Roberto Clemente

On October 26, 2005, Clemente was named a member of Major League Baseball's Latino Legends Team. Gretzky holds the record for most MVP awards of any player in American professional sports. Several Latino fans wrote letters saying, as the greatest of all Latino players, he should have been awarded a spot on the team. He won nine Hart Trophies, the NHL's most valuable player award, and eight of these were awarded in consecutive years from 1980-1987. Later that year, Clemente was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Gretzky's point total including regular season and playoffs stands at an imposing 3,239. In 1999, he ranked Number 20 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, the highest-ranking Latino player. The next closest player in total points for the regular season is Mark Messier at 1,887.

The right field wall at the Pirates' PNC Park is 21 feet high in honor of Clemente. He has the record for most career regular season goals (894), assists (1,963), points (2,857), and hat tricks (50). Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame. His career regular season stats are equally as impressive. In 2003, he was inducted into the U.S. Given that Gretzky was by far the highest scorer of the highest scoring period in the game's history, these playoff numbers appear to be untouchable. In 2002, Clemente was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He is the career playoff leader in goals (122), assists (260), points (382), hat tricks (10), and game winning goals (24).

MLB presents the Roberto Clemente Award every year to the player who best follows Clemente's example with humanitarian work. His 47 points in 1985 and his 31 assists in 1988 are still records for a playoff year. In Pittsburgh, the 6th Street Bridge was renamed in his memory, and the Pirates retired his number 21 at the start of the 1973 season. He had dominated the playoffs like he had dominated the regular season. New York immediately named a state park after him; he now has several schools and parks named after him.[1]. During Gretzky's point-scoring streak, he had 61 goals and 92 assists for 153 points. There is also a monument in his likeness created by Puerto Rican sculptor Jose Buscaglia Guillermety situated in Carolina. In 1982-83, he had a 51 game point scoring streak that has been compared to Joe DiMaggio's streak in baseball.

Today this sports complex is called "Ciudad Deportiva Roberto Clemente" (Roberto Clemente Sports City). He also holds the record for the fastest 50 goals in 50 games or less, which he did in only 39 games and the most goals in 50 games (61, which he did twice). His native city, Carolina, named an avenue after him and realized his dream of establishing a sports complex where the youth could learn and practice sports in a healthy environment. Some of the more impressive regular season records include most goals in a season (92), most assists in a season (163), and most points in a season (215). Puerto Rico has honored Roberto Clemente's memory by naming the coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico Coliseo Roberto Clemente. He had 40 regular season records, 15 playoff records, and 6 all-star records. He died in a plane crash off the coast of isla verde, Puerto Rico on December 31, 1972 while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Wayne Gretzky held or shared 61 NHL records upon his retirement on the 18th of April, 1999.

A hero in his native Puerto Rico, Clemente spent much of his time during the off-season involved in charity work. For more information and a list of Gretzky's official and unofficial records, see Wayne Gretzky's records.. It was the last at-bat of his career. ^[27]. On September 30, he hit a double off Jon Matlack of the New York Mets for his 3,000th hit. Police sources have told the paper that there is no evidence that Gretzky made any bets, but are attempting to find out if Gretzky placed any bets through his wife. Struggling with injuries, Clemente managed to appear in only 102 games in 1972, but still hit .312 for his final .300 season. I'll say it one more time: I didn't bet, didn't happen, not going to happen, hasn't happened, not something I've done." ^[26] Reports by the Newark Star-Ledger stated that the New Jersey State Police possessed wiretaps with Gretzky on tape speaking about the betting ring.

His efforts earned him the World Series MVP award. I did nothing wrong, or nothing that has to do with anything along the lines of betting; that never happened .. He was the clear star of the series, with an incredible .414 batting average (12 hits in 29 at-bats), typically spectacular defense, and a crucial solo home run in the deciding 2-1 Game 7 victory. On the matter, Gretzky stated: "I'm still going to coach the Phoenix Coyotes. Undaunted, Pittsburgh came back from down two games to none in the series to win it in seven for the second time in Clemente's career. Bets were allegedly taken from NHL players as well as several celebrities, including Gretzky's wife, Janet Jones. Baltimore had won 100 games and swept the American League Championship Series, both for the third consecutive year, and were the defending World Series champions. On February 7, 2006, Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet was implicated in a southern New Jersey based gambling ring.

