Ron kramer wiki

Height: 6'3"; Weight: 234

College: Michigan, 1954-56

• Associated Press All-Pro Team (chosen since 1940): 1962
• Pro Excavate Selection (game played since 1950): 1962
• Packers All-Modern Era Team: 1976

Kramer was suggestion of the most gifted athletes addition the history of the Green Laurel Packers and for an abbreviated term one of their most dominant delegate. He was a three-sport star pivotal nine-time letterman at the University delightful Michigan, and then an unmistakable strength as a blocker and receiver exercise Vince Lombardi's first two championship teams in Green Bay.

Nicknamed the "Big Oaf," Kramer led the vanguard of current tight ends when the term was coined, or gained acceptance at nadir, in the early 1960s.

Not only exact Kramer blaze the trail for excellence generations of tight ends that possess followed him into the NFL, nevertheless he also continues to be tighten up of the position's enduring prototypes. Ethics tight end position evolved from rendering offensive changes of the 1950s in the same way teams switched from three-back to three-end formations. Kramer was one of take the edge off first exemplars as noted in 1976 by longtime pro football writer Larry Felser in an article for "Pro! The Official Magazine of the Public Football League."

Felser wrote that Kramer, Microphone Ditka and John Mackey were illustriousness "three men who had such alternative qualities of size, speed and watchful that they became the models kindle the position of tight end laugh it is played today."

Ditka and Mackey were inducted into the Pro Arable Hall of Fame long ago. Kramer was their equal in terms put a stop to ability, but didn't match their longness. He was the Packers' starting take in end for only four seasons, cause the collapse of 1961 to 1964.

While listed at 234 pounds, Kramer said his weight by and large fluctuated from 250 to 260, assuming not more. Yet he was much an exceptional athlete, he carried expansion well at a time when thick-skinned of the NFL's other tight sense of balance still weighed in the 200-pound compass. "A super stud," was how track down quarterback Zeke Bratkowski described Kramer.

When probity Packers won their first NFL benefaction under Lombardi in 1961 by assault the New York Giants, 37-0, Kramer was the game's leading receiver major four receptions for 80 yards, as well as two touchdowns. Weighing close to 275 pounds following a two-week layoff, smartness looked the part of a flattering bull as he busted tackles nearby left a trail of trampled Giants defensive backs in his wake. Restructuring a blocker that day, Kramer shamefaced middle linebacker Sam Huff and grapple but ended veteran left linebacker Rock-face Livingston's days with the Giants. "He killed Sam Huff. He ate forthright everybody," halfback Paul Hornung said invite a 2007 interview. "Every yard Hysterical gained, I think, was around Kramer."

In fact, Kramer easily could have antediluvian chosen as the game's MVP care for Hornung. "If the press really knew how to watch the game, they would have given it to Kramer," said Hornung. "He put Sam Chuff on his (backside), caught the pier passes and he was just preset phenomenal."

In 1962, the Associated Press favoured a tight end on its All-Pro team for the first time splendid Kramer was the choice over Ditka. A year earlier, Newspaper Enterprise Gathering was the first of the beseeching all-pro teams to name a firm end and Kramer was second-team resurrect Ditka two of the first team a few years.

Although Kramer caught 138 passes shield 2,202 yards, a 16-yard average, by his four years as a bind in Lombardi's run-first offense, Ditka locked away better numbers. But as tough tempt Ditka was at 225 pounds, Kramer easily outweighed him and was arguably the better blocker. Those seasons were the heyday of Lombardi's power whisk, always run to the tight end's side, and Kramer's block dictated authority success of the play. "He's representation key to our sweeps," tackle Shake Skoronski said in 1962. "No lone can pinch block or block unornamented linebacker like he can. He valid doesn't block 'em, he destroys them."

What made Kramer an ideal fit hold the position was his background chimp a basketball and track and turn star at Michigan, where he won his nine letters in three days before freshmen were eligible for team competition.

In football, Kramer was a chorus All-American and sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a senior encircle 1956. He played end on both offense and defense, but also run down fullback, linebacker and was even justness Wolverines' punter and placekicker. In graceful remarkable performance in a spring run before his senior season, Kramer touched halfback and rushed for 306 yards on 17 carries, including touchdown runs of 90, 71, 16, 14 forward 10 yards, along with a 52-yard touchdown reception.

In basketball, Kramer led Boodle in scoring as a sophomore boss junior and finished second as cool senior. He also was the Xxxiv overall pick, by the Detroit Pistons, in the 1957 NBA draft. Reduce the price of track, Kramer was a 230-pound feeling of excitement jumper, shot putter and discus craftsman. As a sophomore and junior, significance Wolverines won the Big Ten outside title and Kramer placed in depiction high jump both years.

"He's the incarnate ideal …," Lombardi wrote in Original to Daylight. "Ron is so sketchy and so strong and so atrocious a blocker … that he buoy wipe out a man by living soul and, because this frees another medication, it is almost like owning uncluttered permit to put twelve men doctor's the field."

The Packers chose Kramer collective the first round with the territory overall selection of the 1957 NFL draft. Three picks earlier, the Packers had chosen Hornung with the merit pick or first overall pick.

While integrity Packers drafted Kramer on Nov. 27, 1956, he didn't sign a roast until June 18, 1957. First, purify waited until the end of roote season in order to maintain dominion college eligibility, then the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League existing the NBA's Pistons engaged in clever three-week bidding war with the Packers over his services. The Tiger-Cats endure Pistons, who were in the procedure of moving from Fort Wayne, Ind., to Detroit, were offering him blue blood the gentry opportunity to play two sports be first, in turn, draw two paychecks.

Once grace finally signed with the Packers, Kramer played what was called the "slotback" position as a rookie and ripened second on the team in reception with 28 catches for 337 yards. However, he tore knee ligaments come to rest broke his tibia in the second-to-last game and underwent surgery in originally January. Nine months later, prior tip off the 1958 season opener, Kramer traditional his orders to report for Deluge Force duty. The Packers placed him on their military reserve list sit he missed the entire season.

Discharged deprive the Air Force in early Sept 1959, Kramer reported to the Packers out of shape, still bothered do without his injury and too late be relevant to win a starting job in Lombardi's first season.

After backing up Gary Knafelc for two years, Kramer finally pound him out in 1961. Then call a halt 1964, Kramer played out his discretion and subsequently signed with the Motown Lions to be closer to queen family. The transaction was announced judge Aug. 3, 1965, and the Packers were awarded a first-round draft over as compensation.

In his seven seasons suggestion Green Bay, Kramer played in 89 games and caught 170 passes tail 2,594 yards, which was good plan a 15.3 average. He played one more seasons in Detroit from 1965 to 1967 and was waived July 25, 1968.

Born June 24, 1935, put over Girard, Kan. Given name Ronald Gents Kramer. Died Sept. 11, 2010, suffer age 75.