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Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player
An inspiring memoir that shows that anyone can achieve their dreams if they are willing to fight for them.
In 1958, Willie O'Ree was a lot like any other player toiling in the minors. He was good. Good enough to have been signed by the Boston Bruins. Just not quite good enough to play in the NHL.
Until January 18 of that year. O'Ree was finally called up, and when he stepped out onto the ice against the Montreal Canadiens, not only did he fulfil the childhood dream he shared with so many other Canadian kids, he did something that had never been done before.
He broke hockey's colour barrier. Just as his hero, Jackie Robinson, had done for baseball.
In that pioneering first NHL game, O'Ree proved that no one could stop him from being a hockey player. But he soon learned that he could never be just a hockey player. He would always be a black player, with all that entails. There were ugly name-calling and stick-swinging incidents, and nights when the Bruins had to be escorted to their bus by the police.
But O'Ree never backed down. When he retired in 1979, he had played hundreds of games as a pro, and scored hundreds of goals, his boyhood dreams more than accomplished.
In 2018, O'Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in recognition not only of that legacy, but of the way he has built on it in the decades since. He has been, for twenty years now, an NHL Executive and has helped the NHL Diversity program expose more than 40,000 boys and girls of diverse backgrounds to unique hockey experiences.
Inspiring, frank, and shot through with the kind of understated courage and decency required to change the world, Willie is a story for anyone willing to persevere for a dream.
In 1958, Willie O'Ree was a lot like any other player toiling in the minors. He was good. Good enough to have been signed by the Boston Bruins. Just not quite good enough to play in the NHL.
Until January 18 of that year. O'Ree was finally called up, and when he stepped out onto the ice against the Montreal Canadiens, not only did he fulfil the childhood dream he shared with so many other Canadian kids, he did something that had never been done before.
He broke hockey's colour barrier. Just as his hero, Jackie Robinson, had done for baseball.
In that pioneering first NHL game, O'Ree proved that no one could stop him from being a hockey player. But he soon learned that he could never be just a hockey player. He would always be a black player, with all that entails. There were ugly name-calling and stick-swinging incidents, and nights when the Bruins had to be escorted to their bus by the police.
But O'Ree never backed down. When he retired in 1979, he had played hundreds of games as a pro, and scored hundreds of goals, his boyhood dreams more than accomplished.
In 2018, O'Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in recognition not only of that legacy, but of the way he has built on it in the decades since. He has been, for twenty years now, an NHL Executive and has helped the NHL Diversity program expose more than 40,000 boys and girls of diverse backgrounds to unique hockey experiences.
Inspiring, frank, and shot through with the kind of understated courage and decency required to change the world, Willie is a story for anyone willing to persevere for a dream.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 2020
17 people are currently reading
497 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
December 8, 2020
I had no idea of who this person was before a couple of weeks ago when I bought this book. I’m now so infatuated with this man and his hockey career. This is the type of person that will open up opportunities to minorities to want to learn and eventually play the game of hockey. He did all of this with one eye too...one eye! Crazy! 😲
June 24, 2021
While it is well-known that Willie O’Ree was the first Black playoff in the NHL, it isn’t as well known that there were slaves in his family (they escaped to Canada), that he played almost his entire career blind in one eye due to injury and that he spent many years both on and off the ice enjoying life in Southern California. His memoir tells about this and a lot more in a down-to-earth, chummy style that truly does feel like it’s a grandfather telling the youngsters about what it was like “back in the day.”
That can be both a good thing and a bad thing in a book like this. I felt it was mostly a good thing in this book as O’Ree’s style makes the reader feel comfortable when he is talking about an uncomfortable topic, racism. Some may feel he downplays the racism he faced because he usually limits that to the insults from the fans or some players, but overall he doesn’t come across as angry or bitter about it, mostly sad. He praises most of his fellow hockey players and coaches as he states numerous times that not many cared about his skin color - they only cared about how good he was. His eye injury was a scary incident and eventually cost him a shot at returning to the NHL after he was traded from the Bruins as the league had a rule in place that this type of disability would prevent a player from playing in the league. That comes across as his biggest disappointment after moving to California as he was hoping to get a chance when the Los Angeles Kings started play in 1967.
The best of his stories form his youth is when he got to meet Jackie Robinson and told the great second baseman that he was going to make history in his sport too. Sure enough, he did in 1959 when the Bruins called O’Ree up from the minor leagues as an emergency fill-in because of injuries to other players. Imagine his surprise many years later when he ran into Robinson again who not only remembered him, but also remarked that he was correct in that he would make history in hockey.
Any reader interested in social or racial issues as well as hockey fans will enjoy this book. It may be quite folksy and tempered compared to book on similar topics but it is a very good read about a pioneer in the game whose contributions earned him a place in the hockey Hall of Fame.
That can be both a good thing and a bad thing in a book like this. I felt it was mostly a good thing in this book as O’Ree’s style makes the reader feel comfortable when he is talking about an uncomfortable topic, racism. Some may feel he downplays the racism he faced because he usually limits that to the insults from the fans or some players, but overall he doesn’t come across as angry or bitter about it, mostly sad. He praises most of his fellow hockey players and coaches as he states numerous times that not many cared about his skin color - they only cared about how good he was. His eye injury was a scary incident and eventually cost him a shot at returning to the NHL after he was traded from the Bruins as the league had a rule in place that this type of disability would prevent a player from playing in the league. That comes across as his biggest disappointment after moving to California as he was hoping to get a chance when the Los Angeles Kings started play in 1967.