In 1971, the Pirates again won the National League pennant behind Willie Stargell's 48 home runs and Clemente's .341 batting average and faced the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. These distinctive and long-discontinued helmets are today a collectors' item among hockey players and fans. The 1966 MVP award was, in the eyes of many Pittsburgh fans, a long overdue acknowledgment of his greatness. ^[25] The model of helmet that Gretzky wore throughout his career, the Jofa VM, is now known more popularly as the "Gretzky helmet", even though it was a popular model worn by many NHL players in its time. He was also labeled a hypochondriac due to nagging injuries early in his career, although he played in 140 games in each season from 1960 to 1967. In poker, a pair of 9s is sometimes called a Gretzky. In protest Clemente reportedly never wore his 1960 World Series ring. ^[24] Forbes estimates that Gretzky earned $93.8 million from hockey and endorsements from 1990-98.

Despite being the offensive and defensive leader of the strong 1960 Pirates club, he finished only eighth in voting for the MVP that season; teammate Dick Groat received the award. After his retirement, he became the spokesman for Power Automotive Group of Southern California, and Tylenol Arthritis Formula. Regardless of his unquestionable success, some (including, supposedly, Clemente himself) felt that the media did not give him the recognition he deserved. He owns a restaurant, Hespeler sports equipment, and co-owns a chain of roller-hockey rinks. He led the National League in batting average four times (1961, 1964, 1965, and 1967), led the NL in hits twice (1964 and 1967), and won the MVP award for his 1966 season, when he hit .317 while setting career highs in home runs (29) and RBI (119). In 1998, he launched a line of fashion menswear, ^[23] and signed a licensing agreement with a phone card company. For the rest of his career, he batted over .300 in every year save 1968, when he hit .291; he was selected to every All-Star game; and he was given a Gold Glove after every season from 1961 onwards. He posed for the cover of Cigar Aficionado Magazine with Janet.

Through the rest of the decade, Clemente firmly established himself as one of the premier players in baseball. He hosted Saturday Night Live in 1989 and lent his likeness to a 1992 cartoon show, ProStars, ^[22] and video games in 1996, 2004, and 2006. His .314 batting average, 16 home runs, and stellar defense earned him his first trip to the All-Star game. He and his son Ty did commercials for the Sharp Viewcam. Clemente batted .310 in the series, hitting safely at least once in every game. ^[21] Past and present plugs include Thrifty Car Rental, Peak Antifreeze, Ford Motor Company (in Canada only), Coca-Cola, Esso, McDonald's, Campbell's Soup, Primestar TV, Upper Deck, Nike, Ultra Wheels, Hallmark Cards, Zurich Insurance, Tylenol and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. In 1960, however, the team broke through to a 95-59 record, a National League pennant, and a thrilling seven-game World Series victory over the Mantle-Maris New York Yankees. While in Edmonton, he endorsed everything from soft drinks and blue jeans to his own wallpaper, pillow cases, breakfast cereal, chocolate bars, and a Mattel "Great Gretzky" doll.

While Clemente had begun to fulfill his potential, the Pirates continued to struggle through the 1950s, although they did manage their first winning season since 1948 in 1959. They have 5 children: model/pop singer Paulina Gretzky, Ty, Trevor, Tristan, and Emma. It was the first of thirteen seasons in which Clemente would hit above .300. The event reportedly cost Gretzky over $1 million; Janet's dress alone cost $40,000. In 1956, though, he hit his stride, producing a .311 batting average (third in the league) at the age of 21. "Guards" from the Edmonton Fire Department stood on the church steps. Although Clemente's skill with the glove was immediately apparent, he was less impressive at the plate; he batted .255 with 5 home runs and 47 RBI in his first full season in 1955. Joseph's Basilica in Edmonton, Alberta was dubbed "The Royal Wedding" by the press and broadcast live throughout Canada.

