Years later, Schlichter cashes in on Barneys friendship in a way she could never have imagined. Her self-published book Quarterback Sneak details her experience at the hands of football great Art Schlichter, who played for Ohio State between 1978 and 1981 and later for the Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills, and the Detroit and Cincinnati Arena League teams. Thirty years earlier, Schlichter was a revered OSU star who had comforted Barneys son while he recovered from a plane crash. He found greater success in the AFL, where he was named Most Valuable Player and led the Drive to victory in ArenaBowl IV during the 1990 season, but was also forced out due to his addiction. Selected fourth overall in the 1982 NFL Draft by the Colts, Schlichter appeared in only 13 games and six starts due to his gambling problems. Anita S. Saxton, 39, and her son Nolan Saxton, 12, of Scottville, Mich., were the only fatalities when pieces of the failed engine ripped into the cabin of the Delta Air Lines jet Saturday in Pensacola, Fla. ``We just want to be together for awhile and marshal our forces, said Mariam Saxton, the sister-in-law of Randy Saxton, Anitas husband. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Wealthy widow Anita Barney lost nearly her entire fortune to an ex-Ohio State quarterback who defrauded her of hundreds of thousands of dollars to feed a gambling addiction that left him banished from the NFL. [17] In an updated list from 2010, Schlichter was moved to the #4 draft bust of all time,[18] and in a video listing the top 10 quarterback draft busts of all time, Schlichter was listed #3, behind #2 JaMarcus Russell and #1 Ryan Leaf. Station management covered for him when a victim of one of his cons came after him. He sat out the 1986 season after no other team expressed interest. People are proud of him and what he did, said lifelong friend Paul Reliford of Ashland. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The 73-year-old woman who was once married to the CEO of the fast-food chain Wendys, says that she lost her home and her car and had to file for bankruptcy. Barney went to Ashland Junior College on a basketball scholarship after graduating high school. Before his most recent conviction, Schlichter spent 10 years in prison in Indiana for gambling-related crimes. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Viewing will be Tuesday and the funeral is Wednesday. Kutner recalled that at KVEG, his penchant for bilking his friends and bouncing checks was a topic of on-air discussion. Her son was recovering well when the football quarterback was around. [1], In the winter of 1982 and the spring of 1983, Schlichter lost $489,000 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). However, according to a 1995 profile of Schlichter in Columbus Monthly, things escalated to the point that even without the AFL wanting to give the expansion Rockers a shot in the arm, he would have had to leave Detroit for his own safety. [1][2] His gambling habit began in high school with a visit to Scioto Downs, a harness racing track near Columbus. [1] He moved to Las Vegas in 1989 soon after marrying longtime girlfriend Mitzi Shinaver. [4] His gambling spiraled out of control during the 1982 NFL strike, when he lost $20,000 betting on college football. [14] In a 2007 interview for ESPN's Outside the Lines, he estimated that he'd stolen $1.5 million over the years, if not more. Also, her son was seriously injured in the crash. He claims this was in hopes of getting treatment for his addiction; however, his gambling continued unabated. Schlichter often stole and conned money from friends and strangers when he ran low on funds to support his gambling. Ms. Garcia has no doubt Gonzalez targeted her in order to get at her money, which she won for injuries suffered in the Aug. 2, 1985, crash of Delta Flight 191 in Dallas that killed 137. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Anita Barney is a widow of the former CEO of Wendy's. His aunt, Marie Hamm, was a longtime high school cheerleading sponsor at Ashland. Was she in love with him and did they have a romantic relationship? She was unaware that Art was a compulsive gambler, using her money to nurture his habit. Phil last month and believes shes remorseful. He promised to repay her with proceeds from his book. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. [25] Even then, his gambling continued unabated; at various points in the 1992 season, there were police waiting for Schlichter in the dressing room. Material things dont mean that much to me anymore, Barney said. Robert L. Barney, one of the chief architects of the Wendys hamburger chain, died of cancer Thursday I also lost my family and friends, says Anita Barney, who was married to the CEO of the fast-food chain Wendys. In 2015, Barney published a book, Quarterback Sneak, recounting her experiences with Schlichter. [21], Schlichter said years later that he was distracted for much of his NFL career. In 2009, after Barney re-introduced herself at one of his church talks, Schlichter asked for a $10,000 loan to