The only Spanish player present in the 'National Soccer Hall of Fame’ US

Professional football in the United States did not begin with MLS, even with the North American Soccer League, where he played the famous New York Cosmos Pele, Bild o Neeskens O Los Angeles Aztecs of Johan Cruyff and George Best. Many years ago, in 1921, He was born the first professional football league, the American Soccer League.

There, a young Spanish immigrant caused a furor in the early years of European football in the United States. Fabriciano Salcedo, Santander and natural born 28 May 1914, he was at fifteen to the United States of America, with her three younger siblings, Cecilio, Juan and Angel, and his parents. He became a professional footballer, although during some stages of his career he combined and completed salary football player with the job that the sponsors of the teams provided him, as it happened, for example, during his period in Manhattan Beer the Brookyn.

He played thirteen seasons in the professional league, and participated, previously, two in amateur competitions that Hispanic Americans and European immigrants organized in Brooklyn, on computers Segura Y Madrid Football Club, both formed mainly by Spanish and Italian immigrants. After his successful seasons as an amateur was signed by the Portuguese Victoria, professional team, which he highlights his powerful shot and his scoring.

That caught the attention of Duncan Othen, who convinced him to make the jump to the coaching team, one of the greats of the competition, the Brooklyn Hispano, getting an excellent contract that allowed him to live exclusively football, albeit modestly (charged 25 dollars a week, plus a premium in terms of goals scored). With this team managed to win the league title and Cup in the year 1943, repeating the cupbearer in 1944.

A new professional opportunity came with him Manhattan Beer de Brooklyn. An excellent record, of 500 dollars of the time, to which it was joined a job offer and a modern vehicle. And there the great Spanish striker went, getting the beer league team 1948. His career continued with a return to Brooklyn Hispano and passing through teams' minor’ As the Danish Americans and the Philadelphia.

It got to be three times top scorer in the American League, in the years 1939, 1941 Y 1946 And it is the only Spanish that is, on a short list, at “National Soccer Hall of fame”, place reserved for those big-name players, retired professionals who have played at least three seasons in the United States of America.

Beside him big names like Tony Meola, Carlos Valderrama, Mike Burns, Giorgio Chinaglia O Franz Beckenbauer, and women's teams world champions USA, They form a cast of the elite of international football. Among them there are some great players like himself Skin, since only he played two and a half seasons with the Cosmos, not reaching the minimum required. Fabri Salcedo, day by day, the only Spanish in the ‘Hall of Fame’, who knows if waiting for the withdrawal of the Asturian striker David Villa, that militated, with remarkable success, four courses in the New York City.