Alan Page facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alan Page
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Alan Page in 2020
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| Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court | |||||||||||||
| In office January 4, 1993 – August 31, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Lawrence R. Yetka | ||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Natalie Hudson | ||||||||||||
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| Born |
Alan Cedric Page
August 7, 1945 Canton, Ohio, U.S. |
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| Spouse |
Diane Sims Page
(m. 1973; |
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| Children | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Education | University of Notre Dame (BA) University of Minnesota (JD) |
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| Profession |
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| Awards | .svg){kind=small} Presidential Medal of Freedom (2018) |
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Football career |
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Page in 1969
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| No. 88, 82 | |||||||||||||
| Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 245 lb (111 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Central Catholic (Canton, Ohio) |
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| College: | Notre Dame (1964–1966) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1967 / Round: 1 / Pick: 15 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Alan Cedric Page (born August 7, 1945) is a famous American who was both a professional football player and a judge. He played for the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears. In 1971, he was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player (MVP). Later, he became an associate justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court. In 2018, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a very high award in the U.S.
Page played college football at the University of Notre Dame. He became well-known as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played for 15 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears. After his football career, he studied law. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Notre Dame in 1967. In 1978, he earned a law degree (Juris Doctor) from the University of Minnesota Law School. He served as a judge on the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1993 until 2015. He retired when he reached the court's required retirement age of 70.
Alan Page was the first defensive player in NFL history to win the MVP Award. Only one other defensive player, Lawrence Taylor, has won it since. He is in both the College Football Hall of Fame (1993) and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1988). Many people think he is one of the best defensive linemen ever.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alan Page was born and grew up in Canton, Ohio. His parents taught him that education was very important. They also taught him to always do his best. His mother passed away when he was 13 years old. Page said he wanted to be a lawyer even when he was a child.
He graduated from Canton Central Catholic High School in 1963. He was a star in several sports, especially football. He even worked on the team that built the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Years later, he would be honored there himself.
College Football Career
After high school, Page played college football at the University of Notre Dame. In his final year, he helped the Fighting Irish win a national championship in 1966. He was also named an All-American.
In 1993, he was added to the College Football Hall of Fame. He received several awards for his achievements after college. These included the Silver Anniversary Awards (NCAA) in 1992. He also got the National Football Foundation Distinguished American Award in 2005.
Professional Football Career
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The Minnesota Vikings chose Alan Page in the first round of the 1967 NFL/AFL draft. He was the 15th player picked overall. He played for the Vikings for 11 seasons, until 1977. He was one of 11 Vikings players who played in all four Super Bowls the team reached. These were IV, VIII, IX, and XI. In 1978, he joined the Chicago Bears. He played for them for four seasons. During his time with the Bears, he made 40 more sacks.
As a defensive tackle, Page had a unique way of standing. He put his left hand on the ground instead of his right. During his 15 years playing, the Vikings won four conference titles. They also won one league championship. Page was part of the Vikings' "Purple People Eaters." This was a strong defensive line that was good at tackling the quarterback. Page played in 218 games in a row without missing any. He recovered 22 fumbles and made 148.5 sacks. He also scored three touchdowns. He recorded three safeties, which is the second most in NFL history. He also blocked 23 kicks. In 1976, he had a career-high of 18 sacks.
While in the NFL, Page was named All-Pro six times. He was also voted to nine Pro Bowls in a row. In 1971, Page was named the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He was also named the AP's NFL Most Valuable Player. He was the first defensive player to ever win the MVP award. In 2019, Page was chosen for the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. In 1988, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Life After Football
Broadcasting and Legal Career
After his football career, Alan Page worked in media for a short time. He was a commentator for college football games on TBS in 1982. He also worked for National Public Radio from 1982 to 1983.
Even while playing football, Page was preparing for his future as a judge. He went to the University of Minnesota Law School. He earned his law degree in 1978. After graduating, he worked at a law firm in Minneapolis. In 1985, he became a Special Assistant Attorney General. Soon after, he was promoted to Assistant Attorney General.
In 1992, Page was elected as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. He was the first African-American person to serve on that court. He was reelected several times. He served until 2015, when he reached the mandatory retirement age for judges.
Community Work and Other Activities
Alan Page was married to Diane Sims Page from 1973 until her death in 2018. They had four children. Page is a Catholic.
In 1988, Alan and Diane Page started the Page Education Foundation. This foundation helps students of color with money and mentors. In return, the students promise to volunteer in their communities. The foundation has helped over 7,500 students. These students have given more than 475,000 hours of their time to help young children.
Alan Page and his daughter Kamie Page have written four children's books:
- Alan and His Perfectly Pointy Impossibly Perpendicular Pinky (2013)
- The Invisible You (2014)
- Grandpa Alan's Sugar Shack (2017)
- Bee Love (Can Be Hard) (2020)
The money from these books helps support the Page Education Foundation.
Page loves running and runs regularly. In 1979, he was the first active NFL player to finish a marathon. His running routine was believed to be a reason he was dismissed from the Minnesota Vikings. He ran 35–40 miles a week during the season. This caused his weight to drop below what the Vikings wanted.
The Pages also created the Diane and Alan Page Collection. This is a large collection of American history items. It includes items related to Jim Crow laws. In 2012, Page appeared on PBS's Antiques Roadshow. He showed an 1865 banner honoring Abraham Lincoln. In 2018, this banner and other items were shown in an exhibit called 'Testify'.
In June 2017, a middle school in Minneapolis was renamed Justice Page Middle School. This happened after students at the school started a campaign. In January 2020, Page and Neel Kashkari suggested changing part of the Minnesota Constitution. They wanted it to say that all children have a right to a good education. In October 2020, a new elementary school was named Justice Alan Page Elementary School. It is set to open in September 2022.
Awards and Recognition
Alan Page has received many honors for his work. He has been given several honorary doctorates from different universities. These include Macalester College, University of Notre Dame, and Duke University. He is also a member of many professional organizations. These include the American Law Institute and the Minnesota State Bar Association.
See Also
In Spanish: Alan Page para niños
- List of consecutive starts by National Football League players
- Purple People Eaters
- List of African-American jurists
- List of American professional sports figures who held elective office
- List of first minority male lawyers and judges in Minnesota
