George Nicksich
George Nicksich, 1957 | |||||
| Profile | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positions | Middle guard, linebacker, guard | ||||
| Personal information | |||||
| Born | May 5, 1928 Monessen, Pennsylvania | ||||
| Died | January 17, 1985 (aged 56) Monessen, Pennsylvania | ||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||
| Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) | ||||
| Career information | |||||
| High school | Monessen (PA) | ||||
| College | St. Bonaventure | ||||
| Career history | |||||
| Career statistics | |||||
| |||||
George "Jook" Nicksich (May 5, 1928 – January 17, 1985) was an American football player who played the middle guard, linebacker, and guard positions.
A native of Monessen, Pennsylvania, he played college football for St. Bonaventure.[1]
He then played professional football in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1950 season. He appeared in a total of 12 NFL games, all of them as a starter. He intercepted three passes for 31 yards.[1] He was named rookie defensive lineman of the year in 1950, but he suffered a knee injury that ended his playing career.[2][3]
After his football career ended, Nicksich operated a tavern in Monessen, Pennsylvania. The building was demolished in an urban renewal project, and he became a guard at the county jail in Monessen. Shortly after leaving his job as a guard at the jail, he was arrested in April 1968 for an alleged unarmed bank robbery. He handed a teller a note that said, "This is a stickup. Put the money in the bag and be quiet." He was given a bag with $5,890 and was arrested shortly after leaving the bank.[4][5] After a psychological evaluation, he was found mentally unfit to stand trial in June 1968.[6]
Nicksich died of liver failure in 1985 at Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg, Pennsylvania.[2]
References
- ^ a b "George Nicksich Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
- ^ a b "George Nicksich". The Pittsburgh Press. January 18, 1985. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Monessen High Grid Star Hurt: Fullback Jook Nicksich May Be Lost For First Few 1945 Games". The Daily Republican. August 28, 1945. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Former Gird Star Arrested In $5890 Olean Robbery". The Buffalo News. April 9, 1968. p. 3 – via Newwspapers.com.
- ^ "Former Steeler Guard Charged With Robbery: George Nicksich Ordered Held For Grand Jury Action". The Cumberland News. April 10, 1968. p. 31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Nicksich Found Mentally Unfit To Stand Trial". The Daily Republican. Monongahela, Penn. June 26, 1968. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.