Wayne Gretzky

These distinctive and long-discontinued helmets are today a collectors' item among hockey players and fans. They refuse to publicly disclose how much they paid for the distributor but the business was worth an estimated $25 to $30 million. ^[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. In 1998 the River North distributorship was purchased by two of Jackson’s sons, Yusef and Jonathan Jackson. In poker, a pair of 9s is sometimes called a Gretzky. Shortly thereafter, Anheuser Busch contributed $10,000 to Jackson’s Citizenship Education Fund, contributed over $500,000 to the Rainbow PUSH coalition, and established a $10 million fund to help non-whites buy distributorships. ^[24] Forbes estimates that Gretzky earned $93.8 million from hockey and endorsements from 1990-98. Jackson came to the aid of the employees in 1997 shortly after the first EEOC blackmail suit was filed.

After his retirement, he became the spokesman for Power Automotive Group of Southern California, and Tylenol Arthritis Formula. After languishing for over a decade, the boycott movement received a boost when Budweiser’s River North distributorship was accused by several of its African American employees that they were being denied promotions. He owns a restaurant, Hespeler sports equipment, and co-owns a chain of roller-hockey rinks. In 1982, Jackson launched a "this Bud's a dud" boycott of Anheuser Busch because it had only three Black-owned distributors nationwide. In 1998, he launched a line of fashion menswear, ^[23] and signed a licensing agreement with a phone card company. Critics of Jackson (including the African American Jesse Lee Peterson, founder of BOND) claim that he has exploited poverty stricken African Americans in order to make money and gain political power. He posed for the cover of Cigar Aficionado Magazine with Janet. However, Jesse Jackson has often been the center of controversy.

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. Jackson appeared at several anti-war rallies in opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He and his son Ty did commercials for the Sharp Viewcam. During this time, it was suggested by some commentators that Al Sharpton had usurped Jackson's position as the leading figure in the African-American political movement. ^[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. This seriously damaged Jesse Jackson's credibility even among long-time supporters, and for a brief time prompted Jackson to withdraw from activism. 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. [6].

They have 5 children: model/pop singer Paulina Gretzky, Ty, Trevor, Tristan, and Emma. Many commentators questioned the legality of these payments and charged that Jackson was paying “hush money” to Stanford. The event reportedly cost Gretzky over $1 million; Janet's dress alone cost $40,000. The Rainbow Push Coalition had paid Stanford, $40,000 to relocate her to Southern California, in addition to a continuing $3,000 a month in support, and $365,000 in funds from Rainbow Push were also used to purchase Stanford’s house. "Guards" from the Edmonton Fire Department stood on the church steps. Shortly afterward, it was revealed that Jackson (married since 1963) had an affair with a young staffer, Karin Stanford, that resulted in the birth of his daughter Ashley. Joseph's Basilica in Edmonton, Alberta was dubbed "The Royal Wedding" by the press and broadcast live throughout Canada. During the contested election of 2000, Jackson quickly became involved in pro-Democrat demonstrations in the state of Florida.

^[20] Their July 17, 1988, Anglican Church nuptials at St. "[Spitting into the food] gave me a psychological gratification," Jackson said. 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. In a 1969 Life Magazine interview, Jackson said that when he worked as a waiter in a Greenville, South Carolina restaurant, he would spit into the soups and salads of white customers. ^[19] The game was subsequently released on DVD. Timmerman. 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. Some of the allegations are covered in the book Shakedown: Exposing the Real Jesse Jackson by Kenneth R.

The Heritage Classic was the first NHL game to be played outdoors, at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. Jackson is seen by his critics as using racial politics to advance himself and his family's financial interests. In 2003, Gretzky took to the ice one last time to help celebrate the Edmonton Oilers' 25th anniversary as an NHL team. Although Jackson is known mainly for his works in the civil rights arena, many people have alleged that Jackson uses his influence and reputation primarily to extort businesses for his personal gain. 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. Also in early 2005, Jackson visited the parents of Terri Schiavo and their supporters; he supported their unsuccessful bid to keep the disabled Florida woman alive. ^[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. His work involved giving speeches to ethnic audiences.

Gretzky will once again act as Executive Director of Canada's men's hockey team at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. In 2005, he was enlisted as part of the United Kingdom's "Operation Black Vote", a campaign to encourage more of Britain's ethnic minorities to vote in political elections ahead of the May 2005 General Election. 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 also writes for "The Progressive Populist.". 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. Kucinich, Jackson described Kucinich as "assuming the burden of saying 'you make the most sense, but you can't win.'"[5]. This information was leaked to both teams and it became a good luck charm. Although he did not explicitly voice an endorsement of Rep.

