Great Gretzky

There are very few athletes who define, embody and enlighten their sport. Michael Jordan is basketball. Babe Ruth is baseball. Wayne Gretzky is hockey. Today the Great One, number 99, celebrates his birthday. I can’t think of a greater or more gifted athlete in my lifetime than Gretzky. What began in Edmonton in 1978 and ended in 1999 with the New York Rangers was a dominant, stellar and impressive professional career. The Canadian currently calls the Coyotes his team because he is a part-owner and head coach for the upstart Phoenix franchise.
Wayne was born in Ontario and dubbed “the Great Gretzky” at the ripe young age of 6. As a first-grader, Gretzky glowed on the ice. He played alongside 10 year-olds and skated his way up the amateur hockey ranks. By age 13, the teenage phenom notched 1,000 goals as a peewee player. Gretzky didn’t even have a license to drive a car but the Ontario Hockey Association came calling for him to drive their league. Sticks, skates and all, Wayne requested the number 9 jersey. The number was previously worn by Gretzky’s hero, Gordie Howe. Nine wasn’t available so Wayne settled for 99.
The true greatness of Gretzky was just beginning to show glimpses Wayne whipped his way through the World Hockey Association, compiling records and awards by the glove-full. He was considered the smartest player on the ice most games. Gretzky could skate with surefire speed, read defenses, trick the toughest goalies and handle the puck with prominent precision and accuracy. He adapted to all his opponents and essentially changed the game as a young star. He played with the Edmonton Oilers in his first NHL game. In 1983, Wayne’s 51 game consecutive scoring streak stood at everybody’s attention. The four time Stanley Cup winning Oilers were a force in the NHL thanks to the great number 99. Wayne’s passing ability advanced his status. He became an elite worldwide player and proved himself a national hero by helping his team win the 1987 Canada Cup. Wayne cemented himself a true legend in hockey lore when he joined the L.A.Kings.
I became a Kings fan in part because of the classy way Wayne looked in his uniform. When he went to L.A., the Great One helped them to the 1993 Stanley Cup finals. I remember the seven game series leading to the finals. L.A. beat Toronto in that brutal and crucial series. They were let down when Montreal defeated them for the Stanley Cup but those games defined my devotion to Gretzky. He was, in my mind, the best athlete I had ever seen in a single sport. He was better than Jordan in my eyes. Gretzky carried the Kings on his back and handled the pressure of the spotlight. He had to learn how to deal with adversity and being the center of attention from a young age. I compare what Wayne probably dealt with to what Lebron James is going through now. Wayne was pegged to be a megastar before he even was one. As a teenager, the expectations were so enormous and the potential unlimited. He lived up to all those expectations. Gretzky has more points and assists than any player in history. The nine time MVP won more annual trophies than any athlete in a team sport. Today, he has a lot to celebrate and to be proud of.

Parting points: I read the first book written by Tom Verducci and Joe Torre after the Yankees won the 1996 World Series. I am looking forward to Joe’s highly-touted new book coming out next week too.