The best of his stories form his youth is when he got to meet Jackie Robinson and told the great second baseman that he was going to make history in his sport too. Sure enough, he did in 1959 when the Bruins called O’Ree up from the minor leagues as an emergency fill-in because of injuries to other players. Imagine his surprise many years later when he ran into Robinson again who not only remembered him, but also remarked that he was correct in that he would make history in hockey.
Any reader interested in social or racial issues as well as hockey fans will enjoy this book. It may be quite folksy and tempered compared to book on similar topics but it is a very good read about a pioneer in the game whose contributions earned him a place in the hockey Hall of Fame.
September 9, 2020
Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL’s First Black Player is the memoir of Willie O’Ree, former Boston Bruin and current ambassador for the NHL’s Hockey is for Everyone program.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
To be honest, before reading his book, I didn’t know a whole hell of a lot about Willie O’Ree. Is that my fault for not looking into who had been the NHL’s first black player? Or should the blame lie at the feet of the game for not championing someone so courageous? I’m sure it’s a mixture of both. Either way, I’m happy to have had the opportunity to learn more about Willie and the extraordinary life he has led.
Hockey was Willie’s ultimate passion and he would stop at absolutely nothing to achieve his goal of playing in the NHL. In fact, he notes that being the “first black player” hadn’t even been on his mind, he said he had never looked at himself as a “black hockey player”, but rather as a “hockey player” first and foremost. Unfortunately for Willie, that was not how some people chose to see him. His road to the NHL would not be an easy one, not only would he have to deal with unabashedly racist fans, he was entering into a league with only six teams, which meant only the “best of the best” played in the NHL.
I enjoyed reading about the state of the minor leagues at the time Willie was playing professionally. While there are basically only two roads into the NHL as a junior player in North America now (the Canadian Hockey League and Collegiate hockey), there seemed to be so many other places to play as a minor league player in the 1950s and 60s. Willie spent time in the Quebec Hockey League, the Western Hockey League, and the American Hockey League before and after his stint in the NHL.
Willie’s humble nature and unwavering determination make for an enjoyable story. It’s too bad that he had to put up with the ignorance of others, but he managed his career with grace and unimaginable bravery. I hope this book reaches a wide audience and more people learn about the “Jackie Robinson of hockey.”
I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
To be honest, before reading his book, I didn’t know a whole hell of a lot about Willie O’Ree. Is that my fault for not looking into who had been the NHL’s first black player? Or should the blame lie at the feet of the game for not championing someone so courageous? I’m sure it’s a mixture of both. Either way, I’m happy to have had the opportunity to learn more about Willie and the extraordinary life he has led.
Hockey was Willie’s ultimate passion and he would stop at absolutely nothing to achieve his goal of playing in the NHL. In fact, he notes that being the “first black player” hadn’t even been on his mind, he said he had never looked at himself as a “black hockey player”, but rather as a “hockey player” first and foremost. Unfortunately for Willie, that was not how some people chose to see him. His road to the NHL would not be an easy one, not only would he have to deal with unabashedly racist fans, he was entering into a league with only six teams, which meant only the “best of the best” played in the NHL.
I enjoyed reading about the state of the minor leagues at the time Willie was playing professionally. While there are basically only two roads into the NHL as a junior player in North America now (the Canadian Hockey League and Collegiate hockey), there seemed to be so many other places to play as a minor league player in the 1950s and 60s. Willie spent time in the Quebec Hockey League, the Western Hockey League, and the American Hockey League before and after his stint in the NHL.
Willie’s humble nature and unwavering determination make for an enjoyable story. It’s too bad that he had to put up with the ignorance of others, but he managed his career with grace and unimaginable bravery. I hope this book reaches a wide audience and more people learn about the “Jackie Robinson of hockey.”
January 14, 2021
If you are even remotely interested in hockey, you need to read this book.
if you have no interest in hockey, but want to read about a genuinely inspiring person, you need to read this book.
Hard recommend.
if you have no interest in hockey, but want to read about a genuinely inspiring person, you need to read this book.
Hard recommend.
October 16, 2020
The story of Willie O’Ree and his lifetime of accomplishments, both personal and professional, is told here in Willie’s own voice. It reads as if he is sitting with you, telling you stories about his life and experiences. From a hockey-mad kid in New Brunswick, to breaking the NHL’s color barrier, Willie speaks with a down-to-earth, humble style that makes you appreciate him even more. His story is one of hard struggles, facing racism on all levels, being traded to teams across the country, and playing while only having sight in one eye, Willie approaches all of these memories with the same approach- work hard, do your best, and never give up and you can be proud of what you accomplish. Today, as a member of the NHL’s diversity program, he helps show children that hockey is for everyone- and this book will inspire everyone who has ever faced challenges going forward towards their life long goals.
A must read autobiographical story of one of hockey’s great trailblazers
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange ofr an honest review
A must read autobiographical story of one of hockey’s great trailblazers
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange ofr an honest review
July 2, 2022
I first heard about Willie O’ree while I was reading Wayne Gretzkey’s book 99 and was immediately intrigued by him.