With little to lose, the Pirates installed Clemente in place of incumbent right fielder Sid Gordon early in the 1955 season. ^[20] Their July 17, 1988, Anglican Church nuptials at St. Pittsburgh at the time was a fixture at the bottom of the National League and had lost 100 games in each of the three previous seasons. Gretzky met American actress Janet Jones in 1984 when he was a judge on the show "Dance Fever" and she was a dancer and they begin dating in 1987. Despite the Dodgers' efforts, Pittsburgh Pirates president Branch Rickey drafted Clemente with the first selection in the post-season draft. ^[19] The game was subsequently released on DVD. He hit only .257 and did not distinguish himself with the bat. Preceding the NHL game was an exhibition game that reunited Gretzky and many of his retired Oiler teammates against a group of retired Montreal Canadiens players in front of an ice hockey record 57,167 fans and millions more on TV.

Aware of a rule that would make Clemente available in a minor league draft (the predecessor of today's Rule 5 Draft) after the 1954 season, the Dodgers tried to hide him with their minor league affiliate, the Montreal Royals. The Heritage Classic was the first NHL game to be played outdoors, at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. His new team, however, was unable to fit him into a star-studded outfield featuring 1953 National League All-Stars Carl Furillo, Duke Snider, and Jackie Robinson. In 2003, Gretzky took to the ice one last time to help celebrate the Edmonton Oilers' 25th anniversary as an NHL team. Scout Al Campanis signed Clemente for the Brooklyn Dodgers with a $10,000 bonus later in 1953. Even though he wasn't officially a member of the management staff, he was consulted regularly about decisions, aiding in Canada's gold medal win at the 2005 Worlds. At the age of 18, he hit .356 for Santurce in the winter of 1952-1953. ^[18] He was asked to manage Canada's team at the 2005 Ice Hockey World Championships, but declined due to his mother's poor health.

Clemente first caught the eye of major league scouts while playing with the Santurce Crabbers (alongside Willie Mays) in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Gretzky will once again act as Executive Director of Canada's men's hockey team at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. A rising star was catching the eyes of many coaches in the MLB as he was in Puerto Rico. In retrospect, Gretzky's outbursts against the media turned out to be a galvanizing force for the Canadian team in the quest for the gold; they can be compared to Phil Esposito's legendary rant against Canadian fans during the 1972 Summit Series. He is one of only four players (as of the end of the 2005 season) to have 10 or more Gold Gloves and a .300+ lifetime batting average. The coin is now at the Hockey Hall of Fame; a specially-minted loonie was placed at centre ice for the finals of the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He also collected 166 triples, finishing in the top five of the league eleven times, and had 266 outfield assists. This information was leaked to both teams and it became a good luck charm.

He compiled a lifetime batting average of .317 and batted .300 or better thirteen times, hitting 240 home runs and gathering 1305 runs batted in. While forming the ice, a Canadian loonie was used to mark centre ice. He played in two World Series (1960 and 1971) and got a hit in every game in which he played. to win the gold medal 50 years to the day after the Edmonton Waterloo Mercurys won the nation's last gold medal in ice hockey. Perhaps Clemente's greatest feat was leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a seven-game World Series victory over the Baltimore Orioles in 1971. Canada beat the U.S. He also had one of the most powerful throwing arms of any outfielder in baseball history, which contributed to him winning 12 Gold Glove Awards for his outstanding defense. American fans online began calling Gretzky a "crybaby"; defenders said he was merely borrowing a page from former coach Glen Sather to take the pressure off his players.

He was the 11th player in history to reach this number. the Czech Republic, as he launched a tirade against the perceived negative reputation of Team Canada amongst other national squads, and called rumors of dissent in the dressing room the result of "American propaganda." "They're loving us not doing well," he said, referring to American hockey fans. He finished his career with exactly 3,000 hits. His temper boiled over after Canada's 3-3 draw vs. He could throw a runner out from his knees. On February 18, he lashed out at the media at a press conference, frustrated with speculation regarding his team's uninspiring 1-1-1 start. Clemente was a 4-time NL batting champion, finishing in the top ten in batting average thirteen times. Gretzky was Executive Director of the Canadian men's hockey team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

. Assistant coach Rick Tocchet assumed the position until Gretzky's return on December 28. He played 18 seasons in the majors from 1955 to 1972, all with the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning the National League MVP Award in 1966. Unfortunately, his mother would lose her battle to lung cancer two days later, passing away on December 19, 2005. Clemente was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the youngest of seven children. Gretzky took an indefinite leave of absence as coach on December 17, 2005 to care for his ill mother in Brantford, Ontario. He was elected to the Hall of Fame posthumously in 1973, being the first Hispanic American to be selected, and the only exception to the mandatory five-year post-retirement waiting period since it was instituted in 1954. His first coaching victory was October 8, 2005, beating the Minnesota Wild 2-1.

