Young black men are making history with
every passing new year. 2004 is not an
acceptation. As most of us know not many
African Americans follow the very exciting
sport of hockey or even attempts to play
this wonderful game on ice. Not many Blacks
are interested in this fast game. This game
can be played outside in the winter on ice.
This game is fast, hard hitting, with not
much scoring. This game can be very
frustrating at times. But once you have a
chance to attend a game in person its like a
party you have never seen before. You never
forget the action all over the ice. The
excitement is so fulfilling even if your
favorite team loses. If God had given me a
normal body this would have been the sport I
would have tried to play. Our school for
disabled children would play a three game
series each year. The weather would be too
cold for most of the students in any longer
series. The winter battle would always be
the older class against the younger class on
the James Fenimore Cooper School playground.
Yes, we played in the snow and on rock hard
concrete. Playing goalie was fantastic you
could see everything and everyone on the
field. Nobody could hit you either and that
was fine with me. This was my favorite
position and where the team put me most of
the time.
My fascination with hockey started in the
fall of 1964 after my multiple leg
operations any body movements became very
difficult. Saturday nights would be early
bed night. The television became my best
friend turning on the old Zenith Black and
white television; of course it was sports
night. After Philadelphia’s BIG
FIVE-basketball game ended. The American
Hockey League (AHL) or The Eastern Hockey
League (EHL) would hit the airwaves. These
two leagues were the home of the New Jersey
Devils (not the current NHL Devils in North
Jersey), Baltimore Clippers; Hershey Bears
my favorite hockey teams. They would
entertain and educate my growing mind on the
different styles and strategies of the game.
Once a year my friends would go to Madison
Square Garden to watch the elevation of the
New York Rangers. It was strange being in an
arena and the only African American male. We
would witness the best goalie in the History
of the National Hockey League Eddie Giagomin.
Eddie would never receive the Stanley Cup
because the New York Rangers always would
come one game short or one series short of
winning the National Hockey Championship.
Now hockey would change forever after the
1950’s and 1960’s seasons the world would
witness the only Black player in the
National Hockey League Willie O’Ree playing
the right wing position with the Boston
Bruins from 1958-1966. He stood alone for
many years in the hockey world as the only
player of color on ice. The only Black man
in professional hockey until the talented
Black Canadian Goalie for the four time
Stanley Cup Champion Edmonton Oilers, Grant
Fuhr skated on the ice. Grant had a lot of
help with “The Great One”, Wayne Gretzky
scoring 90 goals a year. Grant Fuhr opened
the door for other Black Canadians and
African Americans playing hockey. Now there
are over twenty Black players in the league
and many are now all stars.
One very special player entered the league
in 1996 everybody seemed to be talking about
him almost immediately. Some called him the
Black Gretzky with speed. Jarome Inginla,
This Black Canadian got drafted in the 1st
round by the Dallas Stars. Inginla never
wore a Stars jersey because within months he
was traded to the Calgary Flames for another
young star Joe Nieuwendyk who happens to be
much bigger. The Stars would later regret
trading this black wonder on ice. They would
find out later that size is not everything.
Inginla first year with the Calgary Flames
he played every single game (82) not many
players can do this. Because of the physical
demands on their bodies. Inginla would also
become the first Black hockey player to win
the Rookie of The Year Award. Everybody
loved his slashing skating style while
heading toward the net to score. He seemed
to have eyes in the back of his head because
he knew where all of his teammates were on
the ice and would give them the puck for
many more assist that year.
Inginla has won many other awards in his
short hockey career the Art Ross Trophy,
which means he was the leading scorer for
that year. He was one of the first players
to ever receive the leagues new scoring
title award the 1999 Maurice Rocket Richard
Trophy given to the leading scorer at the
end of the regular season from the Montreal
Canadians Hockey Club. Another honor in the
2001-02 season was the Lester B. Pearson
Award for the Outstanding Player of the
Year. Which is voted by the (NHLPA),
National Hockey League Players Association,
his peers. Inginla stated, he just loves to
play the game and does not seek any awards.
He is the perfect gentleman and good
sportsman in a game that produces many thugs
on ice.
This year could be the crowing glory for the
very young right winger. At the beginning of
the season the Calgary Flames game him a new
black, red, and white playing jersey with a
big C on the left shoulder. At that moment
he became the team captain and the first
Black hockey player to ever receive the “C”
on any hockey team jersey. This shows the
world that anybody can play the game of
hockey it just might take many years of
practice and many cold days and night
outside practicing that hard slap shot.
Inginla does not see it that way, he states
that he is a hockey player first, a Calgary
Flame second and a team leader third, he
will lead the Flames into their first
Stanley Cup playoffs since 1996. Another
stars in Black history please check out this
young hockey player on ESPN and ABC Sports
this spring and summer. You can’t miss him
with the big red and black C and red number
12 on his jersey.
THAT IS THE GRAYLINE !
