willie o'ree famous quotes willie o'ree famous quotes

The Brooklyn Dodgers team manager Rickey, helped Jackie Robinson get into the Major League baseball team. These black baseball players had to play in a separate league. After playing only two games in the 195758 season, ORee returned to the Bruins in the 196061 season and scored 4 goals and 10 assists for 14 points in 43 regular season games. The ex-Red Wing has 14 points in 29 games this season and 88 goals and 114 assists in a career in which he has never made the playoffs. ORee retaliated by breaking his stick over the players head, and a brawl broke out. On ORee started playing hockey at age three and organized hockey at age five. You really can measure the joke, think an extra second and nail the right reference. Updates? O'Ree began skating at age 3 and started playing on local teams at age 5. After a 22-year playing career, where he broke barriers and opened doors for other minority players, Willie has spent the better part of the last 40 years helping marginalized and disadvantaged youth across North America. In 2003 ORee was named the Lester Patrick Trophy winner for his outstanding service to hockey in the United States. He added that he expects to rediscover the chemistry he and Panarin shared in their two seasons together with the Blackhawks. This gave the US a huge disadvantage in the Olympics. All rights reserved. With that, Willie sets readers up honestly for the book to follow. He doesn't. all-star weekend that brings children of diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds together for a tournament. BOSTON David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists just a few hours after signing a new contract and the surging Boston Bruins became the fastest team in NHL history to reach 100 points by beating the Buffalo Sabres 7-1 on Thursday night. On 12 January 2021, the Boston Bruins announced that ORee would become the 12th player In 2010, ORee received the Order of Canada for his outstanding service to youth development and for promoting hockey within North America. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. OREE:Oh, it frustrates me a lot. Kane was impressed with his Madison Square Garden reception. Otis Rush, Willie experienced the strange sensations of the first days of a new captain: a shrinking of his personal identiy, and a stretching out of his nerve ends to all the spaces and machinery of the ship. According to NHL bylaws, he would not be eligible to play, as the league forbade players blind in one eye from competing, and ORee was determined to make the NHL. ORee made hockey history on 18 January 1958 by becoming the first Black hockey player to play I dont think its something thats going to happen overnight, Kane said. The Stars assigned Wells and loaned forwards Fredrik Karlstrom and Fredrik Olofsson and goaltender Matt Murray to the AHLs Texas Stars. Willie Aames, I don't know what Joe (DiMaggio) wanted (in regards to being called 'the greatest living ballplayer'), but I don't have a problem, if he wanted to do that. Received the Sports Museum's Hockey Legacy Award. ("Jackie Robinson Biography." With this signing came a lot of brutal comments and hate towards the Dodgers organization and Jackie himself since he was the. Little did they know, some of the most talented players were African-American. Willie ORee, the NHLs first Black player, reflects on his legacy and the fight against anti-Black racism in hockey. When you play a game of hockey for 60 minutes, you got to do more stuff than just make the real nice passes, Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. According to ORee, throughout his time playing hockey he was treated worse in the United States than in Canada. The Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens that night by a score of 30 at the Montreal Forum. Pastrnak drew the odd penalty against Luukkonen in the second period and then assisted on the ensuing goal. ", "I'm very thankful for his determination and his courage and perseverance. Special skates honour Willie O'Ree for breaking NHL colour barrier. Bio.com. Shane Pinto and Tim Stutzle (empty net) also scored for Ottawa, and Cam Talbot made 29 saves. The lowly Blackhawks (21-35-5) continue to lean into their tanking strategy, hoping for a chance to take Connor Bedard with the No. " Larry Kwong was the first player to break the color barrier, and I was the first Black player. He is a Member of both the Order of Canada and Willie Soon, Defense to me is the key to playing baseball. Claude Giroux broke a tie early in the third period and Brassard scored twice in his 1,000th career game as the Senators beat New York 5-3 on Thursday night to spoil Kanes Rangers debut. The grandson of slaves. However, ORee could not tell anyone about the injury. 