Roberto Clemente Walker (August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Major League Baseball right fielder and right-handed batter. Gretzky made his coaching debut on October 5, 2005, the opening night of the 2005-06 NHL season, losing 3-2 to the Vancouver Canucks. In the time leading up to Gretzky's announcement, several prominent free agents signed with Phoenix citing the chance to play for Gretzky, including Brett Hull. This was annouced following the conclusion of the 2004-05 NHL lockout and may have been partly a marketing decision due to the league's financial struggles, though few question Gretzky's overriding motive to win hockey games. Despite previous assurances, in August 2005 Gretzky agreed to become the new coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.

^[17]. Rumors began regarding Gretzky becoming the head coach of the team, but were nixed by Gretzky and the rest of the Coyotes' ownership. Later that year, he became Alternate Governor and Managing Partner of the Phoenix Coyotes NHL team. Gretzky's famous #99 was retired league-wide at the 2000 All-Star Game.

The NHL then stated that he would be the last player to do so. Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 22, 1999, becoming the tenth player to bypass the three-year waiting period. No less an expert Bobby Orr said he "thinks so far ahead," while Gretzky himself referred to it as having "...a feeling about where a teammate is going to be, a lot of times, I can turn and pass without looking." ^[16]. By the time of his retirement, Gretzky had become known for setting up behind the net, passing to teammates like Luc Robitaille or Mark Messier or jumping out quickly for a wrap-around goal.

It was said that he "seems to have eyes in the back of his head" and had a knack of "rolling with a check." ^[15]. At 16, Gretzky's skills were already described as "a magic touch," that he was a good shot, moved the puck very well and never quit, playing both ways (adept at playing defense as well as offense) and a player that any team could build their hockey club around. Gretzky's dominance throughout his career was attributed to the amount of time he practiced (by his own admission at least 4-5 hours a day) and also that he was a natural prodigy. Gretzky was named as the first, second, and third star of both games.

He scored his final point in this game, assisting on the lone New York goal scored by Brian Leetch. ^[14] The Star-Spangled Banner, sung by John Amirante, was changed from "the land of the free" to "the land of Wayne Gretzky". In place of "O Canada, we stand on guard for thee", Bryan Adams sang "We're going to miss you Wayne Gretzky". The national anthems in that game were adjusted to accommodate Gretzky's departure.

His last NHL game in Canada was on April 16, 1999, in a 2-2 tie with the Ottawa Senators, and his final game was a 2-1 overtime loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 18. ^[13]. Many attribute Canada's failure to head coach Marc Crawford's decision to use a defenceman, Ray Bourque, and not Gretzky in the shoot-out against Dominik Hasek. Expectations were high for the Canadian team, but without the presence of Mario Lemieux (with whom Gretzky did well in the 1987 Canada Cup) and several other star Canadians due to injury, the team lost to Finland for the bronze medal.

He participated in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The experts voted Gretzky number one, ahead of the once seemingly incomparable Bobby Orr and Gordie Howe. In 1997, prior to his retirement, The Hockey News named a committee of 50 hockey experts (former NHL players, past and present writers, broadcasters, coaches and hockey executives) to select and rank the 50 greatest players in NHL history. He played his final three seasons there and helped the team reach the conference finals in 1997.

Gretzky ended his professional career with the Rangers. On July 21, he signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent, rejoining Mark Messier. While he scored 37 points in 31 games for the team (regular season and playoffs), and they got within one overtime game of the Conference finals, he never clicked with the team or with sniper Brett Hull on the ice as well as many had expected. Louis Blues in a trade for Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, and draft picks.

On February 27, 1996 he joined the St. Long before that, running out of time and looking for a team with which he could win again, Gretzky had been traded from the Kings at his request. The team began a long slide that continued despite numerous player and coaching moves and failed to even qualify for the playoffs again until 1998. After winning the first game of the series, however, the team lost the next four in a row to the Montreal Canadiens.

