Inducted in 2008, Willie O’Ree has long been known as the Jackie Robinson of hockey after he broke the National Hockey League’s color line in 1958 for the Boston Bruins. O’Ree was honored on the 60th Anniversary of the NHL at a game between the New York Rangers and Bruins.
O’Ree came to San Diego in 1967 to play for the San Diego Gulls in the Western Hockey League and made it his adopted hometown. He was leading scorer and popular among Gulls fans.
