Black men play an integral part in the humble beginnings of hockey, a visit to the united by Hockey Mobile Museum

BY ADRIAN REECE

The Mobile Hockey Museum visited Toronto and it highlighted the contributions and accolades made in the long history of hockey by a myriad of minority players who have impacted the sport on and off the ice.  Of course, the museum itself would have to be small if it is mobile, but its presence is powerful. The walls were plastered with faces and short quotes of the additions these players had placed in the memory of the sport.

The first impression you get is that this is a museum of firsts. Many of the people displayed and honored in the museum are the first to achieve something in the discipline of hockey. Minorities of every ethnicity are shown and acknowledged. The venue is small but packed with information that impacts the senses and opens your eyes to the number of minorities that love hockey.

Growing up, it was always referred to as a White man’s sport, but seeing how many people of different ethnicities are involved showcases the lack of recognition they are given in the media regarding the sport itself. Their accolades are seen relatively late compared to the beginning of hockey until today. This causes the mind to work double time, seeing as Black men play an integral part in the humble beginnings of this loved pastime.

To go back to the start, you will find minorities integrated into the early stages of hockey’s’ creation, but the celebration of other races in hockey is such a new development that it is easy to overlook or even miss the fact that minorities helped build the sport into what it is today.

Two former players were stationed at the museum to educate those interested in pursuing the attraction. They talked about their experience as Black men in hockey over the years, and it was in large part exciting and fulfilling, but also filled with racism and, in some cases, death threats that made it extremely difficult to focus on the game they love so much. From speaking with a gentleman named Val James, one of the players, the fear and insecurity that consumed him while playing in foreign cities came to my attention. This would be the experience of many minority players trying to leave their legacy on the ice. Yet, they still endured the game they loved and found comfort in friends and teammates, allowing them to continue playing to the best of their abilities.

The purpose of the museum was to leave a positive impact on the youth and show them that despite the media attention and the lack of recognition of minorities that there is a place for them in the professional world of hockey. Certain things need to be changed, not just on the ice, but the politics off the ice that govern whether these players are considered for their accomplishments needs to be looked at as well.

For these changes to occur, they need people who look like them in positions to make changes and decisions that have everyone in mind. Pursuing these issues will have a long-term impact on what it means to play hockey at a high level as a person of color, and hopefully make the game more accessible to young persons of color and create a more welcoming and positive experience for those who are already deeply involved in the system of the sport.

The mobile museum, although small, was profoundly impactful and provided patrons with an opportunity to get familiar with just some of the things young men and women have added to the game while being educated on what it takes to be a successful player.

Navigating the attraction takes you to a place of humility in the realization that all these men and women fought the odds to become worthy of being spoken about simply because they decided that they would push through all the struggles they faced in the name of love for what they do.