buy a car to visit his daughters in Indiana. Becki has lived through the worst nightmare a parent could ever h Anita Barney, widow of the former CEO for Wendy's restaurant, is the only child of an alcoholic father, a victim of physical and emo "When the pain of staying in debt is greater than the pain of changing your spending - that is when you will make a change." in Westerville, Ohio. According to his father, Max, Hayes was so enthralled with Art that he was willing to jettison his "three yards and a cloud of dust" offense and throw as many as 25 times a game if he signed with the Buckeyes. [10] As it turned out, he lost a significant amount of money over the spring and summer while playing golf and wrote one of his golfing partners a check for $2,000. She avoided prison but was ordered to pay $427,000 to 19 victims. Witnesses reported seeing the plane fly low over the area before the crash. High 53F. [2], Schlichter later said that he hit rock bottom in 2004, after he was caught gambling in prison and placed in solitary confinement. She had every reason to TRUST him. In 2009, after Barney re-introduced [14], After spending 1987 out of football, Schlichter signed a contract with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1988. After the game, they took off in a Caradori's single engine Piper Saratoga airplane from Chicago's Midway airport, at almost 2 AM the following morning, July 11, for the flight back to their home in Nebraska. "My stom Lindsay Gibson is a writer, speaker and Joy Coach. He also rushed for 1,303 yards and 35 touchdowns. Anita claims when Schlichter first asked her to borrow money, he asked for $10,000 so he could buy a car to visit his estranged daughters. Soon after, Schlichter asked for $100,000 to pay off gambling debts and help other gambling addicts. Material things dont mean that much to me anymore, Barney said. Schlichters blustery and vulgar demands were captured on recordings made by investigators. [31][1][2] Protective equipment (especially helmets) was inferior during much of Schlichter's high school, collegiate and NFL days. Cloudflare Ray ID: 78b6ee63e867200c In 1981, sports writer Ritter Collett published a biography of Schlichter, Straight Arrow. On the morning of Nov. 3, Gary drove 60 miles from his home south of Dayton, Ohio, to Union City. 131K views 5 years ago Plot: Barney, Abby, Marcella, and Cody Land the plane on the ground after catching the Magical colorful egg, and they blew up by crashing into a BIG HUGE Even as cancer claimed her husband's life, Bob ensured his wife was financially secure and left her with chilling advice, Dont let a man take all of your money.. Others were running on fumes or undermined by mechanical problems. In November 2009, she connected with former Ohio State University star quarterback Art Schlichter to thank him for changing the course of her son's life. But her story does not end there. Her accusers are demanding justice and hoping for revenge. Now 74 and living off Social Security after surviving breast cancer, Barney is trying to publicly rebuild her reputation. Barneys story would be better if she acknowledged she evolved from victim to co-conspirator, Nolder said. He was the last starting quarterback for legendary Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes. The FAA and NTSB continue to investigate. [19] In 2007, Charles Robinson of Yahoo! After losing $20,000 in the first week of the strike, he doubled up the next week and lost againstarting a cycle that would continue for over a year. Barney, the widow of a former Wendys CEO, was accustomed to helping people. But that was the best place in the world back then. Stories of Ordinary People Who Have Experienced the Extraordinary. [14] During that time, he also had his public defender, Linda Wagoner, smuggle a cell phone into the Marion County, Indiana jail so he could place bets. [9], In parts of three seasons, Schlichter played only 13 games, primarily in backup or "mop-up" roles. A plane that departed from Pembroke, Ont., and crashed in rural Maine on Monday killed three members of a family from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., according to police. [1], On February 9, 2011, reports emerged that Schlichter was under investigation for fraud. He'd passed most of the checks at Treasure Island. [10] By the end of the strike, he had at least $700,000 in gambling debts. Art Schlichter gambled away her entire fortune. His lawyers had attempted to get the remainder of his sentence waived for health reasons. Anita Barneys husband, Bob Barney was the former CEO of Wendys. Noe, 72, accompanied Barney to a taping of Dr. Corby recalled that in that year, Schlichter suggested that he had connections to get Buckeye basketball tickets. The aircraft lost control and crashed shortly after lift-off. Further, Anitas late child, Alan Vatko, had been severely harmed in a 1981 plane accident that killed his dad and three others. Becki Reiser is an author of Through My Tears - Awash in Forgiveness. [1], Schlichter founded a non-profit organization, Gambling Prevention Awareness, to educate others