Football Professional Football Player and Supreme Court Justice

Jenson71 · 03-10-2011, 10:42 AM

Imagine Priest Holmes goes to law school, graduates first in his class, and eventually becomes one of the Justices on the United States Supreme Court.

That's kind of what happened with Byron White. I had no idea of this guy until five minutes ago.

From his wiki:

"In three NFL seasons, he played in 33 games. He led the league in rushing yards in 1938 and 1940, and he was one of the first "big money" NFL players, making $15,000 a year. His career was cut short when he entered the United States Navy during World War II; after the war, he elected to attend law school rather than return to football. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.

. . .

After World War II, he attended Yale Law School, graduating magna cum laude in 1946.

. . .

Acquiring renown within the Kennedy Administration for his humble manner and sharp mind, he was appointed by Kennedy in 1962 to succeed Justice Charles Evans Whittaker, who retired for disability. Kennedy said at the time: "He has excelled at everything. And I know that he will excel on the highest court in the land."

. . .

White disliked the politics of Supreme Court appointments. During his interviews for clerks, he mostly wished to discuss football, not legal philosophies; at one point, he turned down future Justice Samuel Alito for a clerkship. He retired in 1993, during Bill Clinton's presidency, saying that "someone else should be permitted to have a like experience."

siberian khatru · 03-10-2011, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenson71

That's kind of what happened with Byron White. I had no idea of this guy until five minutes ago.

I feel really old now. Oh, and a lot smarter.

tooge · 03-10-2011, 11:31 AM

he played in 33 games and got into the hall of fame, and Otis Taylor isn't in? WTF?

Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan · 03-10-2011, 11:36 AM

Byron "Whizzer" White was elected to the College Hall of Fame, not the NFL HoF.

Amnorix · 03-10-2011, 11:40 AM

Yep, Whizzer White. Fairly conservative justice despite being appointed by JFK. He wrote the stupid Bowers decision (upholding anti-sodomy laws in Georgia -- a decision 5-4, that majority justice Powell later said was the worst of his career).

Skyy God · 03-10-2011, 11:41 AM

Could he bench 225?

Amnorix · 03-10-2011, 11:41 AM

Oh, and one of only two dissenters in Roe v. Wade (along with Rehnquist, who was not CJ at that time).

mnchiefsguy · 03-10-2011, 11:44 AM

Alan Page from the Vikings was a Minnesota Supreme Court Justice in the 1990's.

03-10-2011, 10:42 AM	Topic Starter
Jenson71 fides quaerens intellectum Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: United States Casino cash: $8330900	Professional Football Player and Supreme Court Justice Imagine Priest Holmes goes to law school, graduates first in his class, and eventually becomes one of the Justices on the United States Supreme Court. That's kind of what happened with Byron White. I had no idea of this guy until five minutes ago. From his wiki: "In three NFL seasons, he played in 33 games. He led the league in rushing yards in 1938 and 1940, and he was one of the first "big money" NFL players, making $15,000 a year. His career was cut short when he entered the United States Navy during World War II; after the war, he elected to attend law school rather than return to football. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954. . . . After World War II, he attended Yale Law School, graduating magna cum laude in 1946. . . . Acquiring renown within the Kennedy Administration for his humble manner and sharp mind, he was appointed by Kennedy in 1962 to succeed Justice Charles Evans Whittaker, who retired for disability. Kennedy said at the time: "He has excelled at everything. And I know that he will excel on the highest court in the land." . . . White disliked the politics of Supreme Court appointments. During his interviews for clerks, he mostly wished to discuss football, not legal philosophies; at one point, he turned down future Justice Samuel Alito for a clerkship. He retired in 1993, during Bill Clinton's presidency, saying that "someone else should be permitted to have a like experience."
Posts: 15,986

03-10-2011, 11:31 AM	#3
tooge MVP Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Liberty, MO Casino cash: $774112	he played in 33 games and got into the hall of fame, and Otis Taylor isn't in? WTF?
Posts: 17,149

03-10-2011, 11:36 AM	#4
Misplaced_Chiefs_Fan I am Number Six Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Columbia, MD, USA Casino cash: $-1360000	Byron "Whizzer" White was elected to the College Hall of Fame, not the NFL HoF. __________________ One of the lowest PPD of any of the original members of the Planet . . . and proud of it. My web site My writer's page
Posts: 6,716

03-10-2011, 11:40 AM	#5
Amnorix In BB I trust Join Date: May 2003 Location: Boston, Mass. Casino cash: $10029808	Yep, Whizzer White. Fairly conservative justice despite being appointed by JFK. He wrote the stupid Bowers decision (upholding anti-sodomy laws in Georgia -- a decision 5-4, that majority justice Powell later said was the worst of his career). __________________ "I love signature blocks on the Internet. I get to put whatever the hell I want in quotes, pick a pretend author, and bang, it's like he really said it." George Washington
Posts: 43,125

03-10-2011, 11:41 AM	#6
Skyy God 11-5, baby Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Livin the dream Casino cash: $2191557	Could he bench 225?
Posts: 22,416

03-10-2011, 11:44 AM	#8
mnchiefsguy MVP Join Date: Dec 2003 Casino cash: $1256206	Alan Page from the Vikings was a Minnesota Supreme Court Justice in the 1990's.
Posts: 10,336