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WILLIE O’REE, FIRST BLACK PLAYER IN NHL, TO BE INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME

July 1, 2018

WILLIE O’REE, FIRST BLACK PLAYER IN NHL, TO BE INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME

Willie O’Ree will earn one of the highest NHL honors and be inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame, Al Muir of Sports Illustrated first reported, with the NHL confirming Tuesday.

O’Ree, 82, will be inducted as a builder of the sport, along with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Many have been clamoring for O’Ree to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for years. He became known as the Jackie Robinson of hockey after he became the first black man to play in the NHL when he was called up from the Quebec Aces to the Bruins to replace an injured player in 1958.

O’Ree played in two games that year, but came back to the Bruins in 1961, where he played in 43 games. During that season, he scored four goals and had 10 assists. Afterwards, he spent 16 years in the minors.

Despite the short stint in the NHL, O’Ree spent years as the league’s Diversity Ambassador.

This article is from Sporting News

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