Milan Lazetich
Guard / Linebacker | |
NFL draft: | 1945 / Round: 2 / Pick: 16 |
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Career history | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Career NFL statistics | |
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR |
Milan "Sheriff" Lazetich (August 27, 1921 – July 9, 1969) was an
Early years
Lazetich was born in 1921 in
Lazetich played one year of
University of Michigan
He enrolled at the
In a pre-game story about the 1944
"The Michigan line is built around Milan Lazetich, a big tackle from Anaconda, Mont., who once was sheriff in his home community. He's the No. 1 All-America candidate from the Wolverine camp, so the reports say, but he's only one of a stalwart line which held Illinois speedsters without a score."[5]
At the end of the 1944 season, Lazetich, in his sophomore season, was selected for the Associated Press All Big Ten Team as a first-team tackle.[6] He was also picked as a second-team All-American by the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, International News Service, and Central Press Association.
Cleveland and Los Angeles Rams
In August 1945, the 23-year-old Michigan sophomore signed to play professional football for the Cleveland Rams.[7] With the Rams, Lazetich was converted from a tackle to a guard on offense and linebacker on defense.[8][9] Lazetich played in ten games at right guard for the Rams in 1945,[9] and he helped the Rams to win the NFL championship in his first year as a professional player.
In 1946, the Rams moved to Los Angeles, giving California and the Pacific Coast its first major league sports team.[10] Lazetich played for the Rams in their first five seasons in Los Angeles.[9] When the Rams moved west, the Los Angeles Times ran an article introducing the city to the team's top players. In its feature on Lazetich, the Times noted that, in "Sheriff" Lazetich, the Rams had one of the country's greatest law enforcement officers in its line.
"Lazetich is a copper from Anaconda ... Lazetich was a deputy sheriff of Deer Lodge County but he has made most of his arrests on the football field ... Lazetich played freshman football at the University of Montana after which he moved up to Big Ten football ... While Lazetich was an All-Big Ten tackle for the Wolverines, he is the regular right guard of the Rams."[11]
In the late 1940s, he was regarded as "one of the finest defensive right guards in pro football,"
Lazetich made a key play in the
In addition to his ability as a player, Lazetich developed a reputation as "a wild character if there ever was one." "During the course of predinner libations, someone asked Lazetich to demonstrate his punting prowess. I don't think he'd ever kicked a football before in his life. They dared him to boot the chocolate football, which was a big mistake because Laz wasn't the kind of guy to take a dare lightly. He ambled out to the kitchen, plucked the football off the top of the fancy cake, brought it out in the front room and drove his toe into it with beautiful form and a perfect follow through. Cake, frosting and everything else that was loose was well distributed over the ceiling, walls, windows and drapes. ... It also was the last party Reeves ever held in his house for the Rams."[15]
By 1948, health problems began to affect Lazetich. Prior to the 1948 season, the Los Angeles Times reported on an unspecified medical condition that may prevent him from playing for the team.
In July 1951, Lazetich announced his retirement from football. At the time, the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Sorry to see the gruff rough Sheriff on the shelf. His departure leaves the Rams with only two members of the original cast of the 1945 world's championship team."[20]
Later years
After retiring from football, Lazetich returned to Montana, where he worked for the Deer Lodge County, Montana road department, as a court bailiff and as a surveyor with the Montana Highway Department.[1] He was a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Butte, Montana, the Bokelian Brotherhood Lodge in Butte, and the Serbian Fraternity of Anaconda.[1]
Lazetich died in a hospital in Butte, Montana at age 47 in July 1969.[1][21] He was buried with military honors at the Mount Olivet Cemetery after a funeral in Butte's Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church.[22] Lazetich was survived by his wife, the former Mary Laughlin, and his daughter Milana.[1]
Lazetich's nephew, Pete Lazetich, helped the Stanford football team to a victory over his uncle's alma mater, Michigan, in the 1972 Rose Bowl. Pete Lazetich was part of the Stanford's front four known as the "Thunder Chickens."[23] The younger Lazetich made 11 tackles in the 1972 Rose Bowl.[23]
See also
- Michigan Wolverines Football All-Americans
- 1944 College Football All-America Team
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Milan Lazetich, former pro football star, dies at 47". Montana Standard. 1969-07-11.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Milan Lazetich Says Big Nine Blocks Lack Bronc Power". The Independent-Record (Mont.) (NEA Service wire story). 1944-10-19.
- ^ "University Football Squad Plays First of Two Games". The Helena Independent. 1942-04-11.
- ^ "1944 Football Team". University of Michigan.
- ^ "Buckeye Backfield Vs. Michigan's Mighty Forward, Milan Lazetich, Former Anaconda Stalwart In All-American Bid". The Independent-Record. 1944-11-23.
- ^ "Milan Lazetich of Anaconda on Big 10 Team: Ohio State Captures Four Berths; Forsh Makes Team". The Independent-Record (Mont.). 1944-11-27.
- ^ Fred Runnells (1945-08-02). "This Week in Sports" (PDF). Grosse Pointe News.
- ^ a b "Milan Lazetich Pens '49 Pact With Rams". Los Angeles Times. 1949-05-10.
- ^ a b c d "Mike Lazetich". pro-football-reference.com.
- ^ "First major league team in L.A.: Rams find success in Southern California". Los Angeles Times. 1985-08-09.
- ^ "Know Your Ram and Redskin Pro Gridders". Los Angeles Times. 1946-08-20.
- ^ a b c Frank Finch (1949-11-10). "Two Week Layoff: Rams' Lazetich Out With Ulcer". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Michael MacCambridge (2005). America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation, p. 70. Knopf Publishing Group.
- ^ Howard Liss (1975). They changed the game: Football's great coaches, players, and games, p. 140. Lippincott.
- ^ a b Ned Cronin (1956-12-14). "Cronin's Corner". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Frank Finch (1974-12-10). "Come Back, Visco Grgich". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Braven Dyer (1948-08-07). "Rams Await Examination of Lazetich". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ a b "Lazetich May Be Lost for Rest of Year". Los Angeles Times. 1949-11-12.
- ^ "Sheriff on Mend". Los Angeles Times. 1949-11-26.
- ^ Frank Finch (1951-07-06). "Scouting the Pros". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Milan Lazetich Dies in Butte". Billings Gazette. 1969-07-11.
- ^ "Anaconda deaths". Montana Standard. 1969-07-13.
- ^ a b Les Rickey (1972-01-05). "Ricocheting ... Lazetichs: Big in Sports". The Daily Inter Lake.