“When I wake up in the morning and look in the mirror, I don’t see a black man. I only see a man. It was with this quote from Willie O’Ree that the touching ceremony of the Boston Bruins began on the occasion of the retirement of the jersey of their former number 22.
Posted yesterday at 9:29 p.m.
64 years ago, on January 18, 1958, Willie O’Ree became the first black player to set foot on an NHL rink. That day, when he donned the white, black and yellow uniform, he opened the door to all subsequent generations of hockey players of color. Here it is immortalized today.
In a thrilling video presented on the giant screen at TD Garden, former and current NHL players such as Mathieu Joseph, Ryan Reaves and Johnny Bucyk, as well as various hockey players, delivered a vibrant tribute to O’Ree.
“I don’t think we would be here today if nobody had done what he did,” said Joseph of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
“When I think of Willie, I think of someone who was very brave, but also someone who was able to follow his dreams,” said Kevin Weekes, who played 348 NHL games.
O’Ree then gave a powerful speech live from his home in San Diego. A native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, the now 86-year-old reflected on his childhood days as a Habs fan.
“When the Bruins called me up to make my NHL debut against the Canadiens, I knew my heart would be with the Bruins forever,” he said. And I was very happy when we beat Montreal 3-0 that day. »
“I will never forget how my teammates accepted me as one of their own. It was a time when some fans and opponents weren’t ready to see a black player in the NHL. When I became the first, I remember advice given to me by my older brother Richard. […] He said: Willie, focus on your goals, work hard and stay positive. That’s what I tried to do as a member of the Bruins every time I put the jersey on. »
PHOTO CHARLES KRUPA, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Willie O’Ree
O’Ree, who seemed to be in great shape, took the opportunity to return to a well-known anecdote from his junior years, when he played with the Kitchener Canucks. He lost sight in his right eye after being hit in the face by a puck.
The doctor told me I would be blind and could never play hockey again. He didn’t achieve the two goals I had set for myself: to play professional hockey and to play in the NHL. I thought to myself, Willie, forget what you can’t see and focus on what you can see. Three years later, I was called up by the Bruins to play my first game.
Willie O’Ree
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018, O’Ree played a total of 45 games in the National League, collecting 14 points in the process. But his legacy goes far beyond goals and assists. Since 1998, he has served as the NHL’s Director of Youth Development and Ambassador for Diversity.
“I am overwhelmed with emotion and thrilled to be part of the Bruins forever,” he said, before the banner slowly rose to the heights of TD Garden to the sound of applause from the crowd, Bruins players and their visitors, the Carolina Hurricanes.
A “memorable evening”
Willie O’Ree met the media virtually between the first and second periods. He simply recalled that it was only the day after his first NHL game, when he read the newspapers, that he realized he had “broken the color barrier”.
“When I started hockey, I just wanted to play and have fun. […] It’s a memorable evening, not only for me, but also for my family,” he said.
On several occasions, the sympathetic ex-player returned to his role as director of youth development and the importance of his involvement with young people.
“I work with these boys and girls to help them set goals. It’s really important. If you believe in yourself, you have to set goals and work towards them. And don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. »
“When the doctor told me [que je serais aveugle d’un œil], I just couldn’t accept it because he didn’t know how I felt inside. I still had one working eye and I figured I’d just let the doctor know I was going to continue my career and forget I was blind. »