1. ORee started playing hockey at age three and organized hockey at age five. I didn't get any negative comments. January 18 officially declared "Willie O'Ree Day" by the city of Boston. The relationship meant that Aces players could be called up to the Bruins It was just a pleasure to go out and enjoy myself and get paid for it. Willie Pep Chris Rock is a very funny man. Domi, the son of former NHL forward Tie Domi, signed a $3 million, one-year contract with the Blackhawks in July. Q. ORee played regularly on the backyard rink of the family home and skated to school when weather permitted. The 36-year-old Khudobin was likely included for salary cap purposes. You could have been purple with a green stripe down the middle of your forehead, and it wouldnt have mattered. Probably took a little longer than we hoped for, but we finally got across the finish line, Boston president Cam Neely said. was greeted with no emotion, no applause and, above all, no animosity.. Willie Stargell, Planned Parenthood gave me an award for the Willie Parker story that I was deeply honored by. Ottawa has entered the playoff race with an 11-3-1 surge since losing at home to Winnipeg on Jan. 21. Jackie inspired many young African American adults that there was hope to excel in the sport that they love to play and strive to play for a living and get, Jackie Robinson really noticed in the baseball community when he joined the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro League. He knew the personal danger he faced. The Los Angeles Blades were weak at right wing and head coach Alf Pike had ORee change positions. In 2010 ORee received the Order of Canada for his outstanding service to youth development and promoting hockey within North America. I dont believe in being around negative people. His offense this season speaks for itself, but hell also provide energy, grit and a veteran presence as we continue our push to the postseason.. "To have my number retired and hanging up in the rafters with so many other great hockey players that have. To compensate for his blindness while playing left wing, ORee had to turn his head far over his right shoulder. The Willie O'Ree Story. Willie Geist I don't think anybody's quite accurately branded me. 1 overall draft pick, who has 16 goals and 20 assists this season, wont be available until late March if at all. They profited from describing how they murdered a child. While playing with the Bruins in the 196061 season, ORee was the victim of racist taunts from a Chicago Black Hawks player. It only one year in the league for him to be signed by a MLB baseball club which would end up being the Brooklyn Dodgers. You only get out of a thing what you put into it. Forward Nick Foligno was also placed on injured reserve. Copyright 2023 Famous Quotes & Sayings. player also butt-ended ORee with his stick and knocked out some teeth. Eeyore, 'Winnie The Pooh'. Eeyore, 'Winnie The Pooh'. O'Ree is thorough in acknowledging others, even when it comes to his own pioneering role. ORee was determined to make the NHL. sport, including players, parents, coaches, referees, volunteers and rink owners. Were confident in what our organization offers to David, Sweeney said. For a moment, my mother raised her eyes, and the three of us were caught looking at one another, caught in what we didnt know then was a line of love., It is clear to see that the character Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind precisely symbolizes the main chacteristics of American. Willie Mays, Maybe pick it up by mistake with the cleaning?" When you see racial slurs directed at players still the youth player in Washington D.C. and Devante Smith-Pelly in Chicago last season how much does that still frustrate you? Warmups, the pregame introduction, its pretty cool. He has touched the lives of tens of thousands of young children and inspired generations of hockey players of all races, color, gender and ethnicity. He has been inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, the Hockey Hall of Fame and Canadas Sports Hall of Fame. Thats just ignorance. He took principled decisions, and the reactions were often disgusting, but he persisted, taking names along the way. Here are 10 facts you may not have known about him. Willie Nelson, When you're young, the blue blazer feels like a grown-up costume. Cam was solid, Senators coach D.J. Domi was scratched for what the Blackhawks said was roster management., Were excited to add a player of Maxs caliber to our lineup, Stars general manager Jim Nill said in a release. In his autobiography, The Willie ORee Story: Hockeys Black Pioneer, ORee wrote that colour was never Dallas also got minor league goaltender Dylan Wells from Chicago for veteran goaltender Anton Khudobin and a 2025 second-round pick. In The Autobiography of Willie ORee: Hockeys Black Pioneer, ORee wrote that colour was never an issue on those early rinks: The fact that I was black never came up when we played as kids. O'Ree never played another game in the NHL. Before he made the NHL, Quebec City's fans embraced him, but Chicoutimi was the worst. Thanks to my older brother, who was not only my brother and my friend, but he