This book was a great and, definitely worth picking up even for the casual hockey fan
This book was a great and, definitely worth picking up even for the casual hockey fan
December 10, 2020
I am a huge Bruins fan and there are many names that resonate with fans in Boston: Orr, Borque, Neely, Chara. But the one that should resonate with everyone across the league is O'Ree. Willie is the Jackie Robinson of the NHL, the first black player to take to the ice in a professional game. I truly enjoyed his recounting of his life not just in hockey and his pursuit of the NHL but also a brush with the MLB and how race impacted his life.
I was amazed by the story of his ancestors who had been slaves that escaped to Canada, a wise choice as Willie grew up in a relatively safe environment and didn't feel truly discriminated against until his brush with the MLB which brought him to Atlanta. The racism he faced there just after the horror of what had happened to Emmett Till pressed him back to Canada for his own safety. But it also pressed him towards his dreams of a career in hockey. He detailed his journey from pond hockey through the minor leagues and all the way to the NHL all while hiding the fact that he had gone blind in one eye! I appreciated that he acknowledged all of the other black players before him that just didn't get the opportunity due to their race and the circumstances to survive in the pro leagues.
The narrative well balanced the exciting hockey stories with his experiences with racism and social justice. His stories about the greats who he played against and meeting Jackie Robinson once as a fan and once as a peer were really entertaining. I am so grateful that these stories are getting published so that we can share in the journeys that weren't appropriately covered in their time. Well done, Mr O'Ree!
I was amazed by the story of his ancestors who had been slaves that escaped to Canada, a wise choice as Willie grew up in a relatively safe environment and didn't feel truly discriminated against until his brush with the MLB which brought him to Atlanta. The racism he faced there just after the horror of what had happened to Emmett Till pressed him back to Canada for his own safety. But it also pressed him towards his dreams of a career in hockey. He detailed his journey from pond hockey through the minor leagues and all the way to the NHL all while hiding the fact that he had gone blind in one eye! I appreciated that he acknowledged all of the other black players before him that just didn't get the opportunity due to their race and the circumstances to survive in the pro leagues.
The narrative well balanced the exciting hockey stories with his experiences with racism and social justice. His stories about the greats who he played against and meeting Jackie Robinson once as a fan and once as a peer were really entertaining. I am so grateful that these stories are getting published so that we can share in the journeys that weren't appropriately covered in their time. Well done, Mr O'Ree!
March 7, 2021
I really wanted to like this (really!). I found the writing style difficult to follow - it was almost too casual. I’m wondering if listening to an audiobook would have been more enjoyable. And I’m surprised the book made it to publishing without more editing. I recognize there’s a difficult balance between keeping the author of a memoir’s voice and polishing with good edits. But there were also *glaring* mistakes and typos. (Gretzky is NOT from Brampton! How did this not get caught!?)
As a white woman, I hesitate to critique O’Ree’s reflections on race and racism. However, I grew frustrated with the (many) comments about racism not being as bad in Canada as in the United States. I appreciated O’Ree’s reflections on the way racism can often present itself differently in Canada, but I was hoping for some stronger comments on racism in Canada not just in his youth but how it’s prevalent today as well.
As a white woman, I hesitate to critique O’Ree’s reflections on race and racism. However, I grew frustrated with the (many) comments about racism not being as bad in Canada as in the United States. I appreciated O’Ree’s reflections on the way racism can often present itself differently in Canada, but I was hoping for some stronger comments on racism in Canada not just in his youth but how it’s prevalent today as well.
May 15, 2025
This was a great read and a very quick read. For someone who lived in Fredericton for a while it was very cool hearing of places and streets I am familiar with, and having met Willie O’Ree he is a very much a gentleman. Had no idea he almost played for the Milwaukee Braves or that the Boston Bruins had traded him to the Montreal Canadiens. Very cool learning of his journey in hockey and how similar yet different his experience was to Jackie Robinsonson
April 1, 2021
Loved it, and will have to buy a copy. He's a great storyteller. The highs and lows of his journey are engrossing. The racial issues in Fredericton before the civil rights movement were surprising to me (though they probably shouldn't be): I had forgotten about his ties to NB. Seems like a great person. Interesting tidbits about the history of the league are just icing on the cake.
June 16, 2025
I didn’t even know Willie O’Ree was blind in one eye and was still one of the best hockey players of his day let alone all the the other stuff he had to overcome just to make it. If you are a hockey fan this is a book you should read.
July 7, 2025
this feels like sitting down next to an old stranger on a long bus ride who ends up telling you their life story… i absolutely loved it. i think this is a must-read for hockey fans and also just an incredibly moving and inspiring story that i can’t recommend enough to anyone!
January 26, 2021
Quick easy read about a very inspiring guy.
June 3, 2022
Willie O'Ree made it to an original 6 team with one eye. This book is too short, I want to know more about everything. Also he worked in security for all of the 80s, I want to know more about that. Seriously everything about O'Ree is fascinating.
May 6, 2023
i love you willie
November 26, 2022
What a great read and even a better gentleman and ambassador for the game I love.
October 29, 2021
As a hockey fan and more specifically a Bruins fan, choosing to read Willie was easy. Everyone knows the story of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball. But was it much less known, unfortunately so, is the story of Willie O'Ree being the first black player in the NHL. Not only that but Willie made it to the NHL when there's was only six teams in the league and it was much less opportunity for anyone to get in, let alone a black player when in the '60s the civil rights movement was in full swing. Willie's story is one of endurance, perseverance, and strength. He lead the way for all players of color that came after him and had to go through no shortage of setbacks and roadblocks. Willie O'Ree is a pioneer in every sense of the word and helped shape the NHL into what it is today.
