Cleveland "Cleve" Lewis (born November 1, 1955) is an American retired professional soccer player who was the first African American drafted by the North American Soccer League.

Career

Lewis was born November 1, 1955 in Birmingham, Alabama. Raised in Willingboro Township, New Jersey, he attended John F. Kennedy High School, scoring more than 100 goals in his high school career and earning all-state honors as a senior. Lewis was an

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

selection at

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , ...

and captain of the 1976

NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship The NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship is an annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III collegiate men's soccer in the United States. Messiah ...

winning team. He was named MVP of the championship final, scoring both goals, including the

golden goal The golden goal or golden point is a rule used in association football, lacrosse, field hockey, and ice hockey to decide the winner of a match (typically a knock-out match) in which scores are equal at the end of normal time. It is a type of sud ...

in double overtime. By the time he graduated he was the school's all-time leader in goals with 58. In January 1978 he was selected by the Soccer Bowl '77 champion,

Cosmos The cosmos (, ) is another name for the Universe. Using the word ''cosmos'' implies viewing the universe as a complex and orderly system or entity. The cosmos, and understandings of the reasons for its existence and significance, are studied in ...

in the first round of the NASL's 1978 college draft, but never played for them. Acquired by the

Memphis Rogues The Memphis Rogues were a professional soccer team in the former North American Soccer League. They operated in the 1978, 1979, and 1980 seasons and played their home games in Memphis' Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. They also played indoor ...

of the North American Soccer League, he appeared in three regular season matches for Memphis in 1978. He joined the New Jersey Americans of the American Soccer League in 1979. After a brief stay in the preseason camp of the

Houston Hurricane The Houston Hurricane was a soccer team based out of Houston that played in the NASL. They played from 1978 to 1980. Their home field was the Astrodome. Their colors were orange, white and red. History The team was the last of six expansion t ...

in 1980, Lewis decided to retire from professional soccer. In 1993 he was inducted into the Brandeis University Athletics Hall of Fame as an inaugural member.

Personal life

Lewis is the son of former U.S. hurdler

Evelyn Lawler Evelyn Lawler (born October 18, 1929) is a retired American track and field athlete. She competed for the United States in the 80 metres hurdles at the 1951 Pan American Games, finishing 6th. She is perhaps better known as the mother of (9 time ...

, and the older brother of U.S. Olympic gold medalist

Carl Lewis Frederick Carlton Lewis (born July 1, 1961) is an American former track and field athlete who won nine Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver medal, and 10 World Championships medals, including eight gold. His career spanned from 1979 to 1996 ...

, and U.S. Olympian

Carol Lewis Carol LeGrant Lewis (born August 8, 1963) is an American former track and field athlete who specialized in the long jump. She is the 1983 World Championship bronze medalist, and a 4-time US Champion. Her best long jump of 7.04 meters in 1985 is ...

. He was named after his mother's

Tuskegee University Tuskegee University (Tuskegee or TU), formerly known as the Tuskegee Institute, is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on Independence Day in 1881 by the state legislature. The campus was de ...

track and field coach, Cleveland Abbott.

References

External links

NASL stats
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Cleveland 1955 births Living people African-American soccer players American Soccer League (1933–1983) players New Jersey Americans (ASL) players Soccer players from Birmingham, Alabama Sportspeople from Burlington County, New Jersey Brandeis University alumni Memphis Rogues players North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players People from Willingboro Township, New Jersey Soccer players from New Jersey Willingboro High School alumni American soccer players Association football forwards