Cowboys Lasso Page as Free Agent

Another page has entered the annals of Harvard's potential pro football prospects as Crimson cornerback Mike Page announced yesterday that he has signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent.

Page said that prior to this season he had been contacted by Cowboy scouts but had not heard from them throughout the fall. Then, on February 1, Page received a call from Cowboy scout Tom Shine saying he would be drafted sometime after the seventh round.

But the draft came and went and the Cowboys remained silent. Their rationale, Shine told Page after the draft, was that no one was drafting in the Ivies and they knew Page would be available as a free agent.

Page will report to Dallas next week for a three-day rookie orientation. "I'm really excited over it," he said. "Dallas secondary is getting on in years and although they drafted heavily in the defensive backfield it's still a great opportunity."

Harvard Coach Joe Restic said yesterday "The Cowboys liked Mike's ability to play the ball in the zone, his strong tackling game, and his overall aggressiveness.

Page's strongest effort this past season was in the Cornell game when he returned an interception 41 yards for a touchdown to spark a come-from-behind Crimson rally.

One convenient conflict Page must resolve is his intention to attend dental school. "I'm definitely going to dental school," he said. "I've already been accepted at three schools and I'm waiting to hear from some others."

The real test of rookie camp awaits him at the end of June in Thousand Oaks California. "Since being contacted by Dallas I've been working out regularly." Page said.