Meet Willie O'Ree
Meet Willie O'Ree -- the first Black hockey player to play in the NHL. He blazed a trail for diversity on and off the ice! On January 18, 1958, Willie O'Ree made history when he suited up with the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens. O'Ree went on to play a total of 45 games with the Bruins, a remarkable achievement considering all he had to overcome to get there. He was often subjected to racism, bigotry and name-calling. He was blind in one eye -- something he had to keep secret or he'd never play in the NHL. But thanks to his relentless positivity, perseverance and love of the game, Willie's time with the Bruins is only the beginning of his achievements in hockey. Players like Grant Fuhr, Jarome Iginla and many others looked to him for inspiration. For the past twenty years he has served as the NHL's Director of Youth Development and ambassador for NHL diversity and is the leader of the "Hockey Is For Everyone" program -- a title he still holds today. Finally, in January of 2018, Willie was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. According to the NHL commissioner, "There are a select few about whom it can truly be said: 'He changed the game.' Willie O'Ree is among that select few."
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- ISBN: 9781443175616
- Physical Description 32 pages : color illustrations ; 24 cm.
- Publisher [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 2020.
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Meet Willie o'Ree (Scholastic Canada Biography)
Meet Willie O'Ree--Hockey Hall of Famer and a trailblazer for diversity on and off the ice! On January 18, 1958, Willie O'Ree made history as the first black player in the NHL when he suited up with the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens. O'Ree went on to play a total of 45 games with the Bruins, a remarkable achievement considering what he overcame to get there. In addition to dealing with racism, bigotry and name-calling, Willie lived with a secret disability: he was blind in one eye -- a fact he had to keep to himself, or he'd never play in the NHL. Thanks to his relentless positivity and love of the game, Willie's time with the Bruins was only one of his many achievements in hockey. The Scholastic Canada Biography series aims to introduce young readers to remarkable Canadians whose lives and contributions have shaped our country and led the way for others to follow in their footsteps. Meet Willie O'Ree is no exception. This wonderful book is a celebration of his life from childhood to playing career, to his later work as an ambassador for NHL diversity, and to his eventual induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018. Written by award-winning author Elizabeth MacLeod, this portrait of Willie O'Ree couples simple yet compelling writing with full-colour, comic-flavoured illustrations by Mike Deas that help bring this fascinating story to life!
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