Art Schlichter
Encyclopedia
Arthur Ernest Schlichter (born April 25, 1960) is a retired college
and professional American football
quarterback
, sometimes known for his compulsive gambling
and the legal problems especially gambling
that arose from it. His surname is pronounced "Sh-LEES-tuhr".
, Schlichter was a star at Miami Trace High School
, when his gambling habit began with a visit to Scioto Downs
, a harness racing
track near Columbus, Ohio
. It remained his favorite track over the years.
Schlichter was a four-year starter
at The Ohio State University. He was the last starting quarterback for legendary Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes
. In fact, Schlichter threw the interception that lost the game and led to Hayes' assault on Clemson
linebacker
Charlie Bauman in the 1978 Gator Bowl
--an act that led to his firing the next day. Schlichter finished in the top six of Heisman Trophy
balloting during his last three years—fourth in his sophomore year, sixth as a junior and fifth in his senior year. He nearly led the Buckeyes to the national championship in 1979, and left the school as its career leader in total offense.
During his college career, he was frequently spotted at Scioto Downs with a big-time Ohio gambler. Although the Columbus, Ohio and OSU police departments became suspicious, the athletic department felt it lacked enough evidence to go to the NCAA about the matter. On several occasions he was seen at the track with Hayes' successor as head coach, Earle Bruce
, a fact which helped cover up early problems emerging while Schlichter was at Ohio State.
(in the same class that included Jim McMahon
of Brigham Young University
and Marcus Allen
of the University of Southern California
) by the Baltimore Colts
(who moved to Indianapolis
two years later). Expected to be the starter, he lost the job to Mike Pagel
, but was expected to be the Colts' quarterback of the future.
His gambling continued unabated; he blew his entire signing bonus by midseason. He also bet on NFL games (though never on Colts games) and charted scores from out-of-town games on which he'd bet when he should have been charting plays. His gambling spiraled out of control during the 1982 NFL strike, when he lost $20,000 on a college football game. By the end of the strike, he had at least $700,000 in gambling debts.
In the winter of 1982 and the spring of 1983, Schlichter lost $389,000 betting on basketball
games, and his bookies threatened to expose him if he did not pay up (the NFL forbids its players from engaging in any kind of gambling activity, legal or otherwise). Schlichter went to the FBI, and his testimony helped get the bookies arrested on federal charges. He also sought the help of the NFL because he feared the bookies would force him to throw games in return for not telling the Colts about his activities. The league suspended him indefinitely. Schlichter was the first NFL player to be suspended for gambling since Alex Karras
and Paul Hornung
were suspended in 1963
for betting on NFL games.
He was reinstated for the 1984 season
, but later admitted that he'd gambled during his suspension (though not on football). He was released five games into the 1985 season
in part because the Colts heard he was gambling again. He never played another meaningful down. He signed as a free agent
with the Buffalo Bills
in the spring of 1986
. However, he appeared in only one preseason game, and was cut after Jim Kelly
signed what was then the largest contract for an NFL quarterback.
In January 1987, Schlichter was arrested in New York City
for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar sports betting operation. He pleaded guilty to illegal gambling in April, and Commissioner Pete Rozelle
refused to permit him to sign with another team. He made another bid for reinstatement in 1988, but was turned down. That same year, he filed for bankruptcy
to shield himself from creditors.
In parts of three seasons, Schlichter played only 13 games, primarily in backup or "mop-up" roles. He threw 202 passes and completed 91 of them. He amassed a quarterback rating of only 42.6, and is considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history.
Schlichter briefly signed a contract with the Ottawa Rough Riders
of the Canadian Football League
, but was released midway through the season.
He played for the Arena Football League for the Detroit Drive in 1990
and 1991
, leading them to a third consecutive league title in 1990 as the league's MVP. He signed with the Cincinnati Rockers
in 1992, but was arrested that July for passing a bad check. He admitted suffering a relapse, but the Rockers were willing to stand by him. They worked out a deal with Schlichter in which they put most of his paycheck into an account to pay his gambling debts, except for $300 which they gave to his wife, Mitzi. However, he announced he would not return to the team in 1993, intending instead to focus on curing his gambling addiction.
