Art Schlichter: The Ohio State QB Whose Gambling Addiction Destroyed Everything I HoM Episode 18

From The Halls of Mediocrity · 59:07

Show by Kevin Hall & Jeff Hall | Archive Podcast Network

Content note: this episode covers gambling addiction, fraud, and substance abuse.He was a three-sport star who never lost a high school game, a Heisman Trophy finalist at Ohio State, and the No. 4 overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft. By midseason, he had reportedly spent his signing bonus. Kevin and Jeff Hall trace the story of Art Schlichter, one of the most documented gambling addiction cases in sports history.Inside this episode: Schlichter’s rise in Bloomingburg, Ohio, where he says his gambling started at the horse track at age 16, and his freshman year at Ohio State, which included the 1978 Gator Bowl interception that ended Woody Hayes’ career. Kevin and Jeff cover his college stats, his Baltimore Colts years, the 1983 FBI call, and the NFL suspension that followed.Then the long pattern: a failed comeback attempt, a 1987 illegal-betting arrest, his bans from the NFL and CFL, and the Arena Football years with the Detroit Drive, where Kevin and Jeff say the team worked hard to manage his finances. They also cover the bad checks and thefts that followed in the 1990s and 2000s, including the ticket-resale scheme federal prosecutors described in 2011, the victims who lost savings, and his 2012 federal sentence of 127 months.The episode closes with his release, his later arrests, and where the brothers think Schlichter belongs in the Halls of Mediocrity. It’s a hard story, and the brothers keep the focus on the court record and the people he hurt.If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, the National Problem Gambling Helpline is available at 1-800-GAMBLER.Support the show: our partnership with Fanatics is live. Shop team gear here: https://www.fanatics.com/hallsofmediocrity.Subscribe for new episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Part of the Archive Podcast Network.Find us:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Archive Podcast NetworkFollow along:X | TikTok | Facebook | Instagram | YouTubeMusic Credits:Intro Music: Music by Marching Music – Guide Right – by John Philip Sousa | Royalty-free Music – PixabayOutro Music: Music by Marching Music – The Thunderer – by John Philip Sousa | Royalty-free Music – Pixabay#ArtSchlichter #OhioStateFootball #GamblingAddiction #SportsGambling #BaltimoreColts #DetroitDrive #WoodyHayes #NFLHistory #TrueCrimeSports #SportsHistory #SportsPodcast #HallsOfMediocrity

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