Willie Eldon O Ree: Jackie Robinson In Hockey
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Willie Eldon O’ree
Everybody knows who Jackie Robinson is, but not everybody knows who the Jackie Robinson of the National Hockey League (NHL) is. His name is Willie Eldon O’ree. As I said before, Willie played hockey. Despite an injury from a rogue puck, as a junior, a league that goes from high school to college years, that left him blind in one eye, Willie still had a hockey career ahead of him. O’ree was born on October 15, 1935 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, a city northeast of Maine. He was one of thirteen children. Yes, you read that right, thirteen children. By the time Willie was born, there was only one other black family on the street. Willie started to play hockey at …show more content…
the age of five years old. Every time he would get a chance to get on the ice, he would be out there. In fact, if the roads were icy he would lace up his skates and ice skate to school. Because of Willie’s love for hockey, their father sprayed the garden down with a hose every night, so that when Willie woke up he would use that as a backyard ice rink. With the backyard rink they had, Willie’s brother helped him with his checking ability. If you don't know what that is, it’s when you hit someone against the boards. Boards are what keep everything from going into the stands. January 18, 1958.
The day the color barrier was broken in hockey. Although it was only two games it was O’ree’s time to shine. The Boston Bruins were down a man and needed a left wing so they looked at their farm team. A farm team is the minor league team that will make up the new NHL team. They saw that Willie was the best player on the farm team. Boston was playing the Montreal Canadiens. After the two games he played with Boston he went back down the minors. After a gap of about three years, Willie was drafted by Boston to play with them for half of a season. In the forty three games he played he had about twenty six penalty minutes. Most of them were because he was discriminated against, so he had a lot of fighting minutes. Willie scored his first NHL goal in the season of 1960-61 against the Montreal Canadiens. Don’t get confused that is also the team he played against in his first NHL game. After the half season he played with the Bruins, he went back down to the minor league and ended his hockey career with the San Diego Mariners in 1978-79. After his hockey career, Willie was offered to be the director of youth development for its diversity task force. The NHL/USA Hockey Diversity Task Force is a non-profit program for children that encourages kids to learn and play hockey together. Willie Eldon O’ree, the half blind, youngest of thirteen children, NHL player. Willie also the first African American hockey player. Where would the African American hockey players be if O’ree didn’t break the color barrier and set the stage for
others.
Willie Eldon O’ree
Everybody knows who Jackie Robinson is, but not everybody knows who the Jackie Robinson of the National Hockey League (NHL) is. His name is Willie Eldon O’ree. As I said before, Willie played hockey. Despite an injury from a rogue puck, as a junior, a league that goes from high school to college years, that left him blind in one eye, Willie still had a hockey career ahead of him. O’ree was born on October 15, 1935 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, a city northeast of Maine. He was one of thirteen children. Yes, you read that right, thirteen children. By the time Willie was born, there was only one other black family on the street. Willie started to play hockey at …show more content…
the age of five years old. Every time he would get a chance to get on the ice, he would be out there. In fact, if the roads were icy he would lace up his skates and ice skate to school. Because of Willie’s love for hockey, their father sprayed the garden down with a hose every night, so that when Willie woke up he would use that as a backyard ice rink. With the backyard rink they had, Willie’s brother helped him with his checking ability. If you don't know what that is, it’s when you hit someone against the boards. Boards are what keep everything from going into the stands. January 18, 1958.
The day the color barrier was broken in hockey. Although it was only two games it was O’ree’s time to shine. The Boston Bruins were down a man and needed a left wing so they looked at their farm team. A farm team is the minor league team that will make up the new NHL team. They saw that Willie was the best player on the farm team. Boston was playing the Montreal Canadiens. After the two games he played with Boston he went back down the minors. After a gap of about three years, Willie was drafted by Boston to play with them for half of a season. In the forty three games he played he had about twenty six penalty minutes. Most of them were because he was discriminated against, so he had a lot of fighting minutes. Willie scored his first NHL goal in the season of 1960-61 against the Montreal Canadiens. Don’t get confused that is also the team he played against in his first NHL game. After the half season he played with the Bruins, he went back down to the minor league and ended his hockey career with the San Diego Mariners in 1978-79. After his hockey career, Willie was offered to be the director of youth development for its diversity task force. The NHL/USA Hockey Diversity Task Force is a non-profit program for children that encourages kids to learn and play hockey together. Willie Eldon O’ree, the half blind, youngest of thirteen children, NHL player. Willie also the first African American hockey player. Where would the African American hockey players be if O’ree didn’t break the color barrier and set the stage for
others.