Pete Nicklas
Peter Lawrence Nicklas is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle for one season with the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League. He played college football for the Baylor Bears.
Early life and education
Nicklas was born on July 24, 1939, in Akron, Ohio. He attended Whittier High School in California, graduating in 1957. He joined Cerritos Junior College following his graduation from high school, blocking a punt in the Junior College Rose Bowl. He was a "star player" for the school in 1958, being named first-team all-conference at the conclusion of the season. After playing the 1959 season with the team, Nicklas transferred to Baylor University.A 1960 profile in the Austin American-Statesman called Nicklas a player who, "turns in occasional big plays but needs to be consistent." He suffered a broken nose in mid-December which caused him to miss the end of the season. A 1961 article in The Waco News-Tribune wrote, "The Bruin situation is similar to that of the Longhorns football|Longhorns]: to be a standout contender they need a top-flight first-team tackle combination. The key name probably is Pete Nicklas, who has been erratic at times but also has shown the ability to make the big play. If Nicklas can have a banner year the Bruin front line might be very good, indeed."