Willie O'Ree

FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND THIS MAN HAS ETCHED A REMARKABLE STORY IN HOCKEY HISTORY.

WILLIE O'REE BREAKING THE COLOR BARRIER IN THE NHL 51 YEARS AGO WHEN HE SUITED UP FOR THE BOSTON BRUINS.

TONIGHT HE'S IN NASHVILLE - SHARING HIS PASSION FOR THE PUCK!

1 ]] C2.1 G 0 [[
*CG spban2 EAST PARK COMMUNITY CENTER
EAST NASHVILLE
((Nat Sound Pop - "When I was fourteen years of age, I decided I wanted to become a professional hockey player."))

WILLIE O'REE IS THE NHL'S DIRECTOR FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.
HIS GOAL TONIGHT - TO TEACH THESE EAST NASHVILLE YOUNGSTERS THAT THEY CAN MAKE IT TO THE NHL AS WELL.
THIS 73-YEAR-OLD IS LIVING PROOF!

((Willie O'Ree says: "In some cities there were the racial slurs and remarks that were directed toward me. But I just let it go in one ear and out the other."))

IT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME O'REE HAD BEEN ASKED TO DEAL WITH ADVERSITY.

A HOCKEY PUCK TO THE FACE LEFT HIM BLIND IN HIS RIGHT EYE BUT O'REE CONTINUED TO SKATE.

((Wilie O'Ree says: "Being a left handed shot...with my left eye. I just told myself Willie...what you can see."))

(("How are you. So good to see you."))

SO NO WONDER IT'S A THRILL FOR CURRENT PREDATORS JORDIN TOOTOO AND JOEL WARD TO MEET O'REE.

WARD FEELING A SPECIAL KINSHIP WITH HIS FELLOW CANADIAN.

((Joel Ward says: "I couldn't even imagine myself going through something like that and obviously he's paved the way for the rest of us minorities playing hockey."))

AND PERHAPS TONIGHT - O'REE PAVED THE WAY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF PLAYERS.

HE CERTAINLY HOPES SO!

((Willie O'Ree says: "As I tell these boys and girls, if you think you can. If you think you can't, you're right and I just want to let these boys and girls know that there is another sport that you can play. And if they don't like it, they can walk away from it. It's not going to cost them a thing."))

WILLIE O'REE'S GOAL IS TO GET AS MANY PEOPLE PLAYING HOCKEY.

THE NHL TELLS ME THERE ARE CURRENTLY 49 MINORITIES IN THE LEAGUE.

THAT'S A TWENTY PERCENT INCREASE FROM LAST SEASON!
Willie O'Ree