was my mentor. In 2018, ORee was named to the The Sabres, who lost top-line forward Alex Tuch (lower body) last week, again played without banged-up top defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday fell on Jan. 18 this year, which happened to be the 63rd anniversary of the day Willie O'Ree became the first Black man to play in the National Hockey League. Enjoy reading and share 40 famous quotes about Willie O'ree with everyone. Give every American a $100 credit to the dog track of their choice. Willie got the call to join the Boston Bruins and became the first Black player to skate in a National Hockey League (NHL) game on January 18, 1958. The Rangers are still 24-8-4 since Dec. 5. He has travelled throughout North America to promote grassroots A fun filled family outing would include a picnic and a trip to see their favorite Major League Baseball team play. Rachel Caine Politics has become entertainment. O'Reewas the first Black man to play in the NHL. It's got to be a fact or it wouldn't be blues. A lengthy absence by Marchand would hurt Boston, however. Over the next three years, ORee progressed through the Fredericton hockey system. instant results, recording 38 goals that season, a personal best. His debut wasnt mentioned in either The Boston Globe or The New York Times, and a Canadian sportswriter at the time wrote that ORee was greeted with no emotion, no applause and, above all, no animosity. ORees NHL debut may have caused little reaction in Montreal because local sports fans were already familiar with ORee, who had played occasionally in Montreal as a member of the Quebec Aces. His hockey career was spent mostly in the minor leagues as he only played 45 games with the Boston Bruins, becoming the first black player in the NHL. This integrated the baseball for the first time in American history, allowing an African American to play with the Brooklyn Dodgers. "As part of their payment for services in the army, officers of the South Carolina regiments received "three grown negroes and one. Willie Nelson, I loved to hit with men on base and with the game on the line. The Rangers went quiet late in the game on a night when Kane made his debut following his acquisition from Chicago, where he won the Stanley Cup three times. "Did you set those traps?" It was Jan. 18, 1958, when Willie O'Ree donned a Boston Bruins sweater and made history as the NHL's first Black player. A great-great grandson of escaped slaves from South Carolina, Willie O'Ree overcame numerous obstacles to become the first Black player in the National Hockey League. What were some of the challenges the Graphic Design team faced with this project? Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Willie Mays, There is only one map to the journey of life and it lives within your heart Willie Nelson, I like to stick with music I know I can play. The deal locks up one of the leagues MVP candidates through the 2030-31 season for $11.25 million per year. He hasnt appeared in an NHL game this season. He was the youngest of 13 children of parents Rosebud and Harry. Willie O'Ree loved to play hockey. Because of a lifetime devoted to improving the sport he loves, O'Ree . "Shhhh." Eve choked and strangled on a cough, and muttered "got to cut down on the cigarettes." "you don't smoke," Claire whispered. 22 on 18 January 2022, the 64th anniversary of his first NHL game. Web. By the time ORee was 15, he was playing for the Fredericton Falcons in the New Brunswick Amateur Hockey Association. for the Fredericton Falcons in the New Brunswick Amateur Hockey Association (NBAHA) playoffs. That was always the goal, you see, ever since I was 13, and I wasnt going to let anybody or anything stop You might possibly sponge the spots off a leopard but hed remain a leopard, just the same. Through this saying, the personalities of Rhett Butler in particularity, as well as of American people in generality, are partially revealed. Rob Pizzo walks you through 9 trailblazers for Black History Month. Im going to remember this for the rest of my life. Print., Being a colored person in the early 1920s was not an easy situation. If you set your mind to what you want to do then you can work at it and you can make it happen. In an interview with Luke Fox of Rogers Sportsnet on 29 February 2012, ORee explained the situation he faced: If it gets out that Im blind in my right eye, I probably wont be allowed to play pro, and definitely wont be allowed to play in the National Hockey League. Since 1998, ORee has been the NHLs Director of Youth Development and ambassador for NHL Diversity. All Rights Reserved. I've heard a few jeers, but I guess all hockey players get that. OREE: Just let them know that there is another sport that they can play and to set goals for themselvesand work towards [their] goals. In the 1960-61 season, he competed in 43 games and notched . In 2018 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Brassard tied it at 1:35 with his 11th of the season off an