29:
303:(UPI). In a nine-game season, Villanueva led the 1954 Bruins in total offense with 886 yards—486 yards rushing and 400 yards passing. He also had 106 yards on punt returns, 80 yards on four kickoff returns, and 21 yards on two pass interceptions. He scored nine rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns and was considered "a clutch defender." He helped save UCLA's undefeated season with a pass deflection late in a 21–20 win over the
392:. Villanueva was a successful restaurateur for more than 40 years before turning over management to his son in the 1990s. He also founded a business that made and sold salsa, chips and tortillas. In March 2009, he was inducted into the British Columbia Restaurant Hall of Fame.
1266:
423:. He was known as the "El Toe-reador", led the NFL in punting in 1962, and led the Rams in scoring in 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1963. Interviewed in 1962, Danny Villanueva recalled playing football with Primo as a boy:
347:
Primo
Villanueva was and is an athlete, a great football player. But he was not always so. ... Ask Primo Villanueva about some of the boys he was raised with -- and be sure and ask him what athletics did for
702:
292:
177:
123:
1087:
1231:
695:
1276:
228:
where he gained recognition as the best athlete in
Imperial Valley prep sports history, after earning All-CIF honors for three straight years in three sports: football,
225:
213:
1271:
1080:
688:
145:
1256:
500:
1261:
1073:
1241:
296:
84:
1034:
929:
711:
339:
In
January 1955, the Southern California Council of Mexican-American Affairs honored Villanueva at its first testimonial dinner. At the time,
329:
138:
1251:
304:
249:
173:
1226:
149:
1024:
1119:
919:
829:
631:
134:
380:. After his first restaurant became a popular and successful Vancouver establishment, Villanueva opened additional restaurants in
729:
308:
1236:
1175:
1096:
288:
280:
180:
127:
1014:
999:
264:
72:
469:
Dick Hyland (October 31, 1954). "Villanueva Sparks Bruins to 27-6 Win: Calexico 1954 Rose BowlKid Bests Larson, Cal".
377:
192:
67:
389:
300:
1065:
557:"Bruin Statistics Dominated by Trio: Villanueva, Decker and Davenport Lead PCC Champions in Offensive Maneuvers".
1246:
405:
357:
257:
188:
504:
1221:
1139:
428:
272:
253:
54:
1216:
276:
209:
1185:
28:
537:
Jerry Crowe (November 6, 2006). "Crowe's Nest: These Bruins still savor 1954 as the benchmark".
489:"'El Toe-reador' Villanuevar Nears Rams Punting Record". Albuquerque Journal. December 7, 1962.
1019:
385:
313:
165:
317:
sports section read: "VILLANUEVA SPARKS BRUINS TO 27-6 WIN: Calexico Kid Bests Larson, Cal."
1114:
949:
416:
412:
381:
365:
169:
79:
1149:
1134:
989:
934:
814:
754:
325:
237:
217:
635:
427:
Danny says his mother used lo listen to their high school game on the radio hack home in
191:(CFL). After his football career ended, Villanueva became a successful restaurateur in
1129:
1039:
1004:
979:
969:
924:
809:
774:
744:
739:
734:
420:
284:
268:
1210:
1195:
1180:
1109:
1054:
1029:
939:
909:
874:
824:
799:
671:
307:. After he rushed for two touchdowns and passed for another in a UCLA victory over
1154:
1144:
1044:
994:
974:
904:
864:
859:
854:
844:
834:
784:
764:
333:
221:
451:
Dick Hyland (May 31, 1953). "Villanueva's Passes, Runs Spark Bruin Grid
Workout".
680:
1167:
1124:
1009:
984:
964:
959:
944:
914:
869:
794:
749:
361:
343:
columnist Dick Hyland pointed to
Villanueva as an example for the city's youth:
321:
620:"Lions Upset Esks Behind Villanueva". Winnipeg Fr ee Press. September 25, 1956.
