Raymond R. Schumacher
Raymond Richard Schumacher served in the Army Air Force during World War II, played professional football as a fullback after the war, and later worked as civil engineer for the City of Chicago.
Early life
Born in Chicago, Schumacher attended Tilden Technical High School, studying engineering, and was awarded the Purdue Club's 1942 Noble E. Kizer MVP Award in football. He then attended Purdue University.Military career
He was first inducted February 17, 1943 into the United States Army and went to basic training in North Carolina, where his bunkmate was Charles Clark. Others in his group included Wally Kokockis, Sgt. Nelphi, Sgt. Thorton, Charles Clark, Jack Sather from Berkeley, California, Jimmie Spallus from Wisconsin, and Ray Shaw. All then went on to Janesville, Wisconsin for flight training.Schumacher was later based at the following locations:
- Hondo Texas for navigator training, and served as an instructor afterwards
- Miami
- Macdill Air Force Base in Tampa about 7/43
- Lincoln, Nebraska where he trained navigators until mid-1945
- Victorville, Ca.
- Tinian
He flew in the formation over the treaty signing on the USS Missouri, was finally stationed in Tokyo until January 1946, and officially released March 17, 1946. He ended his military service as a First Lieutenant, Navigator, 20th AF, 313th Bomb Wing, 504th Bomb Group.
Football career
Schumacher was All-City in Chicago, winning the Kizer all-city award in December 1942 as a co-captain of the Tilden Tech Blue Devils. He then played one year at Purdue before enlisting in the Army Air Forces, subsequently playing for the Hondo Army Air Field Comets in Hondo, Texas.Upon returning home, George Halas signed Raymond and his brother Harold to the Chicago Bears at the same time, on July 26, 1946. He first played for the Bears' farm team Akron Bears of the American Association, taking on their parent team in a September exhibition game at the Rubber Bowl.
In early 1947, Akron left the AFL leaving Newark as the Chicago Bears' primary farm team; Newark then moved to Bloomfield, New Jersey and became the Cardinals. In July 1947 he was re-signed to the Bears, coming up from Akron. In August, he played for the Bears in the Chicago College All-Star Game. He later played for the Bloomfield Cardinals during the 1947 season. He played in a preseason game for the Bears, starting 28 Aug 1948 against the Eagles, but played most games as substitution for star Bill Osmonski, and later retired with knee and other injuries. There had been some friction between Halas and Ray as well; Ray owned a garage with his brothers, and Halas did not like his players to have "outside" jobs.
A grandson of his brother James, Jerry Schumacher, was a linebacker for the Illinois Fighting Illini football team and spent time with the Bears in 2004.