Ron Kramer, Michigan and GB Packer legend, died today

[Bozita]

RIP, Ron Kramer.

Jerry Green is a retired Detroit News sportswriter. Read his Web-exclusive column Sundays at detnews.com.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100911/OPINION03/9110402/1131/SPORTS/Michigan-great-Ron-Kramer-was-unmatched-as-athlete--person#ixzz0zH6LDOgl

Last Updated: September 11. 2010 8:17PM
Jerry Green: Appreciation
Michigan great Ron Kramer was unmatched as athlete, person


Ron Kramer lugged the wooden brown box into the saloon close to the University of Michigan's campus in Ann Arbor.

"Give me two Scotch-and-waters," Kramer told the bartender.

Kramer placed the brown box atop the bar.

The guy behind the bar looked at Kramer with deep curiosity. Ron was alone, accompanied only by the box.

"What do you want two for?" the bartender asked Kramer.

"Bennie is kind of dry," answered Kramer.

Bennie Oosterbaan was Ron Kramer's football coach at Michigan more than half a century ago. Bennie was an All-America receiver in the 1920s at Michigan, and three decades later Ron Kramer became a three-time All America in football -- and the winner of nine varsity Ms.

They were attached, joined, Bennie and Ron.

And one of Ron Kramer's favorite stories was about Bennie's ashes.

When Bennie died in 1990, Kramer took over. He placed Bennie's ashes into the wooden box and went on tour with it.

The story was typical of Ron Kramer. Piquant, friendly, funny -- reflecting the personality of a huge man, a great college and professional athlete, with a soft pudding of a heart.

"Everywhere," Kramer told me, many times, about scattering Bennie Ooosterbaan's ashes around their university campus and Ann Arbor town.

"Bennie's everywhere.

"He's around Yost Field House. He's around the building that was in his back yard.

"Then he took the walk with me, remember we used to walk from the golf course over to the game to Michigan Stadium and down the tunnel.

"He went with me down the tunnel and around the field, and Bennie was gone."

Kramer scattered Oosterbaan's ashes on the turf of the football field.

Now again, Ron Kramer and Bennie Oosterbaan are attached, joined.

Ronald John Kramer died Saturday. Of course, his death would occur on a college football Saturday, his Michigan guys playing Notre Dame, the team of his close friend, Paul Hornung.

more...

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100911/OPINION03/9110402/1131/SPORTS/Michigan-great-Ron-Kramer-was-unmatched-as-athlete--person#ixzz0zH5TsFJi

[LisaM]

1. Wow, I didn't know that

You'd think they'd have mentioned it during the game, but maybe they didn't know yet.

[Octafish]

2. what Vince Lombardi said.

"Having Ron Kramer on the team is like having a 12th man on the field."