assist from Giroux, who beat netminder Jaroslav Halak for his 26th goal at 3:26 to put Ottawa ahead to stay. If I tell the whole league on national television that racial barbs really bother me, I can pretty much guarantee that I'll hear more of them. Thirty years later, Nesterenko has a chance to apologize when they meet at an all-star game. David Giddens produces and writes and edits for CBC Sports. William Eldon "Willie" O'Ree is considered to be a pioneer, or "The Jackie Robinson of hockey", for being the first black player in the National Hockey League, but if you asked O'Ree, he didn't think being a pioneer was a big deal and he would rather you think and accept him as another hockey player. The Soviets who were considered unstoppable had a team of older players who had been playing together for 9 years, compared to the US players who had an average age of 22 and had been playing together for a few months. You just have to keep working at it, working at it. PHILADELPHIA At 83 years old theres no slowing down Willie ORee. When ORee was 14 years old, he played organized hockey with his brother Richard, who was in his 20s and taught Willie how to body check. (3) Willie O'Ree was raised by his parents in Fredericton, a predominantly White town where hockey was deeply rooted within the culture. OREE: Im a positive person; always have been. New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League; and the San Diego Mariners of the Pacific Coast League. In 1919, a team known as the Black Sox changed the way baseball is supposed to be played, leading to an inauthentic win., 1. I could have landed a couple more punches on him, but I'd made my point.". Throughout the book, one pressing theme stays from beginning to end: Segregation., Jackie Robinson played baseball at a time when teams were segregated. Hall of Famer Willie O'Ree, now 85, didn't think much about breaking hockey's colour barrier at the time, but his career made him a trailblazer Marty Klinkenberg Published October 30, 2020 . I just love what I do.. "I set them, of course, but the attic is clean." Willie begins in the eighteenth century, with Paris O'Ree. Showered in spit, bloodand insults, he continued to make his point. Top Willie O'ree Famous Quotes. Willie O'Ree is honored by many as the "Jackie Robinson" of hockey, as he was the first Black player in the league's history. Willie Mays, People have been brainwashed into believing that it's got to be down or it wouldn't be blues. The problem for [chief executive] Willie Walsh is that the board of BA has no spine, no balls and no vision. That same year, Georgia Tech tried to get out of the Sugar Bowl, because its opponent,Pittsburgh, had a single Black player, running back Bobby Grier. "Good evening, Madam." He went to the sink for a glass of water. "In spite of the fact that it might be consuming a couple of days, I will definitely come across an innovative one."-. Theres no substitute for hard work. Willie Mays, God continues to work miracles in my life. I don't believe in being around negative people. It falls to us to pass it on. Willie Aames, I was bred as an outcast, part Negro and part Seminole, in my early years raised as an Indian. Futhermore, being able to capture the turning signals of prospect wind, he quickly quit from being a Scallawag and recognize by himself as a humble Democrat, who is in good standing, devoted to the last drop of blood to recovering our beloved state from the hands of her ravishers. These minor things kept America united, brought smiles, and tears of joy. Specifically, although several Southerners view Rhett Butler as a traitor, or "scallawag" for his willingness to work with Northern reformers to make Reconstruction happen, he hardly bothers public shame on account of foreseeing the potential to earn money. The relationship meant that Aces players could be called up to the Bruins at any time. Joe Eszterhas "Did you set them?" In 195152 he played with the Fredericton Merchants of the York County Hockey League and three games with the Fredericton Capitals of the New Brunswick Senior Hockey League. You can.. However, ORee could not tell anyone about the injury. The career stats for Willie O'Ree paint only a fraction of the picture. the Order of New Brunswick. Domi had a team-best 18 goals and 31 assists in 60 games with Chicago. To compensate for his blindness I was given freedom, and because of that, I can help offer it to others. POV writing and podcast are his main areas of attention. Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images. Find something that you really enjoy doing and it doesnt seem like a job. | Privacy Policy Jakub Lauko scored twice, Dmitry Orlov added a goal and two assists and Jeremy Swayman stopped 26 shots as the Bruins overcame the loss of Brad Marchand to a lower body injury to win their ninth straight. I only played against him once, in the '51 Series. To say that the ORee family was an ethnic minority in Fredericton at the time is an understatement. After a season with the Junior Capitals, ORee made a step up to the senior ranks for a full season in 195354. His biggest impact has come out of uniform. "Good evening, Madam." Willie O'Ree, the first Black player to appear in an NHL game, finally had his No. goal in the NHL in a 32 win over the Canadiens. Willie Stargell, I picked all the tunes before I went to Memphis, and the band was all set. One night while playing in Virginia in the 197273 AHL season, fans tossed cotton balls and a black cat Teammates are singled out for their lack of bigotry. The Negro Leagues were one of the most important and influential movements to happen in baseball history. You have to believe in yourself. Enjoy reading and share 3 famous quotes about Willie O'ree Famous with everyone. Willie Mays Maybe pick it up by mistake with the cleaning?" "It is there." "With the cleaning?" "In the closet." "No, it isn't. I looked." About to speak, Willie tightened her lips and scowled. I just came in and tried to play hard, said the 35-year-old Brassard, who played parts of four seasons for the Rangers, where he was a fan favorite and helped New York reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 2014. From 1949 to 1953 Herb Carnegie, a Black hockey player from Toronto, starred for the Aces in the Quebec Senior Hockey League. He was the youngest of 13 children. But being involved with this Hockey is for Everyone program over the 20 years, there was the chance of me going in as a builder. Ive always tried to be the best person I could be. O'Ree rejoined the Bruins in 1960-61 and played in 43 games that season. Thanks for contributing to The Canadian Encyclopedia. Has it hit you that Willie ORee and Hall of Famer are now together? Boston improved to 48-8-5 in its 61st game, besting the Montreal team from 1976-77 that reached 100 points in 62 games when there were regulation ties and no extra points for overtime or shootout victories. The Los Angeles Blades were weak at right wing, and head coach Alf Pike had ORee change positions. As an organization, the Aces had a history of integration. Playing Chicago in 1961, Eric Nesterenko aims the most offensive word he knows at a Black man, then butt ends O'Ree, taking out two teeth, and they have a bloody brawl. They acquired Tyler Bertuzzi from Detroit and inked Pastrnak to an eight-year, $90 million extension. He was back on the ice within two months. And yet people see me more as the pioneer because of racism against black people in pro sport at the time, because my career in the NHL was longer, and because I echoed Jackie Robinson's triumph in being the first black player to crack the premier league. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. In The Autobiography of Willie O'Ree: Hockey's Black Pioneer, O'Ree wrote that colour was never an issue on those early rinks: The fact that I was black never came up when we played as kids. Till's killers were acquitted by their white peers, and then allowed to sell their story to Look Magazine. I interned at the CBS political unit, covered conventions. I get letters and phone calls from young boys and girls, 10-13-year old boys and girls that have had problems on the ice, coming off the ice while theyre playing and having the n-word and you should be back picking cotton [said to them] and things like that. While playing with the Quebec Aces, ORee played on the same line with Stan Maxwell, another Black Canadian. The Yankees consoled families at the armory, invited family members to Arizona for their two final games, and even gave family members of victims private tours of Yankee Stadium. 22 jersey retired by the Bruins, take a look at 22 facts from his career and life. He and his family feared for his safety, and with good reason. Not only did Derek Jeter call her, but he gave her a private tour of Yankee Stadium (Nine Innings). He was was placed on injured reserve, retroactive to Friday, opening a roster spot for defenseman Riley Stillman, acquired Monday from Vancouver. There were only two Black families in Fredericton while ORee was growing up. O'Ree knew that barely a year had passed since teenager Emmett Till whistled at a white woman, and was tortured and murdered for it. ORee lost 95 per cent of the vision in his eye. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The 2010 No. 42. He played professional hockey for 21 seasons -- including 13 . He had two goals and an assist in a 4-3 victory at Dallas last week. