Posted on 03/05/2021 5:36:30 AM PST by xp38
Walter Gretzky, the ultimate Canadian hockey dad who taught and nurtured the Great One, has died. He was 82.
The father of Wayne Gretzky became a name himself, a constant in Wayne’s world. As Wayne’s star ascended, Walter remained a blue-collar symbol of a devoted hockey parent in a country filled with them.
Wayne Gretzky confirmed his father’s death on Thursday night with a social media post.
“It’s with deep sadness that Janet and I share the news of the passing of my dad,” said Wayne. “He bravely battled Parkinson’s and other health issues these last few years, but he never let it get him down.
(Excerpt) Read more at 680news.com ...
I was going through stuff in drawers the other day and came across an autographed card of Walter Gretzky from an auto show years ago. He was a fun guy. RIP
I was fortunate enough to see Wayne play in his prime... He truly was the best... on and off the ice...
His father, God rest his soul, must have been very proud...
Wayne’s parents did so much trailblazing and learned some not particularly pleasant lessons about how Canada’s game really treats people in many instances. They had to initially deal with the bullying from local adults and kids in Brantford who were that very resentful of Wayne and his gifts that were so evident when he was a small child. And they then took on minor hockey’s “system” which initially forbade Wayne from playing for a junior team in Toronto when he was about thirteen or fourteen so he could get away from the local bullying.
Condolences to family and friends of Walter Gretzky.
Interesting. thanks for posting.
My family hosted Wayne Gretzky, Paul Coffey and Gus Bedardi(their sports manager, nervous) on our boat for 3 days in 1985, Gretzky and Coffey were very humble gentlemen.
Wait a minute, Hannity says Mark Levin is the great one.
There can be more than one :)
There can be just one Great One. People like Gretzky and Clemente are pretenders. /s
There is a horse running this weekend at Santa Anita named “The Great One.” He is a Louisiana-foal owned by current Colorado Avalanche hockey player Erik Johnson who named the horse after Wayne Gretzky. The race is a prep for the Kentucky Derby.
RIP
+
What was so great about The Great One was his size.
He was 6 feet 185 lbs. Way below average size for a NHL player.
And he was considered “untouchable” by the goons in the NHL. Even if the could find a way to take a shot at him, there would a wrath come down on that person from Gretzky’s teammates, opponents, and NHL powers that be.
RIP.
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