about the perils of compulsive gambling, including college and NFL players. She eventually got a reverse mortgage on her house for $185,000, she claims at Schlichters request, and says she didnt keep any of the money for herself. Now 74 and living off Social Security after surviving breast cancer, Barney is trying to publicly rebuild her reputation. [27][14], He was released from prison on June 16, 2006, and resided with his mother in Washington Court House, Ohio. In his four years as a Buckeye, 1978 through 1981, Schlichter tallied 7,547 passing yards and 50 touchdown passes, with 46 interceptions. Her son, Alan Vatko, had been gravely injured in a 1981 plane crash that killed his father and three others; Barney believed that Alan's recovery was due in large part to Schlichter visiting his bedside. Barney Curley, one of the most colourful characters in horse racing, has died aged 81. Kutner also had doubts, knowing about Schlichter's penchant for gambling. Schlichter played for the Detroit Drive of the Arena Football League (AFL) in 1990 and 1991, where he was named MVP in the former en route to winning ArenaBowl IV. I ditched mine and wore his. How to Take Control of Your Money Instead of Your Money Controlling You, Life Gives Second Chances - She's Still Alive, You Have the Potential of Learning to Love Yourself, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. [35] Brown added that he was sympathetic to Schlichter's health concerns, and would have been more than willing to grant an early release if there was any evidence of remorse. [31] Barney admitted her role in the scheme, and cooperated with prosecutors and law enforcement to bring Schlichter down. He threw 202 passes and completed 91 of them. But even as he railed against casinos during church appearances, he was racking up new gambling debts. However, Brown said, Schlichter had "demonstrated over and over" that he could not be trusted. Barneys story would be better if she acknowledged she evolved from victim to co-conspirator, Nolder said. He admitted suffering a relapse, but the Rockers were willing to stand by him. Soon after, Schlichter asked for $100,000 to pay off gambling debts and help other gambling addicts. Anita Barney claims that former Ohio State and NFL quarterback Art Schlichter duped her out of millions and forced her to scam her friends and employees out of $500,000. More requests followed, with Schlichter enlisting her in what he said was a money-making investment involving the buying and selling of college football, NFL and Super Bowl tickets. He would Your IP: I also lost my family and friends, says Anita Barney, who was married to the CEO of the fast-food chain Wendys. But even as he railed against casinos during church appearances, he was racking up new gambling debts. An Ashland man who at one time was the chairman of the board for the worlds third-largest food chain died Thursday in Columbus, Ohio. "On the day he died, he surfed in the morning and flew in the afternoon.". The family planned to make a public statement when he returns from Florida in the next few days. [10] The league suspended him indefinitely but Commissioner Pete Rozelle reduced the suspension to 13 months after Schlichter agreed to seek treatment. He also passed bad checks, as casinos still accepted personal checks when he started gambling. Over the next two-plus years, Schlichter conned over a million dollars out of Barney, nearly depleting her fortune. CALABASAS, Calif. (KABC) -- The wife and mother of a Calabasas father and son killed in a single-engine plane crash in Ventura County Sunday confirmed the identities of the two victims. But she says she was quickly writing him checks for $25,000 to $30,000 and then $100,000. All rights reserved. Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. Most of my family has moved up here in Ohio. As a result. He went through a messy break-up with his girlfriend before his rookie season and the ensuing depression led him to gamble more. Even during his CFL and Arena League days, head injuries were just considered part of the game. The coroner also independently released the victims' names. Sports named Schlichter the worst #4 pick since the AFL-NFL merger, writing that Colts fans long felt chagrin that Jim McMahon was taken by the Chicago Bears with the very next pick. If I tell you, I have to kill you. Anita says this left her afraid to tell anyone of the situation because of the possible repercussions from Schlichter. In the video above, she tells Dr. Phil about her personal relationship with Schlichter and addresses the accusations that she was really behind the scam. Among them: Sue Noe, the Barneys former cleaning woman who with her husband drained a home equity loan to give Barney $85,000 none of which shes ever gotten back. [1], By late 2010, Schlichter sensed he was nearing the end of his tether. Also rushed for 1,303 yards and 35 touchdowns during his CFL and Arena league days head! Starting quarterback for legendary Buckeyes Coach Woody Hayes graduating high school cheerleading at... 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