EDDIE POPE

   For those who want more of African American Contributions to Soccer [Football] in the United States [and to commemorate African American Month in America which is February 2008], I have decided to write about Eddie Pope who is one of the greatest humanitarians in US Soccer [Football]. 

On Christmas Eve 1973 in the town of Greensboro, North Carolina; Eddie Pope came into the world.  His beginnings were like any child in the USA; he started his sports career in Southwest Guilford High School and went on to play for the North Carolina Tarheels. He also earned his All American Award, All-ACC, and All South Regions Honours before being selected as a second pick in the MLS College Draft by DC United. 

During his MLS Career [which lasted from 1996 to 2007], he served as a Defender with teams such as DC United, Metro Stars, and Real Salt Lake. He also scored ten goals in two hundred and fifty five appearances. He is the recipient of awards such as the MLS Humanitarian of the Year, MLS Fair Play Award, and a place in the MLS Best XI.  

His participation with the United States Soccer [Football] Team from 1996 to 2006 was marked with participation in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the FIFA World Cup. He managed to score eight goals in eighty two appearances. Unfortunately during his participation in the 2006 World Cup, a referee unfairly handed him a red card during the USA VS Italy Game. With the red card, and without Eddie Pope, the USA was unable to play a decent game against Ghana [The Red Card against Pope and what transpired is my personal opinion]. 

In 2007, Eddie Pope retired from Soccer [Football] secondary to Health Problems and Constant Pain. He stated that when a person should know when to retire when he or she is in constant pain regardless of practice, and playing. Since then, he has been concentrating on the Eddie Pope Foundation. The purpose of the Eddie Pope Foundation is appreciated in the quote of its webpage: “Using Soccer to Help Develop the Mind, Body and Spirit of Underserved Youth”. The Eddie Pope Foundation serves between 300 to 350 people in Washington DC and the city of High Point in North Carolina. For the writer, Eddie Pope is one of the great examples of a humanitarian in sports who help people. I wish Eddie Pope and his Foundation the best in their work to help soccer become the vehicle in mind, body, and spirit.