The book opens by explaining Willie's early life. He grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, and had a big family. Growing up in Canada Willie was exposed to hockey immediately, like every other Canadian, and his favorite team was the Montreal Canadiens (as a Bruins I thought it was poetic that a lifelong Canadiens fan played for Boston). His older brother Coot was his main supporter and taught him everything there was to know about hockey. Coot was integral in making Willie become the fast, scoring machine that he was. Willie went on to explain the games he played in the frozen river of his town. There were no indoor rinks for the youth to play in so all games were outside on a frozen body of water. I can only imagine the cold. When Willie got to high school, he was cut from his high school team. Nice choice coach. This lead him to play junior hockey, which at the time was the only path to the NHL. At the same time, Willie was also playing baseball and had serious interest from the MLB. He even when down to Georgia to try out for the at the time Milwaukee Braves. This was Wille's first exposure to racism in the deep south. In Canada there was racism but there were no Jim Crow laws and no segregation. For Willie, this trip sealed the deal for him to stop baseball and pursue hockey. He never wanted to return to the south and have to deal with the horrible conditions. Willie went on to play for many semi-pro teams in Canada until getting a letter telling him to come to Boston for a tryout with the Bruins. Though he would not make the team after that tryout, he was not on the Bruins' radar which would bring him the big show. One night Willie got a call from the Bruins. They needed him in Montreal to play a game, they were short numbers due to injury. Willie would make his NHL debut on January 18, 1958, and changed hockey forever. Though Willie was playing for the Bruins he was playing in Canada against his favorite team in his first game. Willie would go on to play another two seasons with the Bruins and after would spend the remainder of his professional career in California where he would rack up some extremely impressive stats. After Willie retired he would work various jobs until the NHL would come calling again. After nearly forty years, Willie was asked to come back to the NHL and work in their new diversity program, the goal of the program was to bring hockey to as many people as possible. To this day Willie still works in the NHL's diversity program and inspires thousands of players across the country.
Because this book was written by Willie, you get a first-hand account of everything he went through in his journey to the NHL. You get all the detail, from how it felt for him to skate on the ice, to the unfortunate things Willie had to hear. Everything in the book comes from him and his experience and it feels as if Willie is talking right to you. I am convinced that if Willie was born today he would have spent his entire pro career in the NHL. But because there were only six teams and Willie didn't get into the league until after 30, he wasn't able to make the impact that says Jackie Robinson did. Non the less Wille changed the games of hockey forever and it is evident on every page his tremendous love for the game.
Personally, I had no problems with the book. Biographies and autobiographies are some of my favorite books to read and this one was talking about one of my true sports idols. Reading the book only made me want to continue on as quickly as possible, I wanted to know all of Wille's story. The only I can say is that at times the writing does get a little drawn out but I think that is true anytime someone writes about themselves. Personally, I think it works for the story because you want to know as much as possible.
The book opens by explaining Willie's early life. He grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, and had a big family. Growing up in Canada Willie was exposed to hockey immediately, like every other Canadian, and his favorite team was the Montreal Canadiens (as a Bruins I thought it was poetic that a lifelong Canadiens fan played for Boston). His older brother Coot was his main supporter and taught him everything there was to know about hockey. Coot was integral in making Willie become the fast, scoring machine that he was. Willie went on to explain the games he played in the frozen river of his town. There were no indoor rinks for the youth to play in so all games were outside on a frozen body of water. I can only imagine the cold. When Willie got to high school, he was cut from his high school team. Nice choice coach. This lead him to play junior hockey, which at the time was the only path to the NHL. At the same time, Willie was also playing baseball and had serious interest from the MLB. He even when down to Georgia to try out for the at the time Milwaukee Braves. This was Wille's first exposure to racism in the deep south. In Canada there was racism but there were no Jim Crow laws and no segregation. For Willie, this trip sealed the deal for him to stop baseball and pursue hockey. He never wanted to return to the south and have to deal with the horrible conditions. Willie went on to play for many semi-pro teams in Canada until getting a letter telling him to come to Boston for a tryout with the Bruins. Though he would not make the team after that tryout, he was not on the Bruins' radar which would bring him the big show. One night Willie got a call from the Bruins. They needed him in Montreal to play a game, they were short numbers due to injury. Willie would make his NHL debut on January 18, 1958, and changed hockey forever. Though Willie was playing for the Bruins he was playing in Canada against his favorite team in his first game. Willie would go on to play another two seasons with the Bruins and after would spend the remainder of his professional career in California where he would rack up some extremely impressive stats. After Willie retired he would work various jobs until the NHL would come calling again. After nearly forty years, Willie was asked to come back to the NHL and work in their new diversity program, the goal of the program was to bring hockey to as many people as possible. To this day Willie still works in the NHL's diversity program and inspires thousands of players across the country.
Because this book was written by Willie, you get a first-hand account of everything he went through in his journey to the NHL. You get all the detail, from how it felt for him to skate on the ice, to the unfortunate things Willie had to hear. Everything in the book comes from him and his experience and it feels as if Willie is talking right to you. I am convinced that if Willie was born today he would have spent his entire pro career in the NHL. But because there were only six teams and Willie didn't get into the league until after 30, he wasn't able to make the impact that says Jackie Robinson did. Non the less Wille changed the games of hockey forever and it is evident on every page his tremendous love for the game.