360:(CFL) from 1955 to 1960. In September 1956, Villanueva took over as the Lions
1049:
954:
899:
884:
879:
849:
819:
789:
724:
279:
from 1952 to 1954 and was known as the "Calexico Kid". He was a member of the
229:
1190:
894:
889:
839:
352:
After graduating from UCLA, Villanueva played professional football for the
376:
In 1959, Villanueva opened a
Mexican restaurant, Primo's Mexican Grill, in
804:
779:
769:
353:
233:
224:
in 1916 and was granted immunity to enter the United States. He attended
184:
104:
320:
At the end of the 1954 season, Villanueva was selected to play in the
220:. He had eleven siblings, and his father, Primitivo, fought against
501:"Villanueva inducted to Hall of Fame - Imperial Valley Press Online"
1069:
684:
1267:
Players of
American football from Imperial County, California
248:
Villanueva accepted a football scholarship to play for the
1098:
1954 UCLA Bruins football—FWAA & UPI national champions
657:"Primo A Canuck Soon". Lethbridge Herald. March 11, 1960.
368:—breaking an eleven-game losing streak against Edmonton.
114:
100:
95:
90:
78:
66:
61:
38:
183:in total offense. He subsequently played for the
605:Dick Hyland (January 16, 1955). "Hyland Fling".
572:"Villanueva, Ray, Crow to Play in Senior Bowl".
208:Villanueva is a Mexican-American who grew up in
164:(born December 2, 1931) is an American former
1081:
696:
388:(1970), West Vancouver, North Vancouver, and
16:American gridiron football player (born 1931)
8:
1232:Players of Canadian football from California
21:
674:. British Columbia Restaurant Hall of Fame.
115:Career highlights and awards
1088:
1074:
1066:
703:
689:
681:
464:
462:
431:and lock them out when they played poorly.
27:
20:
1277:American sportspeople of Mexican descent
600:
598:
415:, was a punter and place-kicker for the
532:
530:
528:
526:
524:
522:
440:
404:reported that Villanueva was living in
666:
664:
1272:Sportspeople from Southern California
552:
550:
548:
484:
482:
480:
446:
444:
250:University of California, Los Angeles
174:University of California, Los Angeles
7:
634:. Vancouver Magazine. Archived from
364:and led BC to an 11–1 win over the
587:"Primo Villanueva to Be Honored".
14:
1257:People from Tucumcari, New Mexico
1262:People from Calexico, California
408:with his second wife, Phyllis.
1242:Canadian football quarterbacks
713:BC Lions starting quarterbacks
411:Villanueva's younger brother,
328:, and was named a second-team
181:1954 UCLA Bruins football team
1:
330:College Football All-American
252:(UCLA), over offers from the
1252:UCLA Bruins football players
176:(UCLA), leading the led the
1227:American football halfbacks
672:"Pioneer: Primo Villanueva"
378:Vancouver, British Columbia
193:Vancouver, British Columbia
1293:
301:United Press International
1105:
720:
226:Central Union High School
214:Central Union High School
119:
110:
26:
406:Surrey, British Columbia
358:Canadian Football League
258:Arizona State University
189:Canadian Football League
632:"Primo's Mexican Grill"
1237:American restaurateurs
433:
350:
311:, the headline in the
33:Villanueva, circa 1953
425:
345:
291:went 9–and was named
273:Henry Russell Sanders
254:University of Arizona
178:national championship
55:Tucumcari, New Mexico
576:. December 12, 1954.
561:. November 27, 1954.
507:on February 10, 2015
1186:George W. Dickerson
1174:Assistant coaches:
283:that played in the
168:player. He played
23:
591:. January 4, 1955.
