By Sterling McGinn
Newberry High School (NHS) alumnus and former Boston Patriots (now New England Patriots) guard Leonard St. Jean died Tuesday, May 27 at the age of 83.
St. Jean, who born in Newberry and lived in the McMillan area, graduated with the NHS Class of 1959 and was a three-year varsity football letter winner for NHS.
He continued his education at Northern Michigan University on a scholarship, where he earned National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics recognition and was an All-American Defensive End in 1963.
In 1964, he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers but ended up playing for the Boston Patriots.
During his career with the Patriots, St. Jean played 190 consecutive games including 140 regular season games.
According to his induction information from the NHS Athletic Hall of Fame, he ranked third all-time in consecutive regular season games played as a Patriot. He was an All-Pro selection in 1966 and was the 1776 Club Unsung Hero of the Year in 1966 and 1970.
Following his retirement from the Boston Patriots in 1973, St. Jean played two years for the New York Stars in the World Football League.
He’s still remembered locally. Each year, the “Len St. Jean” award is given as the highest honor during Newberry High School football awards. It’s been given to a top football player each year since 1970.
St. Jean was inducted into the Northern Michigan University Sports Hall of Fame in 1976, the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame in 1980 and the inaugural class of the NHS Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.
