Pelé‘s scores 1,000th goal in 1969

Today in Latin American history, Brazilian soccer star Pelé scored his 1,000th goal in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium in 1969. 

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pelé would go on to score 1,282 goals in a career that lasted 21 years and 3 World Cup wins.

Other events that occurred on this day:

Today in LatAm history, Christopher Columbus went ashore San Juan Bautista (later renamed Puerto Rico) in 1493

Today in LatAm history, Cuban chess player José Raúl Capablanca who was the world champion for 8 years was born in 1888

Today in LatAm history, Cuban baseball player Aurelio Monteagudo who pitched for the @Athletics was born in 1943

Today in LatAm history, explosions at the #PEMEX petroleum storage facility in Mexico City killing 500 people in 1984

Today in LatAm history, the oil tanker Prestige broke up spilling oil onto the beaches of Northwestern Spain in 2002