LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 27: Former NHL player Willie O'Ree attends the NHL and the Los Angeles Kings unveiling of renovated indoor and outdoor spaces at the Crenshaw Family YMCA as part of the 2017 NHL All-Star Legacy Project at the Crenshaw Family Willie O’Ree, the first Black player to appear in an NHL game, will be receiving a Congressional Gold Medal.
President Joe Biden signed the bill Monday, saying O’Ree will receive the award "in recognition of his extraordinary contributions and commitment to hockey, inclusion, and recreational opportunity."The honor for O’Ree comes one day before the start of Black History Month, an annual celebration honoring achievements by Black Americans.
Sixty-four years ago, O’Ree became the first Black player to play in the NHL and has since worked for several decades as a diversity ambassador to the league.He suited up on Jan.
18, 1958 as a Boston Bruin to play against the Montreal Canadiens.O’Ree played two games for the Bruins during the 1957-58 season, spent the next two seasons in the minor leagues, and came back to Boston for 43 more during the 1960-61 season, notching four goals and 10 assists over his 45 total games.He did it all despite being 95% blind in his right eye."I told myself, ‘Willie, forget about what you can’t see and focus on what you can see,’" he said.RELATED: Black History Month 2022 to celebrate 'Black Health and Wellness'He was traded to the Canadiens in 1961 but never made it back to the NHL level.