Personally, I had no problems with the book. Biographies and autobiographies are some of my favorite books to read and this one was talking about one of my true sports idols. Reading the book only made me want to continue on as quickly as possible, I wanted to know all of Wille's story. The only I can say is that at times the writing does get a little drawn out but I think that is true anytime someone writes about themselves. Personally, I think it works for the story because you want to know as much as possible.
December 5, 2020
'courage begets courage, good begets good'
November 15, 2020
A fascinating autobiography of "the Jackie Robinson of hockey". From a humble beginnings in Fredericton, New Brunswick to breaking the colour barrier with the Boston Bruins to spearheading the NHL's diversity program this man is an inspiration. He has to be admired for not letting the racism he experienced turn him bitter. He is an inspiration and he did it all with only one eye. That's right, he played his entire pro career while blind in one eye and no one ever knew.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2021
I kicked off Black History Month by reading this great autobiography of Willie O'Ree, the first black player in the NHL. Why was I not familiar with him before? His time in the NHL was short, but he made it when there were only six teams, and he was playing while hiding the fact her was blind in one eye due to a hockey injury. After a long career playing minor league pro hockey, O'Ree is now part of the the NHL Diversity Program, encouraging other minority kids to pursue their hockey dreams. His story is an interesting one, and he tells it with grace and humility. I'm not really a hockey fan, but this book held my attention.
February 1, 2025
Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL’s First Black Player by Willie O’Ree with Michael McKinley was a rapid read that was a pleasure to sit with for hours at a time. O’Ree told his story starting with his ancestor Paris O’Ree, who escaped to Canada via the Underground Railroad in the late eighteenth century. He then devoted a paragraph to each succeeding generation until he arrived at his father. The story flowed like a long interview transcription, and whether it was O’Ree’s storytelling ability or McKinley’s skill at piecing interview bits together–likely both–Willie was a can’t-put-down read.
O’Ree loved to play hockey from a young age, and played on outdoor rinks and then in New Brunswick leagues, gradually making his way up the hockey hierarchy, eventually achieving his goal of playing in the NHL. He played for the Boston Bruins starting in 1958 and remained in the NHL until 1961.
What struck me from the start of the book was O’Ree’s sense of optimism and positivity. He acknowledges that while racist taunts from spectators stung his ears, he never let it bring him down or make him question his position in hockey. He had close bonds with his teammates, and over and over O’Ree said that once he was part of a team, race didn’t matter. They were all in the game and had to work together. His friendship with Bruins left winger Johnny Bucyk is told with such heartfelt fondness it nearly brought tears to my eyes.
O’Ree played professionally until 1979 and then embarked on a new career in security. In 1998 the NHL asked him to come aboard as part of their new diversity task force, in an attempt to broaden the appeal of hockey and make it more inclusive. His work in this field over twenty years saw O’Ree inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.
Willie was full of inspirational passages and quotes that I am reproducing below.
“I sometimes wonder whether my life would have been different, or somehow felt different, if I’d grown up watching [Rocket] Richard and other NHLers on television. That is, if I saw what they looked like. I never saw the red, white, and blue of the Habs sweaters, but I also never saw black and white–because it wasn’t there for me to see. All I ever imagined as a kid was the game itself. The question of color was never part of it. It’s interesting to think that the tradition of Hockey Night in Canada on the family radio, which was so much a part of Canadians’ lives back then, allowed me to imagine a version of the game that had a place for a player like me.”
O’Ree has often been called the Jackie Robinson of hockey. What I didn’t know was that O’Ree was also a budding baseball player, and played during the hockey off-season. He had the opportunity to meet Robinson, and wrote of their interaction:
“After the game we gathered in the Dodgers’ dugout and met Robinson himself. He could not have been nicer, asking each of us our name and whether we liked baseball. When my turn came, I told him that I liked baseball a lot but that I liked hockey more. He looked surprised and said that hockey didn’t have any black players. I told him he was looking at one, and that he’d see me make my mark on the game the way he’d made his on baseball.”
While O’Ree was playing baseball in the American south, he experienced the worst taunts from racist ball fans and even other players. Throughout the book O’Ree looked back on his life and the discrimination he had faced, and nothing compared to the epithets thrown at him while playing ball in the southern states. His white teammates had his back when his entire team walked out when a segregated establishment refused him entry:
“The next week we played an exhibition game and I got a couple of hits, but what was new to me were the racial jeers from the white players, both in the camp and on outside teams. I let it go in one ear and out the other, but I’d never experienced anything like that from my hockey player teammates in Canada.”
This book was a cherished read for all the wisdom O’Ree imparts. I learned more about resilience, conviction and confidence from this sports hero. In the rough-and-tumble world of professional hockey, trash talking and “chirping” are part of the game–yet racist jabs aren’t. O’Ree knows the difference:
“Trash talking aims to needle an opponent by casting doubt on his strength or his intelligence or his girlfriend, but within the context of the game. Racism aims to diminish the humanity of a person, period. It’s not about a game, it’s about your life. There’s a huge difference, as anyone who’s ever been racially abused will tell you.”
As we celebrate Black History Month I recommend Willie as a must-read.