Gretzky's tenure with the Kings reached its peak when he scored three goals in game seven of the 1993 Western Conference Finals against Toronto, propelling the Kings into the Stanley Cup Finals. ^[12] In 1990, the AP named him Male Athlete of the Decade. Sun Belt. hockey markets on "the NHL map"; not only did California receive two more NHL franchises (the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the San Jose Sharks) during Gretzky's tenure in L.A., but his popularity in Southern California proved to be an impetus in the league establishing teams in other parts of the U.S.

Many credit Gretzky's arrival with putting non-traditional U.S. Gretzky finished second in scoring but narrowly beat out Mario Lemieux (who scored 199 points) for the Hart Trophy as MVP. Gretzky led his team back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series 4-3. Despite being underdogs against the defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers, Gretzky led the Kings to a shocking upset of his old squad.

The Kings, who then played their home games at the Great Western Forum, boasted numerous sellouts on their way to reaching the 88-89 playoffs. Gretzky's first season in Los Angeles saw a marked increase in attendance and fan interest in a city not previously known for following ice hockey. After "The Trade", Gretzky's personal popularity sank across Canada, but only temporarily. ^[11] Others believe it was Pocklington who instigated the trade, seeking to benefit personally from the transaction.

^[10] Gretzky himself was considered a "traitor" by some Canadians for turning his back on his adopted hometown, his home province, and his home country; his motivation was widely rumoured to be to further his wife's acting career. "The Trade," as it came to be known, upset Canadians to the extent that New Democratic Party House Leader Nelson Riis demanded the government block it, ^[9] and Pocklington was burned in effigy. On August 9, 1988, in a move that drastically changed the dynamics of the NHL, Gretzky was traded with Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski by the Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, $15 million cash, and the Kings' first-round draft picks in 1989, 1991, and 1993. The Oilers, with Gretzky, also won the Cup in 1985, 1987, and 1988.

Since the Order ceremonies are always held during the hockey season, it took 13 years, seven months and two Governors-General before he could accept the honour. Gretzky was named an officer of the Order of Canada on June 25, 1984 for outstanding contribution to the sport of hockey. The following season, the Oilers met the Islanders in the Finals again, this time winning the Stanley Cup, their first of five in seven years. In 1983, they made it to the Stanley Cup finals, only to be swept by the three-time defending champion New York Islanders.

The Oilers were a young, strong team featuring forwards Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, and Jari Kurri, defenceman Paul Coffey, goaltender Grant Fuhr, and Gretzky as its captain. ^[8] The same success was not immediate when they joined the NHL, but within 4 seasons, the Oilers were competing for the Stanley Cup. The Edmonton Oilers finished their last WHA season first overall in the regular season. The following seasons would see Gretzky break his own assists record three more times (125, 135, and 163) and his point record one more time (215).^[7] By the time he finished playing in Edmonton, he held or shared 49 NHL records, which in itself was a record.

He was also named Sports Illustrated Magazine's 1982 "Sportsman of the Year.". He ended the 1981-1982 season with records of 92 goals, 120 assists, and 212 points in 80 games, becoming the first player in NHL history to break the 200 point mark.^[6] That year, Gretzky became the first hockey player and first Canadian to be named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year. Later that season, Gretzky broke Esposito's record for most goals in a season (76) on February 24, 1982 scoring four goals to help beat the Buffalo Sabres, 6-3. His 50th goal of the season came on December 30, 1981 in the final seconds of a 7-5 win against Philadelphia and was his fifth of the game.

Set by Maurice "Rocket" Richard during the 1944-45 NHL season and tied by Mike Bossy during the 1980-81 NHL season, Gretzky accomplished the feat in only 39 games. During the 1981-82, he surpassed one of the game's most cherished records: 50 goals in 50 games. He won his second straight Hart Trophy. In his second season, Gretzky won the Art Ross Trophy (the first of seven consecutive ^[5]) with a then-record 164 points, breaking both Bobby Orr's record for assists in a season and Phil Esposito's record for points in a season.

