Willie O'Ree is often called the "Jackie Robinson of hockey,” as the first Black player to compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) when he debuted for the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens in 1958.  By breaking the color barrier in major league hockey, O’Ree paved the way for Black players, and all players of different ethnicities and diverse backgrounds. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018 as a "Builder" for his groundbreaking work as the first Black player in the NHL and for his extensive work with youth hockey and diversity programs. On January 18, 2022, exactly 64 years after his historic NHL debut, the Boston Bruins retired his number 22. He was the first Black player in the history of the NHL to have his jersey retired.

With the NHL’s opening night on Tuesday(Oct.7), to pay tribute to this remarkable legacy and his upcoming 90th birthday, here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About Willie O’Ree.

He Was Born In Canada

The youngest of 13 children, O’Ree grew up in a large family in Fredericton, New Brunswick. His grandparents migrated to Canada from the United States through the Underground Railroad to escape slavery. While O’Ree was growing up, only two Black families lived in Fredericton.

He Was Blind In One Eye

While playing junior hockey in 1956, O’Ree was struck in the face with a puck, which resulted in blindness in his right eye. Seeking to keep his dream, he kept this impairment a secret to ensure that he could play professional hockey. According to NHL bylaws, he would have been ruled ineligible for play.

He Dominated Other Professional Hockey Leagues

After his time in the NHL, O 'O'Ree played in the Western Hockey League (WHL) between 1961 and 1974. He won two scoring titles and scored 30 or more goals 4 times, with a high of 38 in 1964–65 and 1968–69. He also played 50 games for the American Hockey League's New Haven Nighthawks in 1972–73. The San Diego Gulls of the WHL retired his number, which now hangs from the rafters at Pechanga Arena, formerly known as the San Diego Sports Arena. O'Ree continued to play until the age of 43.

He Experienced Some of The Worst Forms Of Racism In America

Unlike the environment in Canada, O’Ree said he experienced the worst kinds of racism while playing in America. During the 1960–61 NHL season, in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Chicago Stadium, O'Ree said he was called racist names by numerous Blackhawks players. During the game, Eric Nesterenko butt-ended O'Ree, which knocked out his two front teeth and broke his nose. In response, O'Ree hit Nesterenko over the head with his stick, which O'Ree said "almost created a riot.” He also said that the “Blackhawks players were threatening to kill him,” and he was "lucky to get out of the arena alive.

“Fans would yell, 'Go back to the South' and 'How come you're not picking cotton?' Things like that. It didn't bother me,” O’Ree said. “I just wanted to be a hockey player, and if they couldn't accept that fact, then that was their problem, not mine."

He’s Currently the Diversity Ambassador For the NHL

Since 1998, Willie O'Ree has served as the NHL's Diversity Ambassador, promoting messages of inclusion, dedication, and confidence, and working with the "Hockey is for Everyone" initiative.