March 7, 2021
I wanted to give this book a 3 but bumped it up to 4. While Willie O’Ree is a person who deserves great respect and should probably have more of an impact on the NHL, this autobiography is incredibly by the numbers, standard fare. O’Rees 80 years in 200 pages. It’s really too bad as the book really could have pushed further in many parts. O’Ree has given many speeches- both as a salesperson and a spokesperson. Are they quoted? Well his well documented Hall of Fame speech makes it. He has inspired other players and helped change the face of the game. Are they included? Outside of the Forward and the Hall of Fame push, no. Racism lives and breathes in hockey. Do we go deeper into that? Not really. I don’t blame O’Ree for this but rather the ghostwriter, editor and publisher for lacking any real curiousity, research abilities and creativity to elevate this book from something that looked good on the racks of Indigo and Shoppers Drug Mart to a truly important hockey book. This book would probably be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
November 4, 2020
This is by far one of the best hockey books that I have ever read. Willie O'Ree has such a unique way with words and discusses so many elements of his life (on and off the ice) that you really can get the feeling of going on his life's journey alongside him. Any time that someone's biography/autobiography can do that, you know you're in for a really special experience.
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November 4, 2020So many great stories in here about my grandpa's brother, Stan Chook Maxwell ❤️
December 31, 2021
A fascinating accounting of the life of Willie O’Ree and his landmark journey which made him the first black player to play in the NHL. From his childhood through his election to the Hockey Hall of Fame, O’Ree takes the reader through his greatest triumphs and tragedies and bigotry that he encountered in hockey and life. What was amazing was that he essentially played his entire career with one eye. Inspiring and uplifting for the most part. One must wonder what his short NHL career would have been like had he both eyes to work with.
December 28, 2023
I met Willie O’Ree before an Oakland, CA pickup hockey game, and he was kind enough to take a picture with me. In the locker room, someone alerted everyone that he was hanging out with the youngsters, encouraging them towards the game, and more so towards the right choices in life. But only two of us rushed up to meet him. At the time, his story wasn’t well advertised, so this book was a great for me to find, written several years after. Turns out, Willie finally got his due, enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame, subject of an ESPN (I think) documentary, awarded The Order of Canada, and recognized in the world of hockey as the Jackie Robinson of our cherished game. A big award was named in his honor to be given annually to the person most exemplifying those attributes (Willie traveled everywhere, spreading values of courage and determination to underprivileged kids around the globe. Courage against prejudice and hate. Courage to be good and kind in the face of adversities. His story is this book.
In America, African American kids tend to gravitate towards football and basketball, and less so to baseball (that’s a mystery) and to hockey (expensive equipment and cost of ice-time when its not so natural). So getting American kids the opportunity to try out this Canadian sport (lots of cold… and free ice in Canadian cities and farms) is a special endeavor. Willie O’Ree is Canadian, but has lived in the US for ages, and has been extending his efforts beyond the borders of his homeland, and even his adopted nation.
Great chapter here about the Milwaukee Braves flying him out to the Deep South (Waycross, GA) to try out for their MLB team the year before they won the World Series in 1956. The racism of the time was accentuated by Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Emmitt Till, who was lynched while visiting from Chicago. Canada was shockingly more polite, so the hate of the American south was not only foreign to Willie, but turned out to be a life-risking journey for the less-than-worldly teenager. It was a seminal moment, opening his eyes to injustice in the adult world, where color of your skin matters, both blatantly and subtly.
More fun hockey anecdotes about Punch Imlach, Sam Pollack, Eric Nesterinko (ugly N-word confrontation), and a similar incident with Mark Messier’s dad, Doug!Interesting new knowledge was learning how Los Angeles was a hockey-wise town as early as the 1920’s, with UCLA, USC, and even Loyola Marymount fielding teams. (Willie, like me, fell in love with the Los Angeles hockey scene, as well as with our first wives there 😂). He had been traded to the Los Angeles Blades. (Coincidentally, I also played for a team called the LA Blades (NNHL) after moving from Edmonton, and also suffered a racial taunt (Go Home, Chink) by a player in my league.)
But you know what? Willie’s anecdotes while being the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador were even better! Made me smile… how this old relic connected with thousands of underprivileged kids, hockey just being the excuse to give this wonderful human a vehicle to get out there. To change lives.
This is not just a memoir of a hockey life, but a discussion on social issues, touching a little on observed differences between American and Canadian attitudes (race ‘etiquette’); politics of the Vietnam War… and domestically (i.e., the fight for racial equity (civil rights efforts, inequality, injustice, and discrimination spawning anger and violence); and history (e.g., the 6-days of rebellion/rioting in Watts). All presented from the perspective of a simple man, a kid, really, thrust into a groundbreaking role.
A postscript to my personal experience with the author is that he happily inscribed my photo with him, while waiting for his Hall of Fame call in his home of San Diego, CA…and that gem hangs in my personal Hockey Hall of Fame.😊👍 Thanks, Willie!
In America, African American kids tend to gravitate towards football and basketball, and less so to baseball (that’s a mystery) and to hockey (expensive equipment and cost of ice-time when its not so natural). So getting American kids the opportunity to try out this Canadian sport (lots of cold… and free ice in Canadian cities and farms) is a special endeavor. Willie O’Ree is Canadian, but has lived in the US for ages, and has been extending his efforts beyond the borders of his homeland, and even his adopted nation.
Great chapter here about the Milwaukee Braves flying him out to the Deep South (Waycross, GA) to try out for their MLB team the year before they won the World Series in 1956. The racism of the time was accentuated by Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and Emmitt Till, who was lynched while visiting from Chicago. Canada was shockingly more polite, so the hate of the American south was not only foreign to Willie, but turned out to be a life-risking journey for the less-than-worldly teenager. It was a seminal moment, opening his eyes to injustice in the adult world, where color of your skin matters, both blatantly and subtly.
