Willie O'Ree

I loved hearing Willie's story. His desire to be in the NHL has lead to some amazing adventures and he deserves all the recognition he receives for his contributions to the sport. I love that he came back to the NHL at 63 to help make the NHL more accessible to all children through his work on the diversity team. I did not realize that Willie was from Fredericton, I kept yelling out facts to the husband as I was listening because he grew up in N.B. and he knew most of the places Willie was talking about. Highly recommend this book.… (mere)

First I enjoy autobiographies written for young adults because the books get to the point. This is an important book for hockey. Mr. O'Ree's life is a testament to his fortitude. he battles against major injuries as well as color to make it to the NHL. For a Black man to become a professional athlete in 1958 was a major accomplishment. I like the way Mr.O'Ree talks about dealing with the racism and not letting it consume him. He gives a sense of history of black players who came before him and did not make it to the NHL possibly because of their color, specifically Herb Carnegie. I do understand Mr.O'Ree love for the sport is evident and I pleased to see that in the last decade he has begun to receive recognition for his contributions to the sport.… (mere)