The NHL became the last major professional sports league to add black players to its ranks when Willie O’Ree, then a 22-year-old forward, skated for the Boston Bruins in the late 1950s. Today, that achievement – and longevity O’Ree to promote the game in minority communities – recognized in Boston and the Capitol.
O’Ree, now 86, was playing Minor League Hockey in Quebec when he received the call.
“On January 18, 1958, the Bruins called the Quebec Aces and said, ‘We want O’Ree to meet the Bruins in Montreal to play two games against the Canadians in Montreal,'” he said.
O’Ree did what Jackie Robinson had done 11 years earlier – he embodied a white sport as a black professional.
“They sat me down and said, ‘Willie, we raised you because we think you can add something to the club. “Do not worry about anything else, just go out and play your game,” he said.
The fast winger did it, and after his debut, he described it as “the biggest emotion of my life.… I will always remember this day.”
O’Ree was talking about achieving his ultimate goal: to play in the NHL, not to write racial history. “I did not admit that I had broken the color barrier until I read it in the newspaper the next day,” he said.
However, he said he faced racial hostility from rival players as well as fans. Black players in professional sports knew what to expect and were expected to endure the abuse in silence.
O’Ree played 45 games in the NHL in two seasons, and then returned to Minor League Hockey where he flourished, surpassing his previous scoring record twice.
In San Diego, where O’Reee played eight seasons in the minor leagues, his number is the only one to be honored on the banner beams. Later this month, Boston will withdraw its O’Ree jersey number: 22.
“I’m shocked and really, really excited,” O’Ree said. “I’m really excited.”
It is already in the Hockey Hall of Fame, has a statue in the National Museum of African American History and Culture and is expected to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. Senator Debbie Stabenow and spokeswoman Mike Quigley led the effort to win him the highest political award in Congress.
“He really is someone who is an example of courage and what we want as a role model for our children,” Stabenow said.
Quigley said when he first named O’Ree for the medal “very, very few knew who he was.” In fact, the Illinois spokesman said he did not learn about O’Ree until he was an adult.
“When he went to the Chicago Stadium as Boston Bruin, the fans were the worst in the league, as were the players,” said Quigley. “It’s hard to hear because these were my heroes growing up.”
The Senate has already passed a resolution to give O’Ree the gold medal, and Parliament is ready to approve it in the coming weeks.
And, not only was O’Ree the first black player in the NHL, but he also spent his entire professional career blind in his right eye.
“It was a slap in the face,” he said of the injury that caused him to lose his sight. “The elf came and hit me in the right eye and broke my nose.”
O’Ree’s surgeon said he would never play hockey again, but within a few weeks he was back on the ice, trying to make it to the NHL. He swore allegiance to his family and never told any group about his blindness.
“So I said, ‘Forget what you can’t see and just concentrate on what you can see,'” O’Ree said.
What he could not see then was the constant strength of his example.
“You can only imagine what has happened,” said Anthony Dickler, who plays as a forward for the Florida Panthers.
“As a young, black man playing hockey in a predominantly white sport, you do not see too many black athletes,” Duclair said. “It definitely motivated me to get to the NHL and really pass it on to the next generation.”
O’Ree has spent the last 25 years passing it on to the next generation as one of the NHL’s ambassadors of diversity, bringing hockey to underprivileged minority communities.
“This is what I say to these children: you can do whatever you want to do. And do not let anyone tell you that you can not achieve your goal if you feel strong in your heart and mind,” he said. Ri. “And never give up.” The NHL became the last major professional sports league to add black players to its ranks when Willie O’Ree, then a 22-year-old forward, skated for the Boston Bruins in the late 1950s. Today, that achievement – and longevity O’Ree to promote the game in minority communities – recognized in Boston and the Capitol.
O’Ree, now 86, was playing Minor League Hockey in Quebec when he received the call.
“On January 18, 1958, the Bruins called the Quebec Aces and said, ‘We want O’Ree to meet the Bruins in Montreal to play two games against the Canadians in Montreal,'” he said.
O’Ree did what Jackie Robinson had done 11 years earlier – he embodied a white sport as a black professional.
“They sat me down and said, ‘Willie, we raised you because we think you can add something to the club. “Do not worry about anything else, just go out and play your game,” he said.
The fast winger did it, and after his debut, he described it as “the biggest emotion of my life.… I will always remember this day.”
O’Ree was talking about achieving his ultimate goal: to play in the NHL, not to write racial history. “I did not admit that I had broken the color barrier until I read it in the newspaper the next day,” he said.
However, he said he faced racial hostility from rival players as well as fans. Black players in professional sports knew what to expect and were expected to endure the abuse in silence.
O’Ree played 45 games in the NHL in two seasons, and then returned to Minor League Hockey where he flourished, surpassing his previous scoring record twice.
In San Diego, where O’Reee played eight seasons in the minor leagues, his number is the only one to be honored on the banner beams. Later this month, Boston will withdraw its O’Ree jersey number: 22.
“I’m shocked and really, really excited,” O’Ree said. “I’m really excited.”
It is already in the Hockey Hall of Fame, has a statue in the National Museum of African American History and Culture and is expected to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. Senator Debbie Stabenow and spokeswoman Mike Quigley led the effort to win him the highest political award in Congress.
“He really is someone who is an example of courage and what we want as a role model for our children,” Stabenow said.
Quigley said when he first named O’Ree for the medal “very, very few knew who he was.” In fact, the Illinois spokesman said he did not learn about O’Ree until he was an adult.
“When he went to the Chicago Stadium as Boston Bruin, the fans were the worst in the league, as were the players,” said Quigley. “It’s hard to hear because these were my heroes growing up.”
The Senate has already passed a resolution to give O’Ree the gold medal, and Parliament is ready to approve it in the coming weeks.
And, not only was O’Ree the first black player in the NHL, but he also spent his entire professional career blind in his right eye.
“It was a slap in the face,” he said of the injury that caused him to lose his sight. “The elf came and hit me in the right eye and broke my nose.”
O’Ree’s surgeon said he would never play hockey again, but within a few weeks he was back on the ice, trying to make it to the NHL. He swore allegiance to his family and never told any group about his blindness.
“So I said, ‘Forget what you can’t see and just concentrate on what you can see,'” O’Ree said.
What he could not see then was the constant strength of his example.
“You can only imagine what has happened,” said Anthony Dickler, who plays as a forward for the Florida Panthers.
“As a young, black man playing hockey in a predominantly white sport, you do not see too many black athletes,” Duclair said. “It definitely motivated me to get to the NHL and really pass it on to the next generation.”
O’Ree has spent the last 25 years passing it on to the next generation as one of the NHL’s ambassadors of diversity, bringing hockey to underprivileged minority communities.
“This is what I say to these children: you can do whatever you want to do. And do not let anyone tell you that you can not achieve your goal if you feel strong in your heart and mind,” he said. Ri. “And never give up.”
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