[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 171 (Thursday, October 1, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H5110]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RETIRING WILLIE O'REE'S NO. 22

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Quigley) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, in sports there are many ways to honor 
great players. Most sports have all-stars, MVP honors, and halls of 
fame.
  In some cases, teams choose to retire the number of their biggest 
stars to recognize their careers and legacies. But in a few rare cases, 
a league can choose to retire a player's number for every team.
  That is how Major League Baseball chose to honor the monumental 
achievements and impact of Jackie Robinson's iconic No. 42. And that is 
why the NHL should retire Willie O'Ree's No. 22.
  Willie is recognized as both an ambassador and a pioneer of the 
sport. O'Ree broke the NHL's color barrier and helped end segregation 
in professional hockey. He changed the game for the better, and he 
deserves this distinguished honor.
  He made his debut in the NHL in 1958. His groundbreaking journey 
through the NHL inspired hundreds of other players, both men and women, 
and laid the groundwork for Hispanic, indigenous, and Asian players in 
the NHL, as well as the growth of the women's game.
  But what makes Willie O'Ree's impact more impressive is the global 
impact he has made in the sport of ice hockey. There is no better way 
to say this: If Willie O'Ree had not broken the color barrier when he 
did, thousands of young hockey players would not be exposed to this 
sport.
  Hundreds of organizations that provide inner-city youth opportunities 
to develop and expand social skills would not be here today. Athletic 
skills and professional skills through the sport of ice hockey would be 
drastically reduced, and the hockey community in the United States 
would remain far too homogenous.
  In short, without Willie O'Ree, there is no American hockey culture 
that embodies and reflects the diverse makeup of our country. That is 
why I was proud to introduce the Willie O'Ree Congressional Gold Medal 
Act in this Congress to celebrate this man of profound strength who 
pushed the sport to embrace diversity and promote inclusion for all.
  I hope you will join me in cosponsoring this resolution that 
highlights Willie's incredible moral character, impeccable hockey 
skills, and contributions to American history and culture.
  Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing Willie's jersey retired in the 
near future, and for Willie to celebrate this special moment with his 
family.

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