Edward Pearson

The director of officials of the North American Soccer League. Pearson, who was born in England and had been an English FA referee, came to the United States in 1967 to referee games played by the National Professional Soccer League. One year later, after the merger that created the NASL, he was named the NASL’s chief referee and in 1973, became the league’s director of officials, a position he held until his death in 1978. Inducted in 1990.