He hosted a radio sports talk show
in Cincinnati during the early 1990s, and appeared on The Phil Donahue Show
, talking about his addiction.
's Outside the Lines
, he estimated that he'd stolen $1.5 million over the years, if not more.
The habit eventually cost him his marriage; his wife left him in 1994 after FBI agents raided their home in Las Vegas
in search of money he'd stolen. According to her, Schlichter gambled it away.
Between 1995 and 2006, he served the equivalent of 10 years in 44 various prisons and jails across the Midwest. His various legal problems, including fraud
cases and forgery
, among others, were often well-publicized. For example, he was so consumed by his habit that he had his public defender smuggle a cell phone into prison so he could place bets.
He later said that he hit rock bottom in 2004, after he was caught gambling in prison. He was placed in solitary confinement for four months.
He was most recently released from prison on June 16, 2006. He is currently residing with his mother in Washington Court House, Ohio
. By one estimate, he owes half a million dollars in restitution.
Schlichter has founded a non-profit organization, Gambling Prevention Awareness, to educate others about the perils of compulsive gambling, including college and NFL players. He told ESPN that he started gambling because the pressure of being Ohio State's starting quarterback was too much on him, and he wanted to be just a regular guy. In much of Ohio outside of Cleveland and Cincinnati, the Buckeyes' starting quarterback is a major celebrity.
In late 2009, Schlichter and his mother appeared in TV ads opposing an Ohio casino statewide ballot issue.
Because of his addiction, Art was listed as the #7 Top Draft Bust by the NFL Network
in its NFL Top 10 show.
On February 9, 2011, reports emerged that Schlichter is under investigation for fraud. Schlichter was charged with a first-degree felony in connection with the theft of more than $1 million on February 14, 2010.
On September 15, 2011 Schlichter was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a million-dollar ticket scam.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and professional American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, sometimes known for his compulsive gambling
Compulsive gambling
Problem gambling is an urge to continuously gamble despite harmful negative consequences or a desire to stop. Problem gambling often is defined by whether harm is experienced by the gambler or others, rather than by the gambler's behavior. Severe problem gambling may be diagnosed as clinical...
and the legal problems especially gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
that arose from it. His surname is pronounced "Sh-LEES-tuhr".
Early life
A native of Bloomingburg, OhioBloomingburg, Ohio
Bloomingburg is a village in Fayette County, Ohio, United States. The population was 874 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bloomingburg is located at ....
, Schlichter was a star at Miami Trace High School
Miami Trace High School
Miami Trace High School is a public high school near Washington Court House, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Miami Trace Local School District. Their mascot is the Panthers...
, when his gambling habit began with a visit to Scioto Downs
Scioto Downs
Scioto Downs is a horse racing track located in Hamilton Township, a rural portion of Franklin County, Ohio, United States, south of Columbus owned by MTR Gaming Group...
, a harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
track near Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. It remained his favorite track over the years.
Schlichter was a four-year starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
at The Ohio State University. He was the last starting quarterback for legendary Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes
Woody Hayes
Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Denison University , Miami University , and Ohio State University , compiling a career college football record of 238–72–10.During his 28 seasons as the head coach of the Ohio...
. In fact, Schlichter threw the interception that lost the game and led to Hayes' assault on Clemson
Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are any team that represents Clemson University as a member of the NCAA's Division I or in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference....
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Charlie Bauman in the 1978 Gator Bowl
1978 Gator Bowl
The 1978 Gator Bowl was a college football bowl game played between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Clemson Tigers on December 29, 1978.This game proved to be coach Woody Hayes' last game at OSU. With just over two minutes left in the game, OSU trailed 17-15...
--an act that led to his firing the next day. Schlichter finished in the top six of Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
balloting during his last three years—fourth in his sophomore year, sixth as a junior and fifth in his senior year. He nearly led the Buckeyes to the national championship in 1979, and left the school as its career leader in total offense.
