I may quite possibly be getting ahead of myself in terms of content related to the course, but when stumbling across this man’s name in the PowerPoint slides – Proper APA Formatting – section from Class 10 (dated 9/28), I felt the need to discuss what he means to me as a pioneer and humanitarian.
As you may or may not know, Willie O’Ree is credited for breaking the color barrier in the National Hockey League, being the first person of color to play in the NHL as a member of the Boston Bruins in 1958. Similar to Jackie Robinson in the game of Baseball, O’Ree endured a litany of threats on his life and well-being as he played in the professional ranks, faced ostracism from his teammates, and the measure of his impact on the game was not completely grasped until after long after his retirement.
An amazing fact about O’Ree is that he was able to play professional hockey despite having a visual impairment in one eye as a result of a stray slapshot that hit him in the face years before he made his NHL debut. He was able to keep his condition hidden, and did not divulge the information until playing days were over. Resulting from his efforts in the late 50s and 60s, there are many players of color in the National Hockey League today – most notably Calgary Flames superstar Jarome Iginla – who can thank Willie O’Ree for shattering color lines in the sport.
It can be argued that the triumphs Mr. O’Ree can be attributed to the efforts of another black hockey player, a pioneer in his own right that was denied an opportunity to play in the NHL years earlier, the legendary Herb Carnegie.
Currently, Mr. O’Ree continues to open up doors in the world of hockey by remaining involved in the NHL with their “Hockey is for Everyone” initiative, and sharing his story with the youth all across North America.
To me, the courage of Willie O’Ree and his story serve as a testament that despite any and all obstacles, if you work hard enough at something you truly love, there are no limits as to what you are able to accomplish.
For more on O’Ree and his contributions to the game, take a look at this article written by Kevin Allen of USAToday.
Thanks so much for sharing these links about Willie O'Ree and Herb Carnegie! We will definitely be talking about them in a few weeks when we discuss the chapter on the desegregation of sport. I seem to recall that there was an effort by many hockey fans in Canada who were advocating for Herb Carnegie to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The sources you shared will be great resources for class. Thanks again for sharing them.
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ReplyDeleteGood mention of Willie O'Ree and Herb Carnegie. I think hockey fans have yet to learn the true greatness these players brought to the game. Speaking about the Hockey is for Everyone ads, I thought this idea was a great opportunity for the NHL. Besides the fact you and I love the Ovie "What's up, future stars," the NHL has created a great opportunity to educate different ethnic backgrounds other than white kids. O'Ree is trying to take away the racial comments people make about the game of hockey, which is that this sport is made up of mostly white male athletes. However, if you ask a "true hockey fan" its not like that at all. Some of my favorite fighters and grinders (players who score goals in front of the net) are African-American (Dustin Byfuglien, George Laraque, Donald Brashear). These guys get paid top dollar to play their team roles. Byfuglien will be competing for a spot on the US Olympic commitee. Willie O'Ree has had a huge impact on hockey and continues to support his effort today.O'Ree's impact can be almost compared to what Jackie Robinson did to baseball.
I would argue that Willie O'Ree is a highly underrated athlete. It’s a huge deal for any player of color to break the barrier, and I think that too much emphasis is placed on Jackie Robinson. Some people make it seem that he broke the barrier for everyone. But I don’t think the color barrier should be only thought of with black athletes. Baseball has grown to accept the Asian community with the sport’s popularity in Asia. Now I don’t follow the NHL very much but from what in know it’s a very “white” sport. And not that I think blacks aren’t welcomed in the hockey community, but that it’s not as popular as other sports. I know Bowling Green has Jordan Samuels-Thomas on their hockey team, and from watching other CCHA teams, there aren’t that many black hockey players. I think I may have only seen one other black hockey player in the CCHA. I don’t think that Hockey needs to be more diverse, because I believe that how the diversity of the NHL is now is fine; I think too many people place the emphasis on black athletes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Brendan, when you point out that diversity is not just about Black and White. I would also add Latino athletes in MLB, as well as Korean golfers in the LPGA.
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