Pito Villanon
Encyclopedia
Pito Villanon was a Cuban football (soccer)
player who spent eleven seasons with Brookhattan
in the American Soccer League
. At the time, he was one of a handful of black professional atheletes, playing in an integrated American sports league. He is reputedly the first black player in the American Soccer League.
During his eleven seasons in the ASL, Villanon led the league in scoring twice (1948-49, 1952-53). He was also the 1952-53 ASL MVP. In 1948, Villanon and his teammates finished runner-up in the Open Cup. They also finished runner-up in league play in 1954.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player who spent eleven seasons with Brookhattan
Brookhattan
New York Brookhattan was an American soccer club based in New York, New York that was a member of the professional American Soccer League. The club joined the ASL for its final season....
in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. At the time, he was one of a handful of black professional atheletes, playing in an integrated American sports league. He is reputedly the first black player in the American Soccer League.
During his eleven seasons in the ASL, Villanon led the league in scoring twice (1948-49, 1952-53). He was also the 1952-53 ASL MVP. In 1948, Villanon and his teammates finished runner-up in the Open Cup. They also finished runner-up in league play in 1954.