Anaconda sports heroes: The Lazetich brothers

In honor of the football season looming around the corner, it felt right to pay homage to two of Anaconda’s Gridiron greats, the Lazetich brothers, Bill and Milan. 

William Valdemere “Bill” Lazetich was born in Anaconda in 1916 while America embroiled in the turmoil of the First World War. He was one of nine Lazetich children and grew up on his family’s farm in Anaconda. He attended Anaconda High School where he stared in both football and basketball and where he played on the AHS state title team that was dubbed “The Wonder Team.”

After his high school days, Bill advanced to Missoula where he would letter in three sports for the Griz. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the 16th round of the 1939 NFL Draft, however he would end up signing to play for the Rams, who at that time, were based out of Cleveland. Bill would end up seeing a little bit of playing time for the Rams in 1939 before spending 1940 and 1941 in Columbus playing for the Columbus Bullies after the Rams sent him to the minors.

Columbus would be the birthplace of his nickname “Wild Bill.” He obtained this nickname from a journalist in Columbus who depicted him in full football uniform, riding bareback on a horse. The Columbus publication referred to him as “Wild Bill who came in from Montana” and even poked a little bit of fun at the farm-raised boy by saying, “He slapped the horse on the rear end knowing it would run right back to Montana.” Bill was known to have had a humorous disdain for both the picture and the nickname.

The eldest Lazetich brother, he would play one final season for the Rams in 1942 right as the world’s landscape was changing. World War II had broken out across the globe and Bill would join up with the Marines. He saw heavy action in the Pacific and rose to the rank of captain. Bill also has the distinguished honor of being awarded with the Purple Heart, as he was wounded in the Battle of Okinawa. Bill would make it home from the bloody war and began a career in coaching. He spent 30-plus years at the helm of the Billings Senior Broncs football and basketball teams, where he would win a football championship in 1947 and basketball titles in 1960 and ’67. Bill passed away in November of 2009 at the age of 93.

If you were looking for the real “wild” character of the bunch, look no further than Bill’s younger brother Milan. 

Milan took a different path through his amateur days. He started his college days at the same place where his brother once roamed, playing for the Montana Grizzlies. He eventually enlisted to in fight World War II, and upon his return he worked as the Deputy Sheriff of Deer Lodge County where he gained his nickname “The Sheriff.” He would go on to finish his college career as an All-American for the mighty Michigan Wolverines. Milan was drafted 16th overall in the 1945 draft by the Rams and would be a key factor for the team’s offensive and defensive line, even helping the team win the 1945 NFL title. Milan was more than just a football player though, and it is the stories off the field that made him a folklore legend.

“He was a man’s man,” his nephew Pete has been quoted as saying, before revealing just how true that statement was: “One time a horse bit him in the back and he wheeled around with a quick forearm shot and dropped him like Mongo from Blazing Saddles.” 

If there ever was a story to summarize Milan Lazetich in a nutshell it would have to be the story of what would be the last party Rams owner Dan Reeves would ever host at his home. Tom Fears, Rams Hall of Fame running back, described it best: “Someone asked Lazetich to demonstrate his punting prowess. I don’t think he’d ever kicked a football before in his life. They dared him to boot the chocolate football, which was a big mistake because Laz wasn’t the kind of guy to take a dare lightly. He ambled out to the kitchen, plucked the football off the top of the fancy cake, brought it out in the front room and drove his toe into it with beautiful form and a perfect follow through. Cake, frosting was well distributed over the ceiling, walls, windows and drapes.”

Most importantly though, Milan was respected by all who knew him. Lazetich gave football one more shot in 1952 as he tried out for the Chicago Bears. George H. Halas, who was known as a notoriously cheap and unfavorable owner, had the utmost respect for Lazetich’s toughness when he tried out for the Bears with many injuries. Halas gave Lazetich $500 and a train ticket back to Montana, despite being cut from the team. 

Milan passed away young at the age of 47 in 1969.

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