Landmark is level 2 of 4 in the Canada Hall of Fame: a first that opened a door, or the pre-eminent figure of their generation in this country. See how the levels work.
Why they are here
He broke the NHL's colour line in January 1958 — and did it blind in one eye, a fact he hid for years because admitting it would have ended his career.
Willie O'Ree was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on 15 October 1935, and became the first Black player in the National Hockey League when he debuted for the Boston Bruins on 18 January 1958.
He had lost almost all sight in his right eye during the 1955–56 season and kept the injury secret to stay eligible, playing forty-five games for the Bruins between 1958 and 1961. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.
He had lost almost all sight in his right eye during the 1955–56 season and kept the injury secret to stay eligible, playing forty-five games for the Bruins between 1958 and 1961. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.
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