Today was declared Willie O’Ree day four years ago in Boston. The expectation at the time was that maybe in the not-too-distant future after, O’Ree would receive proper recognition for his time breaking the black color barrier in the NHL.
Funny how life gets in the way of all that.
Now, finally, he will see his recognition. Well-deserved.
O’Ree was, of course, “it” for a shamefully high number of years in-between the first and second black NHL player. In that time, O’Ree was still playing. Black players three four and five came In the time that O’Ree was still playing.