While forming the ice, a Canadian loonie was used to mark centre ice. Instead, Jackson remained largely silent about his preference in the race until late in the primary season, when he allowed Democratic Representative Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, another presidential candidate, to speak at a Rainbow/PUSH forum on March 31, 2004. 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. In 2003, Jackson surprised many observers by declining to endorse the campaigns of either the Reverend Al Sharpton or former Senator Carol Moseley Braun, the two African-American candidates in the race for the Democratic Party's 2004 presidential nomination. Canada beat the U.S. Jackson is also known as a passionate orator, in the tradition of Southern US and African American Protestant preaching. 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. His son, Jesse Jackson, Jr., also emerged as a political figure, becoming a member of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois.

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. Clinton awarded Jesse Jackson the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest honor bestowed on civilians. His temper boiled over after Canada's 3-3 draw vs. While Jesse Jackson was initially critical of the "third way" or more moderate policies of Bill Clinton, he became a key ally in gaining African American support for Clinton, and eventually became a close advisor and friend of the Clinton family. 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. Reprint of a Washington Post article from 1988. Gretzky was Executive Director of the Canadian men's hockey team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Jackson has adopted an openly pro-choice view, believing the right of a woman to terminate a pregnancy is fundamental and should not be infringed in any way by the government.

Assistant coach Rick Tocchet assumed the position until Gretzky's return on December 28. However, since then Rev. Unfortunately, his mother would lose her battle to lung cancer two days later, passing away on December 19, 2005. Jackson once endorsed the pro-life Hyde Amendment and wrote an article in a 1977 National Right to Life Committee News report:. Gretzky took an indefinite leave of absence as coach on December 17, 2005 to care for his ill mother in Brantford, Ontario. Although Jackson was one of most liberal members of the Democratic Party, his views on abortion were originally more in line with pro-life views. His first coaching victory was October 8, 2005, beating the Minnesota Wild 2-1. With the exception of a resolution to implement sanctions against South Africa for its Apartheid policies, none of these positions made it into the party's platform in either 1984 or 1988.

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. Declaring that he wanted to create a "Rainbow Coalition" of various minority groups, including African-Americans, Hispanics, the poor and working poor, women, and homosexuals, as well as White progressives who fit into none of those categories, Jackson ran on a platform that included:. 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. In both races, Jackson ran on what many considered to be a very liberal platform. 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. In the end, however, he lost the nomination, coming a close second to Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts, the eventual nominee. Despite previous assurances, in August 2005 Gretzky agreed to become the new coach of the Phoenix Coyotes. Briefly, after he won 55% of the vote in the Michigan primary, he was considered the frontrunner for the nomination, as he surpassed all the other candidates in total number of pledged delegates.

^[17]. Although most people didn't seem to believe that he had a serious chance at winning, Jackson once again exceeded expectations as he more than doubled his previous results, capturing 6.9 million votes and winning eleven primaries. Rumors began regarding Gretzky becoming the head coach of the team, but were nixed by Gretzky and the rest of the Coyotes' ownership. This time, his successes in the past made him seem a more credible candidate, and he was both better financed and better organized. Later that year, he became Alternate Governor and Managing Partner of the Phoenix Coyotes NHL team. Four years later, in 1988, Jackson once again offered himself as a candidate for the nomination. Gretzky's famous #99 was retired league-wide at the 2000 All-Star Game. Jackson garnered 3.5 million votes and won five primaries, all in the South.

The NHL then stated that he would be the last player to do so. In the primaries, Jackson, who had been written off by pundits as a fringe candidate with little chance at winning the nomination, surprised many when he took third place behind Senator Gary Hart and former Vice President Walter Mondale, who eventually won the nomination. Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 22, 1999, becoming the tenth player to bypass the three-year waiting period. A major controversy erupted during the early stages of the race, when Jackson was reported making remarks in which he referred to Jews as "hymies" and to New York City as "Hymietown," remarks for which he later issued a perfunctory apology. 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]. In 1984, Jackson became the second African American (after Shirley Chisholm) to mount a nationwide campaign for President of the United States, running as a Democrat. 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. During the 1980s, he achieved wide fame as an African American leader and as a politician, as well as becoming a well-known spokesman for civil rights issues.

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]. These two groups merged in 1996. 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. He started two political organizations, PUSH in 1971, and the Rainbow Coalition in 1984. 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. Later that year, he was authorized as a Baptist minister. Gretzky was named as the first, second, and third star of both games. He was present with Martin Luther King in Memphis when he was assassinated, April 4, 1968, the day after making his famous “I’ve been to the Mountaintop” speech given to the Mason Temple, Church of God in Christ.

