Growing up in Ohio my first memories of college football are of watching Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter as he lead the Buckeyes from 1978 to 1981. He was the last starting quarterback for legendary Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes, and was in the lineup when Hayes' infamous punch of Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman in the 1978 Gator Bowl effectively ending Hayes’ coaching career. Art was an All-American with a Rose Bowl appearance, two Big Ten championships and his last three years in college he finished in the top 10 of the Heisman balloting, but he had a secret problem with gambling that wouldn’t remain a secret much longer. Parts of his story are well publicized, but now the untold details are coming out in the new book Busted “The Rise & Fall of Art Schlichter” that he wrote with Jeff Snook. Schlichter’s gambling addiction led to bouncing checks, unpaid debts and serving time in 44 prisons over the course of nearly 11 years from 1995 to 2006. Nearly a quarter of his life has been spent in jail and I recently had the opportunity to meet Art, listen to his story and even ask about signing autographs while in prison.
As I was playing high school football, I followed Schlichter as he was playing for the Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts who picked him # 4 overall in the 1982 NFL draft. The records he set in the NFL were off the field and his numbers were incredible as he blew his signing bonus by mid-season, lost $120,000 in two days and lost $1.5 million dollars gambling by the time he was in his mid-30’s. His habit eventually cost him his marriage and separated him from his two young daughters as his wife Mitzi left him in 1994 after FBI agents raided their home in Las Vegas in search of money that he'd stolen. According to his wife, Schlichter had gambled the money away. Now very open about his addiction he speaks frankly about the good and the bad in hopes of helping others and in trying to right some of the wrongs in his life. He shared that he has told his daughters “I’m not a bad person, I’ve just done some bad things.”
By the time I was in college Schlichter had completed his careers in the NFL, Canadian Football League and was playing for the Cincinnati Rockers of the Arena Football League. It was during that timeframe that he visited the store that I worked at and reportedly added to his list of legal problems by writing a bad check. He hit rock bottom in 2004, after he was caught gambling in prison and the indiscretion cost him 4-months in solitary confinement. All of the alone time took his sanity to the brink, including thoughts of suicide. His father had taken his own life in 2002 and Art seemed prepared to follow, until he was eventually released from prison. He sold many of his prized possessions including two Big Ten championship rings, a Rose Bowl ring, bowl watches and trophies to a Cincinnati restaurant owner with the understanding the they not be sold and Art would buy them back when he had the money. In 2005, the restaurant burned to the ground killing the owner’s father and destroying all of Art’s past prized possessions.
When I read that Art Schlichter would be appearing to sign his new book I knew that it was finally time to meet him. He answered questions and told stories for 45 minutes prior to his signing. His story was as sad and moving as any that I have heard and I could walk away only feeling blessed and appreciative that I have not had to live through what he has. It further illustrates that we need to be very careful of who we idolize and why, because things often are not as they seem.
Schlichter is not the first celebrity to end up behind bars and he won’t be the last. I was apprehensive to ask him questions about signing autographs in prison, but I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by and here is what he told me:

Q: Did you get fan mail in prison?
A: Yes, I wouldn’t call it fan mail, but I heard from fans.
Q: Did other people in prison or the guards ask you to sign autographs?
A: Yea sure, it happened all the time.
Q: Were you supposed to sign them?
A: Noo…, if you got caught they would throw you in the hole.(solitary confinement)

With the last question his face lit up and he had a gleam in his eye. He elaborated with energy “I was in prison with Riddick Bowe once. He would sign for anyone and he would end up in the hole.” Riddick Bowe was the 1988 boxing Super Heavyweight Olympic Silver medalist who did time for several charges including kidnapping. He went on to imply that Bowe may have taken one too many punches and in his book he states “He was a very nice guy” and “I could tell that all of those fights took a toll on him.” With that I asked him to sign my book and then sign the cover as well. I know that makes some hardcore book collectors cringe to have the cover signed, but for display purposes I have found it to be the best option. It also allows you to get two signatures for the price of one. Just the day before I received a signed Colts football card and Sports Illustrated through the mail from Schlichter, but nothing beats an in person experience.
Art Schlichter has experienced the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. In his effort to rebuild his life he now manages gamblingpreventionawareness.org and spends time trying to catch up with his daughters, that I could tell are the pride and joy of his life. He is a much sought after speaker on the subject of gambling awareness and he is still the same man that former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes called “the best to ever play for Ohio State.” A Schlichter signature like him is at times flowing, sometimes incomplete, seemingly complicated, and makes an interesting addition to any collection.