Joseph Francis Perantoni (September 13, 1923 – September 11, 1991) was an

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

player who played at the

center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...

position. He played college football for

Princeton Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...

and professional football for the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

Early years

Perantoni was born in 1923 in

Raritan, New Jersey Raritan is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,835, its highest decennial census count ever and an ...

. He attended and played football at Somerville High School and then played at

Blair Academy Blair Academy is a coeducational, boarding and day school for students in high school. The school serves students from ninth through twelfth grades as well as a small post-graduate class. The school's campus is located on a campus in Blairst ...

after he graduated, both in New Jersey.

College football and military service

Perantoni attended

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

and played for the 1942 Princeton Tigers football team. He became the second freshman to gain a spot in Princeton's varsity lineup. His college career was interrupted by

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He was a pilot who flew B-24s in the United States Army Air Corps. Perantoni returned to Princeton after the ware and played for the 1946 and 1947 Princeton seasons. In October 1946, he was elected by his teammates as the team captain. At the end of the 1947 season, he received Princeton's top football award, the John Prentiss Poe Cup. Coach

Charlie Caldwell Charles William Caldwell (August 2, 1901 – November 1, 1957) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Williams College for 15 seasons between 1928 and 1944 and at Princeton U ...

called Perantoni "one of the finest football players I have seen in 22 years of coaching." He was also invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game in 1946.

Professional football

He played professional football in the

All-America Football Conference The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a major professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many ...

(AAFC) for the

during the

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

and 1949 seasons. He appeared in a total of 26 games for the Yankees. He was the first person from Raritan to play professional football. On November 28, 1948, the Yankees celebrated "Perantoni Day" at Yankee Stadium; he was presented with an automobile by fans as part of the celebration.

Family and later years

Perantoni was married in December 1946 to Madeline Harcarik. After his playing career ended, he went to work as an architect. In 1950, he was a founder of the firm of Shive, Spinelli and Perantoni in New Jersey. He remained with that firm as an active partner until 1979 and as a consultant until his death. In 1991, Perantoni died at age 67 in

Somerville, New Jersey Somerville is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in and the county seat of Somerset County, New Jersey, Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.1923 births 1991 deaths Blair Academy alumni New York Yankees (AAFC) players Princeton Tigers football players People from Raritan, New Jersey Sportspeople from Somerville, New Jersey Players of American football from Somerset County, New Jersey Somerville High School (New Jersey) alumni American football centers United States Army Air Forces bomber pilots of World War II Military personnel from Somerset County, New Jersey