 Leon
Burton
1990 Greater Flint
Afro-American Hall of Fame Inductee
Category: MULTIPLE SPORTS
Daughters: Lynea, Nicole
Sons: Gary, Pierre
Leon was a two sports star at Flint Northern. In football he earned
honors on the Michigan All State team, an All Valley halfback while
leading Northern to a Saginaw Valley Championship, scoring ten touchdowns
and rushing for 1,020 yards. That spring in track he set the city meet
record and the Dort Field record in the 180 yard low hurdles with a
20.5. In the state track meet Leon won the 180 yard low hurdles in
a record time of 19.1, which at that time was .2 tenths off the national
record. In the 1953 Central Michigan Indoor Meet he turned in a record
time of 6.2 in the 60 yard dash.
An automobile accident almost ended Leon's career in 1954, however,
he recovered and in 1955 enrolled at Arizona State University. In his
freshman year he was voted Freshman of the Year in the Border Conference.
He set an Arizona freshman record, of 694 yards and 10 touchdowns (average
carry of 10.2 yards). He was injured as a sophomore, yet scored five
touchdowns. In his junior year, 1957, the Flint Flyer turned up the
jets. Leon became the first football player from Flint to lead the
nation in rushing, 1,151 yards, best rushing average of 9.62 per carry
and lead the nation in scoring 96 points. He set Arizona State single
rushing record gaining 243 yards in six carries against Hardin-Simmons.
In 1957 Leon scored 16 touchdowns, five of those 16 touchdowns were
75 yards or more. He also was named to the All Border Conference Team
in 1957.
In track at Arizona State he holds the 100 yard dash record 9.5 (1957),
and the Border Conference 100 yard dash record 9.6 (1955). Between
1955-58, Leon scored 42 touchdowns at Arizona State and a career rushing
average of 8.03, is second in NCAA history (1955-1958).
He played in post season games, Copper Bowl, All American Bowl and
East-West Shrine Game in 1958.
As a professional football player Leon led the American Football League
in kick-off returns as a N.Y. Titan with a 28.4 average return gaining
809 yards.
Drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, eighth draft choice, he was cut
because of his size. Leon went to Canada for one year then came back
to play for the N.Y. Titans in 1960-61. After the Titans he played
with the Grand Rapids Jets in the United Football League
Leon was inducted into the Arizona State Sports Hall of Fame in 1978,
and the Greater Flint Hall of Fame in 1987.
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