Jim Pace

Infobox NFLretired


width=
caption=
position=
number=
birthdate=birth date|1936|1|1
deathdate=death date and age|1983|3|4|1936|1|1
debutyear=1958
finalyear=1958
draftyear=1958
draftround=1
draftpick=8
college=Michigan
teams=San Francisco 49ers (1958)
stat1label=Rushes
stat1value=52
stat2label=Yards
stat2value=161
stat3label=Touchdowns
stat3value=2
pfr=
dbf=PACEJIM01
highlights=
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
HOF=
CollegeHOF=

James Edward Pace (January 1 1936 - March 4 1983) was an American running back in the National Football League. He was also an All-American halfback who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines teams from 1955 to 1957.

Youth

Although he was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, [cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/players/jamespace/careerstats?id=PAC138430|title=All-Time Player: James Pace|accessdate=2007-11-27|date=|publisher=NFL Enterprises LLC] Pace was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He played sandlot football with Terry Barr. In high school, Pace was a football and track star from 1950-54. In track he ran a time of a 9.6 seconds in the 100 yard dash at Dunbar High School.

College

Pace was named the Most Valuable Player on the Michigan Wolverines in 1957, [cite web|url=http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1957fbt.htm|title=1957 Football Team|publisher=The Regents of the University of Michigan|accessdate=2007-11-27|date=2007-03-31] and he was awarded the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Most Valuable Player in the Big Ten Conference. [cite web|url=http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/showcase/cs-silverfootballawardwinners,0,3252130.htmlstory?coll=cs-home-headlines|title=Tribune Silver Football winners, 1924-2005|publisher=The Chicago Tribune|accessdate=2007-11-27|date=2007] He also ran track at Michigan and won the Big Ten 60-yard indoor dash title.cite web|url=http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fballam/aapacej.htm|title=University of Michigan Football All-American: James Pace|accessdate=2007-11-27|date=2007-02-10|publisher=The Regents of the University of Michigan] In 1957, he scored ten touchdowns - seven rushing, two receiving, and one punt return. He accumulated almost 800 yards of total offense in 1957 (664 rushing, 122 receiving and 98 on punt returns) and averaged 5.4 yards per carry rushing. In the 1957 Michigan-Ohio State game, Pace rushed for 164 yards and caught a 14-yard pass, [cite web|url=http://stats.ath.umich.edu/football/gametot.php?gkey=81|title=Versus Ohio State November 23, 1957|publisher=Versus Ohio State November 23, 1957|accessdate=2007-11-27|date=2003] which was at that time the Michigan record for rushing yards against Ohio State. Pace played in the 1957 East-West Shrine Game. Pace was one of the first African American football stars at the University of Michigan.

Professional career

Pace was the eighth pick in the first round of the 1958 NFL Draft. [cite web|url=http://www.databasefootball.com/draft/draftyear.htm?yr=1958&lg=NFL|title=1958 NFL Player Draft|publisher=databaseSports.com|work=databaseFootball.com|accessdate=2007-11-27|date=2006] but played just one season for the San Francisco 49ers. He later played for the Hamilton Tigercats of the Canadian Football League before retiring in 1963.cite web|url=http://www.arksportshalloffame.org/lists.php/mode/details/id/145|title=Jim Pace|publisher=Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame|accessdate=2007-11-27|date=2002]

After retiring from football, Pace was an AFL administrative assistant from 1964-66, an Oakland football scout, an actor in TV commercials and a school administrator in Los Angeles. He died at age 47 in Culver City, California.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.nfl.com/players/jamespace/careerstats?id=PAC138430 NFL.com player page]