During his college career, he was frequently spotted at Scioto Downs with a big-time Ohio gambler. Although the Columbus, Ohio and OSU police departments became suspicious, the athletic department felt it lacked enough evidence to go to the NCAA about the matter. On several occasions he was seen at the track with Hayes' successor as head coach, Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce
Earle Bruce is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Tampa , Iowa State University , Ohio State University , the University of Northern Iowa , and Colorado State University , compiling a career college football record of 154–90–2...
, a fact which helped cover up early problems emerging while Schlichter was at Ohio State.
Pro career
Schlichter was picked fourth in the 1982 NFL Draft1982 NFL Draft
The 1982 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 27–28, 1982...
(in the same class that included Jim McMahon
Jim McMahon
James Robert "Jim" McMahon, Jr. is a former American football player. He played college football at Brigham Young University, where he was a two-time All-American and later in the professional ranks with the Chicago Bears, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona...
of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
of the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
) by the Baltimore Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
(who moved to Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
two years later). Expected to be the starter, he lost the job to Mike Pagel
Mike Pagel
Mike John Pagel , was a former professional American football player who was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the 4th round of the 1982 NFL Draft. A 6'2", . quarterback from Arizona State, Pagel played in 12 NFL seasons from 1982-1993...
, but was expected to be the Colts' quarterback of the future.
His gambling continued unabated; he blew his entire signing bonus by midseason. He also bet on NFL games (though never on Colts games) and charted scores from out-of-town games on which he'd bet when he should have been charting plays. His gambling spiraled out of control during the 1982 NFL strike, when he lost $20,000 on a college football game. By the end of the strike, he had at least $700,000 in gambling debts.
In the winter of 1982 and the spring of 1983, Schlichter lost $389,000 betting on basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
games, and his bookies threatened to expose him if he did not pay up (the NFL forbids its players from engaging in any kind of gambling activity, legal or otherwise). Schlichter went to the FBI, and his testimony helped get the bookies arrested on federal charges. He also sought the help of the NFL because he feared the bookies would force him to throw games in return for not telling the Colts about his activities. The league suspended him indefinitely. Schlichter was the first NFL player to be suspended for gambling since Alex Karras
Alex Karras
Alexander George "Alex" Karras , nicknamed "The Mad Duck", is a former football player, professional wrestler, and actor, best known for his stint with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from 1958–1962 and 1964-1970 and for his role as Mongo in the film Blazing Saddles...
and Paul Hornung
Paul Hornung
Paul Vernon Hornung is a retired Hall of Fame professional football player who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1957-66...
were suspended in 1963
1963 in sports
1963 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* January 29 – First inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame are announced* AFL Eastern Division Playoff – Boston Patriots win 26–8 over the Buffalo Bills...
for betting on NFL games.
He was reinstated for the 1984 season
1984 NFL season
The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
, but later admitted that he'd gambled during his suspension (though not on football). He was released five games into the 1985 season
1985 NFL season
The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:...
in part because the Colts heard he was gambling again. He never played another meaningful down. He signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the spring of 1986
1986 NFL season
The 1986 NFL season was the 67th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XXI when the New York Giants defeated the Denver Broncos to win their first league title in 30 years.-Major rule changes:...
. However, he appeared in only one preseason game, and was cut after Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly
James Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
signed what was then the largest contract for an NFL quarterback.
In January 1987, Schlichter was arrested in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar sports betting operation. He pleaded guilty to illegal gambling in April, and Commissioner Pete Rozelle
Pete Rozelle
Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from January 1960 to November 1989, when he retired from office. Rozelle is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world....
refused to permit him to sign with another team. He made another bid for reinstatement in 1988, but was turned down. That same year, he filed for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
to shield himself from creditors.
In parts of three seasons, Schlichter played only 13 games, primarily in backup or "mop-up" roles. He threw 202 passes and completed 91 of them. He amassed a quarterback rating of only 42.6, and is considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history.