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2023. I'm just not qualified. ORee also hosts an annual He sees the phenomenal hockey skills of Herb Carnegie, also a Black player, whoConn Smythe barredfrom the Leafs. He played with the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens of the Eastern Professional Hockey League; the Los Angeles Blades and San Diego Gulls of the Western Hockey League; the ORee delivered He is without question deserving of this honour. ORees No. Current and former NHL players, and politicians congratulate O'Ree. she wasn't much of a runner either. "He pretty much didn't trust anyonewho wasn't white and Protestant," O'Ree plainly states about Smythe. The girls recently saddened life had a recent uprise. Kreider opened the scoring with a short-handed goal at 6:31 of the first, bursting in on Talbot before flipping a high backhand into the net for his 27th goal. Charles Dickens, A magical CO2 knob for controlling weather and climate simply does not exist! By the time ORee was 15, he was playing I had the pleasure of playing with him on two or three different teams before I left my home to go play junior in 1955. You just have to believe in yourself and feel good about yourself and like yourself. Weve got to reset some pucks, we got to get better forechecking, more pressure.. O'Ree's grandparents came to Canada from the United States [] It was awesome.. and a descendant of Paris O'Ree, whose name appears in the famous historical document ''The Book of Negroes''. Kane skated on right wing with Panarin and Trocheck at center but overall had a quiet game for the Rangers, registering only four shots and no points. Willie O'Ree. Advised to retire, Willie keeps his injury a secret and continues to pursue his dream. Inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions. Arno died in a fire Wednesday. Willie finishes, as it begins, at the beginning. The Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award is created. Let's just say that what Herb Carnegie and Larry Kwong experienced didn't go away when I made the NHL.". It doesn't matter if you're famous or infamous. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. At the age of 14, Willie met famed baseball hero Jackie Robinson attending a Brooklyn Dodgers game with his youth baseball team. The original version of this entry was published by The Canadian Encyclopedia . KAndre Miller served the second of a three-game suspension for spitting toward Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty last Sunday Defenseman Jakob Chychruyn made his debut for the Senators after he was acquired from Arizona on Wednesday. The addition of Domi gives Dallas another veteran forward as it angles for playoff positioning. "As part of their payment for services in the army, officers of the South Carolina regiments received "three grown negroes and one small negro" to be their slaves. Philidelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004. Without these Invisible Men, who knows where baseballs racial standpoint with not only African Americans, but others such as Cuban, Dominican, and South American players, would be in the Major Leagues. | Sitemap |. Our best players have stepped up and taken their play to another level, Brassard added. hockey programs, with a focus on serving economically disadvantaged children. NOTES: Sweeney said Hall and Foligno are unlikely to return before the end of the regular season. ORee returned to playing hockey in Qubec after one year in Ontario and was eighth in team scoring with the Quebec Aces in the 195657 season (22 goals and 12 assists for 34 points). He is the third Black player inducted into the Hall, after Grant Fuhr and Senators: Host Columbus on Saturday night. All the anger in me went out. Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba also scored for the Rangers, who couldnt find any offense after Tarasenkos goal. When I was playing, besides being blind and being black, I was faced with four other things: racism, prejudice, bigotry, and ignorance. "Did you set those traps?" asked Chris. I was the youngest of 13 children. ORee was honoured along with former Boston Bruins defenceman O'Ree has positive memories of growing up in New Brunswick. His final NHL stat line is 45 games, 10 goals and 4 assists. The kids have the opportunity now to watch it on the television. "Willie has just as much of an impact on hockey as a guy like Wayne Gretzky. Order of New Brunswick (2005) and is an honoured member of the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 1984. The 525-square foot mobile museum will look back at the founders, trailblazers, history makers and Stanley Cup champions, and look ahead to the next generation of young stars, NHL officials, broadcasters and women in the game. But its going to take work. Signing up enhances your TCE experience with the ability to save items to your personal reading list, and access the interactive map. Black people overcame a lot before being able to play in an integrated league, from having to organize their own leagues to the breaking point when finally they were allowed to play in a white league., The year was 1919. "A Lifetime of Breaking Barriers." O'Ree played as a winger for the Boston Bruins.O'Ree is referred to as the "Jackie Robinson of ice hockey" for breaking the black colour barrier in the National Hockey League, and has stated . Heading down ice with the puck, his good eye faced the boards. He made his ownforays into areas that white peoplehad enjoyed exclusively.