Updated at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 19
On Jan. 18, 1958, Willie O’Ree made history when he took to the ice for the Boston Bruins, becoming the first Black player in the history of the National Hockey League.
Although O’Ree played fewer than 50 NHL games, his contributions to hockey opened the door for countless others who followed in his path. And on Tuesday, 64 years to the day he first took to the ice, the Bruins gave him the ultimate honor of retiring his #22 into the rafters of TD Garden ahead of their game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
On Tuesday, the Bruins players took the ice for warmups in the #22. Gillette Stadium, Fenway Park and Boston City Hall were all lit up in gold to honor the event. And fans in TD Garden gave a standing ovation as the #22 went out of club rotation in honor of O'Ree's achievement.
He’s only the twelfth player in club history to have his number lifted above the ice, another feather in the cap of one of the most revered players in the history of the game.
O’Ree wasn’t in attendance in person at the game out of caution amid high COVID-19 case numbers. But speaking from his home in California, he said he would never forget how his Bruins teammates accepted him.
“This was a time when some of the fans and opposing players were not ready to see a Black man in the NHL,” he said.
He said that he is honored that his shot in the NHL came with the Bruins.
"This is an unforgettable day,” he said. “I am overwhelmed and thrilled to be a part of the Bruins forever."
Speaking to the press before the game, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said the number retirement is a great honor for O’Ree.
“Good for Willie — trailblazer to say the least and very happy for him and his family,” he said. “And I think that the whole Bruins organization is looking forward to it.”
Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who grew up in the Boston area and presented an authentic O’Ree jersey that he and his father had to O’Ree in 2018, talked about how much impact O’Ree has had.
“What’s he’s done for the community has meant so much, especially here in Boston,” he told the press. “So growing up here, getting a chance to know Willie’s story, getting to present him with that jersey was probably one of the highlights of my career so far.”
After his time on the ice was over, O’Ree committed himself to helping increase access to the game for players of all stripes. In 1998, he began working as the Diversity Ambassador for the NHL’s Hockey Is For Everyone campaign, helping to introduce the game to hundreds of thousands of children.
Tuesday’s ceremony was the latest honor for O’Ree, who has amassed a long list of accolades. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018 and he received the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honor, in 2010.
And on Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 426-0 to pass the Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal Act. The legislation, which already passed the Senate in July, will award O'Ree with Congress' highest honor once it reaches the desk of President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it.
Speaking on the House floor Wednesday, Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley, one of the main supporters of the bill, spoke of O'Ree's significance.
"The Congressional Gold Medal is Congress' highest expression of national appreciation and recognition," she said. "With this honor Willie will join history makers like Jackie Robinson, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, and the Tuskegee Airmen. Incredible company for an incredible man."
"Willie O'Ree, now at the age of 86 years young, today, Willie O'Ree, we give you your flowers."
Warmies for Willie.#NHLBruins | #Willie22 pic.twitter.com/lgvtMN1jDk
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 18, 2022
This story was updated with the result of Wednesday's vote in the House of Representatives to award Willie O'Ree with the Congressional Gold Medal.
