This Week In Bruins History: Willie O'Ree Breaks Color Barrier

by Dave Carignan on Jan 19, 2012 10:15 AM EST in This Week In Bruins History

On January 18, 1958 Willie Eldon O'Ree became the first black player to play an NHL game. O'Ree got his chance when the Bruins called him up due to an injury making his debut against the Canadiens. During O'Ree's minor league career he had been struck by a wild puck that left him almost completely blind in his right eye. O'Ree did an excellent job of hiding the fact that he was playing with one eye, but if the NHL knew he never would have eared the chance of being a pioneer for the sport.

O'Ree only played two season in the NHL, both with the Boston Bruins. He scored a total of four goals and added ten helpers during his forty- five NHL games. These numbers were far from spectacular, however for a number of years O'Ree was a scoring force in the WHL posting 318 goal in thirteen season. He won two scoring titles in his thirteen season in the WHL.

Being the first black player to play in the NHL of course O'Ree experienced racism. He said that the racism was worse in the American cities rather than the Canadian cities. Fans would make comments about why he wasn't in the South while throwing out cotton references in the process. O'Ree's comments on the racism he experienced, "things like that. It didn't bother me. I just wanted to be a hockey player, and if they couldn't accept that fact, that was their problem, not mine. Willie O'Ree may not have had the type of impact that Jackie Robinson made in the MLB. However in a sport where the percentage of black players is minuscule he still made an impression that is visible in the league today..

History of Wille O'ree, 1st Black NHL Player (via floridaeels)

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That’s pretty bad-ass of him! I had no idea he basically played hockey with only one eye!

by Miss Muse on Jan 19, 2012 12:11 PM EST reply actions

Yeah that’s was pretty tough I bet.

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by Dave Carignan on Jan 19, 2012 12:16 PM EST up reply actions

I live...

I live in his hometown, and the rink across the river is named after him. There’s a sports museum in the rink, and willie’s old jersey, stick and gloves are in a glass case.

Because I can.

by Bobby16may on Jan 19, 2012 1:27 PM EST reply actions

I love the part where he says he didn’t get any points or in any fights but his first game was a great feeling because “we beat Canadiens 2-0, right in Montreal, shut ’em out.” Spoken like a true Bruin.

by Nomer on Jan 19, 2012 4:43 PM EST reply actions

That’s all we ask for. Don’t care if all the games against them end 1-0 as long as the record shows.

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by Dave Carignan on Jan 19, 2012 5:30 PM EST up reply actions

But of course it is nice when they beat the crap out of them phsically.

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by Dave Carignan on Jan 19, 2012 5:31 PM EST up reply actions

also scoring a bunch of goals against them is good

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 19, 2012 5:35 PM EST up reply actions

Haha well yeah.

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by Dave Carignan on Jan 19, 2012 5:47 PM EST up reply actions

Or both like that 8-6 game is good too

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 20, 2012 9:35 AM EST up reply actions

I rather see all of the beatdowns and an 8-0 score. But i’ll take all of the suspence included.

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by Dave Carignan on Jan 20, 2012 10:45 AM EST up reply actions

Reminder that while the racism was worse in America then, recently Montreal had guys in literal blackface and that guy in Ontario threw a banana on the ice during a shootout

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by Cornelius Hardenbergh on Jan 19, 2012 4:58 PM EST reply actions