wietecha was born on November 4, 1928, in East Chicago, Indiana. He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School in East Chicago (1942-46), where he was a two-way player on the school's football team, under Indiana Football Hall of Fame coach Pete Rucinski. In 1945, the United Press named the 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb. (77.1 kg) Wietecha first-team All-State at center. Roosevelt was 9–0, conference champion, and the top ranked team in Indiana high school football by mid-November that year. On November 19, Roosevelt went on to win the Indiana state championship game, 23–0, over South Bend Central, the school's first ever state championship. Wietecha led the defense, which held South Bend to only 72 rushing yards in the shoutout victory.
His excellence as a football player provided the means for him to attend college. Wietecha originally attended Michigan State University in 1946, and played on the football team, but decided to transfer to Northwestern University after one season. He graduated from Northwestern in 1951, after three seasons on the Wildcats football team (1947-50). He was a member of the Northwestern team that defeated the University of California in the January 1, 1949 Rose Bowl, 20–14. He played left linebacker in that game, and delivered some hard tackles to Cal's star player Jackie Jensen (who went on to play Major League Baseball).
Wietecha became Northwestern's starting center on offense the following season (1949). As a senior in 1950, he was a leading player on the team, at center on offense and linebacker on defense. He would sometimes play a full 60-minute game. He was originally only going to play center in 1950, but when the team's defense faltered later in the season he was called on to play linebacker again, and was excellent in doing so. Wietecha was selected to play in the Blue-Gray Game. His was named All-Big Ten and was honorable mention on numerous All-America teams.
Wietecha also played on Northwestern's baseball team for three years, and was one of the Big Ten's leading hitters. He graduated from Northwestern with a degree in education.
Wietecha was accepted into the United States Marine Corps Officer's Candidate School, at Parris Island. He spent two years in the Marine Corps. He became a platoon leader, and then a company executive officer, reaching the rank of first lieutenant. He was permanently stationed at Quantico, where he played two seasons of organized football under Major Charlie Walker, and one of baseball, for the Quantico Marines team. Wietecha was All-Marine in football. His Marine football teammates included, among others, future NFL players Jim Mutscheller, Jim Weatherall, and Ken Huxhold. The Quantico Marines opponents included college as well as other military teams; including among other opponents St. Bonaventure, led by future NFL quarterback and coach Ted Marchibroda, in October 1951.
In 1953, Wietecha played one season of Minor League Baseball (MiLB). He played in the outfield for the Class B Charlotte Hornets of the Tri-State League; an affiliate of the Washington Senators. Wietecha had a .255 batting average, with 13 home runs and 60 runs batted in (RBI) in 381 at bats. Senators farm director Ossie Bluege, who had played 18 years for the Senators, believed Wietecha could become an excellent Major League Baseball player.
Bluege scouted Wietecha, watching him play baseball in the military while Wietecha was serving as an officer with the Marine Corps. Bluege was aware the New York Yankees were also interested in Wietecha, and that Wietecha was well-educated and could simply get a good job. He was able to convince Wietecha to take a chance on the opportunity to play baseball professionally, and Wietecha agreed to sign on with the Senators. He was discharged from the Marines on March 18, 1953, and joined the Charlotte baseball club the next day.
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Ray Wietecha
Raymond Walter Wietecha (November 2, 1928 – December 14, 2002) was an American professional football player who was a center for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and Northwestern Wildcats. Wietecha was selected to the Pro Bowl four times and was a first or second team All-Pro four times. He never missed a game during his ten-year career with the Giants, playing in 124 consecutive games overall. He was made the team's starting center in his second year, and started 112 consecutive games at center over nine years, missing only one play on offense during that entire time. He played in five NFL championship games between 1956 and 1962. He was the offensive line coach for the Green Bay Packers teams that won three consecutive NFL championships from 1965 to 1967 and the first two Super Bowls.
Wietecha was born on November 4, 1928, in East Chicago, Indiana. He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School in East Chicago (1942-46), where he was a two-way player on the school's football team, under Indiana Football Hall of Fame coach Pete Rucinski. In 1945, the United Press named the 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb. (77.1 kg) Wietecha first-team All-State at center. Roosevelt was 9–0, conference champion, and the top ranked team in Indiana high school football by mid-November that year. On November 19, Roosevelt went on to win the Indiana state championship game, 23–0, over South Bend Central, the school's first ever state championship. Wietecha led the defense, which held South Bend to only 72 rushing yards in the shoutout victory.
His excellence as a football player provided the means for him to attend college. Wietecha originally attended Michigan State University in 1946, and played on the football team, but decided to transfer to Northwestern University after one season. He graduated from Northwestern in 1951, after three seasons on the Wildcats football team (1947-50). He was a member of the Northwestern team that defeated the University of California in the January 1, 1949 Rose Bowl, 20–14. He played left linebacker in that game, and delivered some hard tackles to Cal's star player Jackie Jensen (who went on to play Major League Baseball).
Wietecha became Northwestern's starting center on offense the following season (1949). As a senior in 1950, he was a leading player on the team, at center on offense and linebacker on defense. He would sometimes play a full 60-minute game. He was originally only going to play center in 1950, but when the team's defense faltered later in the season he was called on to play linebacker again, and was excellent in doing so. Wietecha was selected to play in the Blue-Gray Game. His was named All-Big Ten and was honorable mention on numerous All-America teams.
Wietecha also played on Northwestern's baseball team for three years, and was one of the Big Ten's leading hitters. He graduated from Northwestern with a degree in education.
Wietecha was accepted into the United States Marine Corps Officer's Candidate School, at Parris Island. He spent two years in the Marine Corps. He became a platoon leader, and then a company executive officer, reaching the rank of first lieutenant. He was permanently stationed at Quantico, where he played two seasons of organized football under Major Charlie Walker, and one of baseball, for the Quantico Marines team. Wietecha was All-Marine in football. His Marine football teammates included, among others, future NFL players Jim Mutscheller, Jim Weatherall, and Ken Huxhold. The Quantico Marines opponents included college as well as other military teams; including among other opponents St. Bonaventure, led by future NFL quarterback and coach Ted Marchibroda, in October 1951.
In 1953, Wietecha played one season of Minor League Baseball (MiLB). He played in the outfield for the Class B Charlotte Hornets of the Tri-State League; an affiliate of the Washington Senators. Wietecha had a .255 batting average, with 13 home runs and 60 runs batted in (RBI) in 381 at bats. Senators farm director Ossie Bluege, who had played 18 years for the Senators, believed Wietecha could become an excellent Major League Baseball player.
Bluege scouted Wietecha, watching him play baseball in the military while Wietecha was serving as an officer with the Marine Corps. Bluege was aware the New York Yankees were also interested in Wietecha, and that Wietecha was well-educated and could simply get a good job. He was able to convince Wietecha to take a chance on the opportunity to play baseball professionally, and Wietecha agreed to sign on with the Senators. He was discharged from the Marines on March 18, 1953, and joined the Charlotte baseball club the next day.