Schlichter briefly signed a contract with the Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
, but was released midway through the season.
He played for the Arena Football League for the Detroit Drive in 1990
1990 Arena Football League season
The 1990 Arena Football League season was the 4th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Detroit Drive, who defeated the Dallas Texans in ArenaBowl IV.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
and 1991
1991 Arena Football League season
The 1991 Arena Football League season was the 5th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Tampa Bay Storm, who defeated the Detroit Drive in ArenaBowl V.-Standings:* Green indicates clinched playoff berth...
, leading them to a third consecutive league title in 1990 as the league's MVP. He signed with the Cincinnati Rockers
Cincinnati Rockers
The Cincinnati Rockers were an Arena Football League team that competed in the 1992 and 1993 seasons.-History:They played their home games at Riverfront Coliseum. The team color scheme incorporated bright yellow and green...
in 1992, but was arrested that July for passing a bad check. He admitted suffering a relapse, but the Rockers were willing to stand by him. They worked out a deal with Schlichter in which they put most of his paycheck into an account to pay his gambling debts, except for $300 which they gave to his wife, Mitzi. However, he announced he would not return to the team in 1993, intending instead to focus on curing his gambling addiction.
He hosted a radio sports talk show
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
in Cincinnati during the early 1990s, and appeared on The Phil Donahue Show
The Phil Donahue Show
The Phil Donahue Show, also known as Donahue, is an American television talk show that ran for 26 years on national television. Its run was preceded by three years of local broadcast in Dayton, Ohio, and it was broadcast nationwide between 1967 and 1996.In 2002, Donahue was ranked #29 on TV Guide's...
, talking about his addiction.
Extent of addiction
Over the years, Schlichter has, by his own count, committed more than 20 felonies. He gambled away much of his NFL, Arena League and radio salaries. Whenever he ran low on money to support his gambling, he stole and conned it from friends and strangers, and frequently passed bad checks. In a 2007 interview for ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines
Outside the Lines, or also referred to as OTL, is an American television program on ESPN that looks "outside the lines" and examines critical issues in American sports on and off the field of play....
, he estimated that he'd stolen $1.5 million over the years, if not more.
The habit eventually cost him his marriage; his wife left him in 1994 after FBI agents raided their home in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
in search of money he'd stolen. According to her, Schlichter gambled it away.
Between 1995 and 2006, he served the equivalent of 10 years in 44 various prisons and jails across the Midwest. His various legal problems, including fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
cases and forgery
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
, among others, were often well-publicized. For example, he was so consumed by his habit that he had his public defender smuggle a cell phone into prison so he could place bets.
He later said that he hit rock bottom in 2004, after he was caught gambling in prison. He was placed in solitary confinement for four months.
He was most recently released from prison on June 16, 2006. He is currently residing with his mother in Washington Court House, Ohio
Washington Court House, Ohio
Washington Court House is a city in Fayette County, Ohio, United States. It is the county seat of Fayette County and is located approximately halfway between Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio. The population was 14,192 in 2010 at the 2010 census...
. By one estimate, he owes half a million dollars in restitution.
Schlichter has founded a non-profit organization, Gambling Prevention Awareness, to educate others about the perils of compulsive gambling, including college and NFL players. He told ESPN that he started gambling because the pressure of being Ohio State's starting quarterback was too much on him, and he wanted to be just a regular guy. In much of Ohio outside of Cleveland and Cincinnati, the Buckeyes' starting quarterback is a major celebrity.
In late 2009, Schlichter and his mother appeared in TV ads opposing an Ohio casino statewide ballot issue.
Because of his addiction, Art was listed as the #7 Top Draft Bust by the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
in its NFL Top 10 show.
On February 9, 2011, reports emerged that Schlichter is under investigation for fraud. Schlichter was charged with a first-degree felony in connection with the theft of more than $1 million on February 14, 2010.
On September 15, 2011 Schlichter was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a million-dollar ticket scam.