BOSTON (AP) — Willie O’Ree has skilled many honors throughout his lifetime, from breaking the NHL’s colour barrier in 1958 with the Boston Bruins to being inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Popularity in 2018.
However the 86-year-old says having his No. 22 jersey retired in Boston on Tuesday will rank proper up there close to the highest.
“It used to be one thing that I’ve by no means dreamed of,” O’Ree mentioned in a telephone interview Monday. “I used to be very lucky to be referred to as as much as the Bruins in 1958 and performed with them ’60 and ’61. After which unexpectedly, to determine that my jersey goes to be retired and to hold within the rafters there with the native icons and legends which can be up there this present day — it’s simply merely wonderful.”
O’Ree turned into the NHL’s first Black participant on Jan. 18, 1958, when he suited up towards the Montreal Canadiens. He’ll be the twelfth participant in Bruins historical past to have his quantity raised to the rafters.
He had deliberate to be in attendance for Boston’s recreation towards Carolina on Tuesday, however persisting issues concerning the pandemic modified the ones plans. He’ll now take part nearly from his house in San Diego.
“I used to be dissatisfied,” he mentioned. “I’ve a large number of buddies within the Boston house and fanatics that I’ve recognized over time. … With the virus are happening, we simply felt that for our personal protection that we weren’t going to make the shuttle.”
O’Ree, who’s at the start from Fredericton, New Brunswick, performed two video games for the Bruins throughout the 1957-58 season, spent the following two seasons within the minors, and got here again to Boston for 43 extra throughout the 1960-61 season, notching 4 targets and 10 assists over his 45 overall video games. He used to be traded to the Canadiens in 1961, however by no means made it again to the NHL degree.
Coinciding with Tuesday’s rite, the NHL’s Black Hockey Historical past museum is in Boston this week. It’ll make its method to 28 towns within the U.S. and O’Ree’s local Canada this season — probably the most towns it’s visited but. It used to be on the Bruins’ coaching facility Sunday and can prevent at TD Lawn previous to Tuesday night time’s recreation.
The 525-square-foot museum highlights trailblazers and historical past makers like O’Ree, together with the league’s founders and Stanley Cup champions. It additionally appears forward to the following technology of younger stars, NHL officers, broadcasters and ladies within the recreation.
O’Ree has inquisitive about the way forward for the NHL since his retirement from the game. And because 1998, he has labored for the NHL as a range ambassador, operating to foster extra inclusion and battle the racism that also exists in league.
O’Ree up to now mentioned that whilst he felt embraced by way of his teammates in Boston, his few minutes within the NHL wasn’t untouched by way of the racism that permeated the Jim Crow technology within the U.S. at the moment.
“After I broke in with the Bruins in 1958, I heard the racial remarks and the racial slurs from fanatics within the stands and avid gamers at the opposition,” O’Ree mentioned. “But it surely didn’t actually hassle me. And I’ve to thank my older brother, who used to be no longer most effective my brother and my buddy, however he used to be my mentor and taught me so much that I’d want to know. He says, ’Willie. If folks can settle for you for the person that you’re, that is. That’s their drawback. Simply pass out and paintings laborious and keep inquisitive about what you what you need to do.′ And mainly, that’s what I did.”
O’Ree mentioned he’s pleased with the paintings he’s accomplished talking with younger folks at hockey clinics within the hopes of diversifying the game he loves.
“I simply wish to be remembered as no longer most effective as the primary Black participant to play within the NHL, however simply a person that sought after to be concerned with girls and boys and assist them set targets for themselves and assist them paintings towards their targets and be ok with themselves and prefer themselves,” he mentioned. “I feel that’s essential.”
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