305:Washington Huskies
293:national champions
263:Villanueva played
62:Career information
1204:
1203:
1063:
1062:
607:Los Angeles Times
589:Los Angeles Times
574:Los Angeles Times
559:Los Angeles Times
539:Los Angeles Times
471:Los Angeles Times
453:Los Angeles Times
402:Los Angeles Times
341:Los Angeles Times
314:Los Angeles Times
166:gridiron football
159:
158:
124:National champion
1284:
1247:BC Lions players
1160:Primo Villanueva
1115:Hardiman Cureton
1099:
1090:
1083:
1076:
1067:
714:
705:
698:
691:
682:
676:
675:
668:
659:
658:
654:
648:
647:
645:
643:
638:on July 16, 2011
628:
622:
621:
617:
611:
610:
602:
593:
592:
584:
578:
577:
569:
563:
562:
554:
543:
542:
534:
517:
516:
514:
512:
503:. Archived from
497:
491:
490:
486:
475:
474:
466:
457:
456:
448:
417:Los Angeles Rams
413:Danny Villanueva
400:As of 2006, the
366:Edmonton Eskimos
281:1953 Bruins team
236:)\. He also ran
216:in California's
170:college football
162:Primo Villanueva
52:
49:December 2, 1931
48:
46:
31:
24:
22:Primo Villanueva
1292:
1291:
1287:
1286:
1285:
1283:
1282:
1281:
1207:
1206:
1205:
1200:
1150:Gerry McDougall
1135:Bob Heydenfeldt
1101:
1097:
1094:
1064:
1059:
716:
712:
709:
679:
670:
669:
662:
656:
655:
651:
641:
639:
630:
629:
625:
619:
618:
614:
604:
603:
596:
586:
585:
581:
571:
570:
566:
556:
555:
546:
536:
535:
520:
510:
508:
499:
498:
494:
488:
487:
478:
468:
467:
460:
450:
449:
442:
438:
398:
374:
326:Mobile, Alabama
246:
244:Football player
218:Imperial Valley
206:
201:
155:
53:
50:
44:
42:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1290:
1288:
1280:
1279:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1209:
1208:
1202:
1201:
1199:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1171:
1170:
1163:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1130:Johnny Hermann
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1106:
1103:
1102:
1095:
1093:
1092:
1085:
1078:
1070:
1061:
1060:
1058:
1057:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
992:
987:
982:
977:
972:
967:
962:
957:
952:
947:
942:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
837:
832:
827:
822:
817:
812:
807:
802:
797:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
767:
762:
757:
752:
747:
742:
737:
732:
727:
721:
718:
717:
710:
708:
707:
700:
693:
685:
678:
677:
660:
649:
623:
612:
594:
579:
564:
544:
518:
492:
476:
458:
439:
437:
434:
421:Dallas Cowboys
397:
394:
373:
370:
285:1954 Rose Bowl
269:defensive back
245:
242:
205:
202:
200:
197:
157:
156:
154:
153:
142:
131:
120:
117:
116:
112:
111:
108:
107:
102:
98:
97:
93:
92:
91:Career history
88:
87:
82:
76:
75:
70:
64:
63:
59:
58:
40:
36:
35:
32:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1289:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1222:Living people
1220:
1218:
1215:
1214:
1212:
1197:
1196:Tommy Prothro
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1181:Deke Brackett
1179:
1177:
1173:
1172:
1169:
1165:
1164:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1120:Bob Davenport
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1110:Sam Boghosian
1108:
1107:
1104:
1100:
1091:
1086:
1084:
1079:
1077:
1072:
1071:
1068:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
991:
988:
986:
983:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
836:
833:
831:
828:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
748:
746:
743:
741:
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
726:
723:
722:
719:
715:
706:
701:
699:
694:
692:
687:
686:
683:
673:
667:
665:
661:
653:
650:
637:
633:
627:
624:
616:
613:
608:
601:
599:
595:
590:
583:
580:
575:
568:
565:
560:
553:
551:
549:
545:
540:
533:
531:
529:
527:
525:
523:
519:
506:
502:
496:
493:
485:
483:
481:
477:
472:
465:
463:
459:
454:
447:
445:
441:
435:
432:
430:
424:
422:
418:
414:
409:
407:
403:
395:
393:
391:
387:
383:
379:
371:
369:
367:
363:
359:
355:
349:
344:
342:
337:
335:
331:
327:
323:
318:
316:
315:
310:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
266:
261:
259:
255:
251:
243:
241:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
212:and attended
211:
203:
198:
196:
194:
190:
186:
182:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
151:
147:
143:
140:
136:
132:
129:
125:
122:
121:
118:
113:
109:
106:
103:
99:
94:
89:
86:
83:
81:
77:
74:
71:
69:
65:
60:
56:
51:(age 92)
41:
37:
30:
25:
19:
1166:Head coach:
1159:
1155:Don Shinnick
1145:Rommie Loudd
759:
652:
640:. Retrieved
636:the original
626:
615:
606:
588:
582:
573:
567:
558:
538:
509:. Retrieved
505:the original
495:
470:
452:
426:
410:
401:
399:
375:
372:Restaurateur
351:
346:
340:
338:
334:United Press
319:
312:
262:
247:
222:Pancho Villa
207:
161:
160:
135:All-American
133:Second-team
18:
1217:1931 births
1176:Bill Barnes
1168:Red Sanders
1125:Jack Ellena
362:quarterback
322:Senior Bowl
277:UCLA Bruins
144:First-team
68:Position(s)
1211:Categories
760:Villanueva
745:Clinkscale
436:References
271:for coach
230:basketball
204:Early life
45:1931-12-02
1191:Jim Myers
970:Dickenson
950:Caravatta
925:Kimbrough
815:Schichtle
800:Schloredt
785:R. Duncan
765:M. Duncan
755:Gustafson
735:Robillard
429:Tucumcari
289:1954 team
199:Biography
101:1955–1960
96:As player
1140:Bob Long
1055:Dolegala
1035:O'Connor
1020:Jennings
980:Printers
875:Keithley
835:Moorhead
830:Brothers
642:July 24,
390:Richmond
386:Edmonton
354:BC Lions
299:and the
287:and the
265:halfback
234:baseball
210:Calexico
185:BC Lions
105:BC Lions
73:Halfback
1025:O'Brien
1005:DeMarco
990:Jackson
940:McManus
935:Renfroe
930:Johnson
920:Barrett
905:Dunigan
865:Cassata
860:Sciarra
855:Guthrie
845:Douglas
810:Faloney
775:Herring
740:Galiffa
511:June 1,
382:Calgary
356:of the
332:by the
295:by the
187:in the
172:at the
146:All-PCC
80:College
1040:Pipkin
1030:Rourke
1000:Reilly
985:Pierce
965:Corbin
945:Austin
915:Flutie
910:Foggie
885:Dewalt
880:Paopao
825:Parker
795:Keeley
790:Walden
750:Teresa
730:Tuttle
396:Family
57:, U.S.
1050:Evans
1045:Adams
1010:Glenn
995:Lulay
960:Allen
900:Vavra
895:Cowan
870:Tagge
850:Liske
840:Bunce
820:Ohler
780:Dorow
725:Mazur
238:track
39:Born:
1015:Beck
975:Wynn
955:Ware
890:Nott
805:Kapp
770:Vann
644:2009
513:2013
419:and
348:him.
297:FWAA
267:and
256:and
150:1954
139:1954
128:1954
85:UCLA
324:in
309:Cal
275:'s
1213::
663:^
597:^
547:^
521:^
479:^
461:^
443:^
384:,
336:.
260:.
240:.
232:,
195:.
47:)
1089:e
1082:t
1075:v
704:e
697:t
690:v
646:.
609:.
541:.
515:.
473:.
455:.
152:)
148:(
141:)
137:(
130:)
126:(
43:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
