NHL is integrated
On January 18 1958 hockey player Willie ORee of the Boston Bruins takes to the ice for a game against the Montreal Canadiens becoming the first black to play in the National Hockey League (NHL).Born in 1935 in Fredericton New Brunswick Canada ORee was the son of a civil engineer in one of Frederictons only two black families.He began skating at the age of three and joined a nearby hockey league when he was only five.During five years playing with his older brother on teams in Fredericton ORee became known as one of the best players in New Brunswick.
After one season with the Quebec Frontenacs of the Quebec Junior Hockey League he joined the Kitchener Canucks of the Ontario Hockey Association Junior A Hockey League setting a career-high mark of 30 goals during the 1955-56 season.That year a puck struck ORee in the right eye during a game robbing him of 95 percent of the vision in that eye.ORee managed to conceal the injury and continue his hockey career joining the Quebec Aces of the prestigious Quebec Hockey League in 1956.During his second season with Quebec the Boston Bruins of the NHL called up the 22-year-old ORee to replace an injured player.
On January 18 1958 the Bruins were playing the two-time Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens at Quebecs Montreal Forum.ORee took to the ice as a forward with the Bruins third line as the Bruins pulled off an upset 3-0 victory.He didnt score or record a penalty and the historic event took place amid little fanfare.After only two games ORee was sent back to the Aces though he played several games that season with the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League (AHL).
For the 1959-60 season ORee joined the Kingston Frontenacs of the Eastern Professional Hockey League notching 21 goals and 25 assists in 50 games.Moving to the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens he scored 19 points in 16 games.ORee rejoined the Bruins at the end of 1960 and on January 1 1961 in another game against the Canadiens he scored his first NHL goal.
ORee played 43 games with the Bruins that season scoring a total of four goals and adding 10 assists.The Bruins sold ORees contract to the Los Angeles Blades of the Western Hockey League (WHL) the next season and ORee spent most of the rest of his career out west playing 11 years with the Blades and the San Diego Gulls and twice winning the WHLs scoring title.After one season with the New Haven Nighthawks of the AHL he went back to California.He took a two-year break from playing in the late 1970s then returned for a final season with the Pacific Hockey Leagues San Diego Hawks in 1978-79.
He retired at the end of that season at the age of 43 after a professional hockey career of 19 seasons and 10 teams.Fifty years after his historic steps onto the NHL ice ORees legacy as the Jackie Robinson of hockey is rightfully being celebrated.After 1958 it would be 16 years before another black player Ontarios Mike Marson played in the NHL.As of 2007 there have been 40 black players in the history of the league 14 of them were active during the 2006-07 season making up about 2 percent of the league.
ORee now works as the Director of Youth Development for the NHLUSA Hockey Diversity Task Force.