He scored his final point in this game, assisting on the lone New York goal scored by Brian Leetch. As a graduate student, Jesse studied Divinity at the Chicago Theological Seminary (he did not complete the degree at the time, however, but was later awarded a Master of Divinity in 2000 based on life experience), and he began to organize in the southern Christian Leadership Conference under the auspices of Martin Luther King, Jr. ^[14] The Star-Spangled Banner, sung by John Amirante, was changed from "the land of the free" to "the land of Wayne Gretzky". Jesse graduated the university of Illinois and North Carolina A&T University. In place of "O Canada, we stand on guard for thee", Bryan Adams sang "We're going to miss you Wayne Gretzky". An athlete, Jesse played football at both of the universities that he attended. The national anthems in that game were adjusted to accommodate Gretzky's departure. At age 21, he married Jacqueline Lavinia Brown on December 31, 1962.

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. He was born with the name Jesse Louis Burns, in a poor household in Greenville, South Carolina. ^[13]. He is known for being an American politician, civil rights activist, and Baptist minister. 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. Jesse Jackson was born on October 8th 1941. 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. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988. The experts voted Gretzky number one, ahead of the once seemingly incomparable Bobby Orr and Gordie Howe. Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. (born October 8, 1941) is an American politician, civil rights activist, and Baptist minister. 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. Mandela.

Gretzky ended his professional career with the Rangers. Schwarzenegger did not learn that lesson from Mr. On July 21, he signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent, rejoining Mark Messier. And somehow, some way, it seems that now Mr. 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. He didn't seek to revenge his -- having been arrested the way he was. Louis Blues in a trade for Patrice Tardif, Roman Vopat, Craig Johnson, and draft picks. Mandela chose redemption over revenge.

On February 27, 1996 he joined the St. Mandela because, after 27 years in jail, Mr. 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. He was congratulating Mr. 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. Mandela and Governor Schwarzenegger. After winning the first game of the series, however, the team lost the next four in a row to the Montreal Canadiens. And there was a huge picture on the wall of Mr.

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. I was in South Africa about a month ago, meeting with President Nelson Mandela. ^[12] In 1990, the AP named him Male Athlete of the Decade. "I feel pain by the governor's decision to choose revenge over redemption and to use "Tookie" Williams as a trophy in this flawed system. Sun Belt. They must know it is not their aptitude but their attitude that will determine their altitude. 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. If they can conceive it and believe it, they can achieve it.

Many credit Gretzky's arrival with putting non-traditional U.S. Today's students can put dope in their veins or hope in their brains. Gretzky finished second in scoring but narrowly beat out Mario Lemieux (who scored 199 points) for the Hart Trophy as MVP. I hear that melting-pot stuff a lot, and all I can say is that we haven't melted. Gretzky led his team back from a 3-1 deficit to win the series 4-3. 1984 DNC Convention Address. Despite being underdogs against the defending Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers, Gretzky led the Kings to a shocking upset of his old squad. Our mission: to feed the hungry; to clothe the naked; to house the homeless; to teach the illiterate; to provide jobs for the jobless; and to choose the human race over the nuclear race.

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. Yet, we are called to a perfect mission. 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. We are not a perfect people. After "The Trade", Gretzky's personal popularity sank across Canada, but only temporarily. This is not a perfect party. ^[11] Others believe it was Pocklington who instigated the trade, seeking to benefit personally from the transaction. 1988 DNC Convention Address.

^[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. We are all precious in God's sight -- the real rainbow coalition. "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. When I look out at this convention, I see the face of America: Red, Yellow, Brown, Black and White. 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. Tonight, we pause and give praise and honor to God for being good enough to allow us to be at this place at this time. The Oilers, with Gretzky, also won the Cup in 1985, 1987, and 1988. May 1999) (resulting from an extramarital affair).

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. Daughter: Ashley (b. Gretzky was named an officer of the Order of Canada on June 25, 1984 for outstanding contribution to the sport of hockey. Daughter: Jacqueline Lavinia Jackson, Jr. 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. Daughter: Sanitita Jackson. In 1983, they made it to the Stanley Cup finals, only to be swept by the three-time defending champion New York Islanders. Son: Jonathan Jackson.

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. Son: Yusef DuBois Jackson. ^[8] The same success was not immediate when they joined the NHL, but within 4 seasons, the Oilers were competing for the Stanley Cup. March 11, 1965). The Edmonton Oilers finished their last WHA season first overall in the regular season. (b. 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. Son: Jesse Jackson, Jr.

He was also named Sports Illustrated Magazine's 1982 "Sportsman of the Year.". 1963)