More fun hockey anecdotes about Punch Imlach, Sam Pollack, Eric Nesterinko (ugly N-word confrontation), and a similar incident with Mark Messier’s dad, Doug!Interesting new knowledge was learning how Los Angeles was a hockey-wise town as early as the 1920’s, with UCLA, USC, and even Loyola Marymount fielding teams. (Willie, like me, fell in love with the Los Angeles hockey scene, as well as with our first wives there 😂). He had been traded to the Los Angeles Blades. (Coincidentally, I also played for a team called the LA Blades (NNHL) after moving from Edmonton, and also suffered a racial taunt (Go Home, Chink) by a player in my league.)
But you know what? Willie’s anecdotes while being the NHL’s Diversity Ambassador were even better! Made me smile… how this old relic connected with thousands of underprivileged kids, hockey just being the excuse to give this wonderful human a vehicle to get out there. To change lives.
This is not just a memoir of a hockey life, but a discussion on social issues, touching a little on observed differences between American and Canadian attitudes (race ‘etiquette’); politics of the Vietnam War… and domestically (i.e., the fight for racial equity (civil rights efforts, inequality, injustice, and discrimination spawning anger and violence); and history (e.g., the 6-days of rebellion/rioting in Watts). All presented from the perspective of a simple man, a kid, really, thrust into a groundbreaking role.
A postscript to my personal experience with the author is that he happily inscribed my photo with him, while waiting for his Hall of Fame call in his home of San Diego, CA…and that gem hangs in my personal Hockey Hall of Fame.😊👍 Thanks, Willie!
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February 22, 2021This was a fascinating look at the life of the first black hockey player to make it to the NHL by playing for the Boston Bruins during the late 1950s.
Willie was born in the Fredericton, New Brunswick...and grew up, as many Canadian kids do...playing hockey!
His ancestor Paris O'Ree came to Fredericton after being enslaved in South Carolina before somehow making it to Canada and living as a free person. The O'Ree name is actually a phonetic rendition of the last name of his enslaver...and not evidence of an Irish background!
Willie grew up loving hockey, and played it for many years as a pro or semi-pro player with a dream to make it to play in the NHL.
What is even more amazing, is that he was legally blind in one eye for most of those years, after an on-ice accident...he ultimately had his bad eye removed and now wears a glass eye!
O'Ree pretty matter-of-factly recounts his career...and, yeah, it isn't all pretty in terms of how some opponents and opposing fans treated him.
He was a gifted athlete who played multiple sports, and was good enough to earn a tryout with the Milwaukee Braves baseball team and attended their training camp in...Georgia.
His time in Georgia convinced him that playing in the Deep South wasn't for him...and he decided to more actively pursue a career in his first love...hockey.
His attitude reminded me of many Canadian-born players who didn't like the fuss American media and fans made of them being black (I saw this in the OHL with players I saw there)...wishing to concentrate more on their on-ice talents.
I found this book when I was visiting a book store near the winter holidays this past year, and I hadn't heard of it until that point. I bought it because I knew who Willie O'Ree was, and I was curious about his career.
The last I heard, the Bruins intended to have a big event and retire his number in 2020. That event has been postponed until late 2021 or into 2022 so that fans will finally be able to return to the building after the pandemic and they can have a big celebration IRL.
The book is well-worth reading...and the story is well-worth knowing!
Willie was born in the Fredericton, New Brunswick...and grew up, as many Canadian kids do...playing hockey!
His ancestor Paris O'Ree came to Fredericton after being enslaved in South Carolina before somehow making it to Canada and living as a free person. The O'Ree name is actually a phonetic rendition of the last name of his enslaver...and not evidence of an Irish background!
Willie grew up loving hockey, and played it for many years as a pro or semi-pro player with a dream to make it to play in the NHL.
What is even more amazing, is that he was legally blind in one eye for most of those years, after an on-ice accident...he ultimately had his bad eye removed and now wears a glass eye!
O'Ree pretty matter-of-factly recounts his career...and, yeah, it isn't all pretty in terms of how some opponents and opposing fans treated him.
He was a gifted athlete who played multiple sports, and was good enough to earn a tryout with the Milwaukee Braves baseball team and attended their training camp in...Georgia.
His time in Georgia convinced him that playing in the Deep South wasn't for him...and he decided to more actively pursue a career in his first love...hockey.
His attitude reminded me of many Canadian-born players who didn't like the fuss American media and fans made of them being black (I saw this in the OHL with players I saw there)...wishing to concentrate more on their on-ice talents.
I found this book when I was visiting a book store near the winter holidays this past year, and I hadn't heard of it until that point. I bought it because I knew who Willie O'Ree was, and I was curious about his career.
The last I heard, the Bruins intended to have a big event and retire his number in 2020. That event has been postponed until late 2021 or into 2022 so that fans will finally be able to return to the building after the pandemic and they can have a big celebration IRL.
The book is well-worth reading...and the story is well-worth knowing!
February 25, 2021
Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player is an autobiographical novel written by Willie O'Ree, the "Jackie Robinson of hockey" with Michael McKinley and a forward by Jarome Iginla.
Willie Eldon O'Ree is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, best known for being the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL). 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 color barrier in the sport.
