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Article: World Cup provides stage for local soccer star Eddie Johnson: Former Flagler Palm Coast player Johnson looks to take game to inner cities.
- Article from:
- The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, FL)
- Article date:
- May 31, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 The Orlando Sentinel. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Josh Robbins
May 31--BUNNELL -- The neighborhood kids teased Eddie Johnson all the time. On Friday afternoons, Johnson would stand outside his home at 404 South Bacher St., clutching his soccer cleats, shin guards and water bottle, waiting for his coach to pull up in a Jeep Cherokee.
The white coach often dropped him off on Sunday nights, and Johnson almost always brought home a trophy. Other black children noticed.
"This is a white sport," they often chided him. "What are you doing on the soccer field? Going where your white friends are?" People don't taunt him anymore. Now 22, Johnson is about to complete a remarkable ...