ON THE MARK.

 WILLIE O'REE.  THE JACKIE ROBINSON OF HOCKEY.

 Last Friday, an important  milestone was largely overlooked by the sporting media and public.  The headlines were taken up by Lance Armstrong, Manti T'eo, the upcoming NHL season, the NFL playoffs and many other stories.  Sadly, the 55th anniversary of the appearance of the first black player in the NHL went unnoticed.
     On January 18, 1958, Willie O'Ree became the first man of colour to suit up in an NHL game when he was called up by the Boston Bruins for a game at the Montreal Forum.  The Bruins won 3-0 that night, and the next day's newspapers reported on the game, but not the social impact that Mr. O'Ree had on it.  Nothing about O'Ree breaking the colour barrier or becoming the Jackie Robinson of the NHL.   In fact, according to O'Ree, it was no big deal.  The week before, he had played in the same building wearing the jersey of the Quebec Aces, so the fans and media were well aware of him, and didn't think the colour of his skin was worthy of any extra attention.   It wasn't even a big deal in Boston, but it should've been. 
     At the time,  Boston was, and is still known as the most racist city in North America.  In 1958, eleven years after Jackie Robinson had broken baseball's colour barrier, the Red Sox STILL hadn't added a black player, even though they had the first opportunity to sign Robinson, and later, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.   The Red Sox owner, Tom Yawkey, was a noted bigot who eventually gave in and allowed Elijah (Pumpsie) Green to be the first black to wear a Red Sox uniform, even though Green was an average utility infielder, rather than a budding superstar.  I guess Yawkey didn't want to make his white players look bad.  Either that or he wanted the fans to believe that white guys like Ted Williams would always rule the roost in the Hub, despite the fact that every other baseball team had supremely talented black players.
     O'Ree only played two games in 1958 for the Bruins, but came back in 1961 to play 43 more, compiling 4 goals and ten assists for the last place team.  In his travels, he heard plenty of racial taunts, especially in places like Chicago, where they would yell for him to "Go pick some cotton".   Since O'Ree was born and raised in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and played in the Quebec Senior League, he was rarely the subject of racist taunts.  Other black players, such as the Carnegie brothers, Herb and Ossie, along with Manny McIntyre, were tremendously talented, but never got the same chance as O'Ree, who was traded to Montreal after the 1961 season without explanation.   Many wondered if it was Boston's racist attitudes that led Bruins GM Lynn Patrick and coach Milt Schmidt to give up on O'Ree, but Willie himself said it was his most bitter moment.  He never returned to the NHL, and it was another 13 years before another black, Mike Marson of the Washington Capitals, would grace an NHL roster.  That led to the likes of Bill Riley, Tony McKegney, Grant Fuhr, Ray Neufeld, and many more getting their opportunity. 
      But racism doesn't just go away.  It's not like you can get the government to spend money to reduce or eradicate racism the way they might try with homelessness or unemployment.   Tax cuts will not stop racism.  The fact is, today's technology can making it worse.   Washington Capitals forward Joel Ward, who is black, knows that all too well.   Last April, after his overtime goal eliminated the Bruins from the playoffs, Ward was the subject of taunts on Twitter from racist Bruins "fans".   If you really want to read them, click here.   http://chirpstory.com/li/6781
     When Willie O'Ree first met Jackie Robinson in the early 50s, he was a young shortstop who eventually went to the Milwaukee Braves training camp in Waycross, Georgia.  He had a pretty good camp, but left to pursue his career in hockey.   When Willie told Robinson that he was a pretty good hockey player too, Jackie replied "Blacks play hockey?  Really?"  Little did he know he was talking to a young man who would be, like Robinson, the FIRST of his race to integrate a professional sport.  You can draw a line from Jackie Robinson to Rosa Parks to Martin Luther King to President Barack Obama.  But you must also include Willie O'Ree in that group.  He helped blaze a trail, just like the others.  And he had to do it in a place like Boston.  
     Willie O'Ree is 77 years old and lives in California, where he starred for many years in the Western Hockey League with the Los Angeles Blades and the San Diego Gulls.  He played until he was well into his 40s, and scored 328 goals in the Western Hockey League.   He was hired by the NHL as it's director of youth development for it's diversity task force.   He also received the Order of Canada in 2010.   Not bad for a guy who was legally blind in one eye, yet still became the first of his race to play in the National Hockey League some 55 years ago.