Hockey was Willie's ultimate passion and he would stop at absolutely nothing to achieve his goal of playing in the NHL. In fact, he notes that being the "first black player" hadn't even been on his mind, as he had never looked at himself as a "black hockey player", but rather as a "hockey player" first and foremost.
Unfortunately for Willie, that was not how some people chose to see him. His road to the NHL would not be an easy one, not only would he have to deal with unabashedly racist fans, he was entering into a league with only six teams, which meant only the "best of the best" played in the NHL.
Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player is written rather well. With a humble nature and unwavering determination, Willie traces his story from his minor leagues and the various leagues he has spent his long and distinctive career with such as the Quebec Hockey League, the Western Hockey League, and the American Hockey League before and after his stint in the NHL.
All in all, Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player is an inspiring and frank autobiography of the "Jackie Robinson of ice hockey".
Willie Eldon O'Ree is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, best known for being the first black player in the National Hockey League (NHL). 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 color barrier in the sport.
Hockey was Willie's ultimate passion and he would stop at absolutely nothing to achieve his goal of playing in the NHL. In fact, he notes that being the "first black player" hadn't even been on his mind, as he had never looked at himself as a "black hockey player", but rather as a "hockey player" first and foremost.
Unfortunately for Willie, that was not how some people chose to see him. His road to the NHL would not be an easy one, not only would he have to deal with unabashedly racist fans, he was entering into a league with only six teams, which meant only the "best of the best" played in the NHL.
Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player is written rather well. With a humble nature and unwavering determination, Willie traces his story from his minor leagues and the various leagues he has spent his long and distinctive career with such as the Quebec Hockey League, the Western Hockey League, and the American Hockey League before and after his stint in the NHL.
All in all, Willie: The Game-Changing Story of the NHL's First Black Player is an inspiring and frank autobiography of the "Jackie Robinson of ice hockey".
December 13, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this one. Mr O'Ree is super positive about his experience throughout. He, sadly, definitely faced adversity due to his skin colour (and, in truth, should've been able to play longer in the league after breaking in as the first African-American NHLer), but throughout the book, he strikes the reader as a talented, humble and genuine player. And to think that he experienced all of his pro career with what was effectively a blind right eye. My only minor criticism is that the initial chapters, before he delves into his time in hockey, read like everyone's grandfather writing about their childhood... Not bad, just could've used some editing.
Would love to have the chance to meet Willie one day, like I was lucky enough to do with the foreword author, Mr Jarome Iginla, in Feb/20... I know that Willie would be as genuine and polite as Jarome was! Both are HHOFers who definitely deserve their places in the Hall!
Will have to watch the documentary now.
Also of note: Willie was a pioneer who broke through and disrupted the status quo to make the NHL. As hockey fans, we need to support minority voices who disrupt the status quo today and call attention to racism and systemic problems that still exist in our sport. Players like Akim Aliu have recently spoken up and been shouted down, even though the problems they highlight are very real. Hockey needs to be for everyone, full stop.
Would love to have the chance to meet Willie one day, like I was lucky enough to do with the foreword author, Mr Jarome Iginla, in Feb/20... I know that Willie would be as genuine and polite as Jarome was! Both are HHOFers who definitely deserve their places in the Hall!
Will have to watch the documentary now.
Also of note: Willie was a pioneer who broke through and disrupted the status quo to make the NHL. As hockey fans, we need to support minority voices who disrupt the status quo today and call attention to racism and systemic problems that still exist in our sport. Players like Akim Aliu have recently spoken up and been shouted down, even though the problems they highlight are very real. Hockey needs to be for everyone, full stop.
January 19, 2021
As a big hockey fan, I have always felt that I should know more about Willie O'Ree, the NHL's first black player. Up until reading this book, all I know about him is that he played a season for the Bruins and worked for the NHL's Diversity Task Force culminating in his induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.
I am so glad that I read this book. It was not only a fascinating and inspiring tale, but I had a tough time putting it down due to its entertaining structure and narrative.
Between losing eyesight in one eye during his junior hockey career and the adversity he faced every time he stepped on the ice, his is a story of perseverance and a willingness to go through anything to live his dream of being a player in the NHL.
His story about being fortunate to grow up in a time when Hockey Night in Canada, the hit show in Canada was still just a radio show as he was unable to see the color of the players on the ice is truly an eye-opener to the history of not just the United States and Canada, but the world.
His is also a story of racism as he went to Georgia to try out for the MLB. Traveling from Canada to the American South before the Civil Rights Act while Jim Crow laws were still strongly enforced is a tough pill to swallow in our history.
Willie O'Rees ability to persevere and overcome adversity is one that I think we can all learn from.
I am so glad that I read this book. It was not only a fascinating and inspiring tale, but I had a tough time putting it down due to its entertaining structure and narrative.
Between losing eyesight in one eye during his junior hockey career and the adversity he faced every time he stepped on the ice, his is a story of perseverance and a willingness to go through anything to live his dream of being a player in the NHL.
His story about being fortunate to grow up in a time when Hockey Night in Canada, the hit show in Canada was still just a radio show as he was unable to see the color of the players on the ice is truly an eye-opener to the history of not just the United States and Canada, but the world.
His is also a story of racism as he went to Georgia to try out for the MLB. Traveling from Canada to the American South before the Civil Rights Act while Jim Crow laws were still strongly enforced is a tough pill to swallow in our history.
Willie O'Rees ability to persevere and overcome adversity is one that I think we can all learn from.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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