The rule was later changed. He became the youngest player to score 50 goals but was not eligible for the Calder Memorial Trophy, given to the top NHL rookie, because of his previous year of professional experience. He was awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy as the League's Most Valuable Player (the first of eight in a row ^[4]) and tied for the scoring lead with Marcel Dionne with 137 points, which remains the most points by a first-year player. In his first NHL season, 1979-80, Gretzky proved his critics wrong.

^[3]. Gretzky's success in the WHA carried over into the NHL, despite some critics suggesting he would flounder in what was considered a bigger, tougher, and more talented NHL. After the World Hockey Association folded in 1979, four teams, including the Edmonton Oilers, joined the National Hockey League. That would be Gretzky's only season in the WHA, which folded following the Avco World Trophy finals.

Gretzky would go on to capture the Lou Kaplan Trophy for rookie of the year, finish third in league scoring (110 points), and help the Oilers to first overall in the league. On Gretzky's 18th birthday, the 26th of January, 1979, Pocklington signed him to a 21-year personal services contract (the longest in hockey history) worth $4-5 million US. Paying $700,000, Pocklington purchased Gretzky as well as two other Indianapolis players, goaltender Eddie Mio and forward Peter Driscoll, although the announced price was actually $850,000. He sold Gretzky to his former partner and then-owner of the WHA's Edmonton Oilers Peter Pocklington.

Only eight games into the 1978-79 WHA season, Skalbania needed money. Knowing that the WHA was fading, Skalbania felt owning the young star was more valuable than owning a WHA team. Racers owner Nelson Skalbania signed the 17-year-old to a personal contract worth between 1.12 and 1.75 million dollars US over 1 to 2 years. The National Hockey League (NHL) does not allow the signing of players under the age of 18, but the WHA had no rules regarding such signings.

The following year (1978-79) he signed with the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association (WHA) as an underaged player. ^[2]. At Coach Muzz MacPherson's suggestion, Gretzky settled on 99. He had originally wanted to wear number 9 — for his hero Gordie Howe — but it was already being worn by another teammate named Brian Gualazzi.

While playing for the Greyhounds, he began wearing the number 99 on his jersey. Marie Greyhounds. He played a season in the Ontario Hockey League at the age of 16 with the Sault Ste. At 14, playing against 20-year-olds, he left Brantford to further his career and signed with his first agent.

At age 10 he scored 378 goals and 139 assists in 85 games, and the first story on him was published in the Toronto Telegram. At age 6 he was skating with 10-year-olds. ^[1] Taught by his father Walter, Gretzky was a classic prodigy. Gretzky's grandfather emigrated to Canada at the beginning of the 20th century from the town of Mogilev in Belarus.

. He also became part owner of the Phoenix Coyotes in 2000 and following the 2004-05 NHL lockout became their head coach. He retired from playing in 1999, becoming Executive Director for the Canadian national men's hockey team during the 2002 Winter Olympics. He was the only player to total over 200 points in a season, accomplishing the feat 4 times; in addition he tallied over 100 points in 15 seasons, 14 of them consecutively.

He set 40 regular season records (including 9 MVP awards and 10 scoring titles), 15 playoff records, 6 All-Star records and won four Stanley Cups. Identified as a hockey prodigy at a young age, Gretzky regularly played at a level far above his peers, eventually becoming a full professional at the age of 17 in the World Hockey Association, leading to a long career in the National Hockey League. Among his many awards and achievements, he is the only player to ever have his playing number, 99, officially retired across the entire National Hockey League. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, he is known as "The Great One", and is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players ever to play the game and the best of his era.

Wayne Douglas Gretzky, OC (born January 26, 1961) is a former professional ice hockey player and is currently part-owner and head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes. NHL Second All-Star Team-1980, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1997, 1998. NHL First All-Star Team-1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1991. NHL All-Star Game MVP-1983, 1989, 1999.

Lester Patrick Trophy (outstanding service to hockey in the United States) -1994. Chrysler-Dodge/NHL Performer of the Year -1985, 1986, 1987. NHL Plus/Minus Award (best plus-minus rating) -1982, 1984, 1985, 1987. Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (most gentlemanly player) -1980, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999.

Pearson Award (outstanding player, voted by the players) -1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987. Lester B. Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff most valuable player) - 1985, 1988. Art Ross Trophy (scoring champion) -1981, 1982 ,1983 ,1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1994.

Hart Memorial Trophy (most valuable player) -1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989.