“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” -Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Douglass Gretzky Gretzky was born January 26, 1961 In Branford Ontario, Canada. Wayne’s father Walter Gretzky taught Wayne all he knows. One sad thing is Walter had a stroke and does not remember Wayne’s career. Wayne was a great hockey player right from when he was young but he offend got threatened, and the parents called him a ‘Puck Hog’. They believe that this was because the children were jealous, and that the parents were jealous as well. Like all people Wayne had a inspiration. His hero was Gordie Howe. Howe wore the number 9 which is the reason behind Gretzky’s number 99.

When Wayne was 6 years old he joined his first team, but because of his extraordinary talent he played with 10 year olds. By the time he was ten Wayne had scored 387 goals and had 139 assists. By the age 13 he had 1,000 goals. Even though he was a good player he often got booed by other players, parents, and his own teammates. He moved to Toronto the further his career at the age 14. Wayne played Junior B hockey with the Toronto Nationals. Gretzky later earned Rookie Of The Year in the Metro Junior B Hockey League ( ) with 60 points in a short period of 28 games. When he was 15 he had 72 points in 32 games, still with the same team known as the Seneca Nationals. The same year he played three games with the Peterborough Petes in the OHA (Ontario Hockey Association) as a affiliate. The Scouts noticed him and late got his first agent. Bob Behnke. The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds had picked Gretzky from a draft. Once Wayne was selected Walter announced to the team that Gretzky wouldn’t be moving to Sault Ste.Marie. They made an arrangement with a local family they knew and Wayne played a season with the Ontario Hockey League when he was 16 with the Greyhounds. The grey hounds was the team that he first wore the number 99. Continued… Journey To The NHL

Journey To The NHL.. Continued..  16 years of age for his single year in the major junior level, Wayne achieved the OMJHL single-season scoring record. He won the OMJHL Rookie of the Year and Most Sportsmanlike player awards. In the year 1978 the WHL(world hockey association) allowed the singing of players under the age of 20 as the NHL did not. The Racers signed Gretzky to a seven-year personal service contract worth $1.75 million US. Wayne scored his first professional goal against David Dryden who played for the Edmonton Oilers. It was Wayne’s fifth game and after his first goal four seconds after his first. Wayne only played eight games for the Racers, they were losing 40,00 dollars per game. Gretzky had a choice between Edmonton Oilers or the Winnipeg Jets. Wayne decided to play for the Oilers.

The Wayne Gretzky Foundation is a foundation that Gretzky created that uses hockey to help in still positive life skills while contributing to making young people grow with more physical, emotional and social skills. This foundation raised $ 9,510 fir tsunami relief efforts. It helps teaches unprivileged youth important life skills through a sport. / Wayne Gretzky Foundation

Joey Moss Joseph Neil “Joey” Moss was born on September 25, He is currently the locker room attendant for the Edmonton Oiler’s of the NHL, the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL. Joey was born with Down Syndrome. Wayne Gretzky noticed dedication Joey brought to his job at the Edmonton Bottle Depot, so Mr. Gretzky to the Edmonton Oiler’s general manager (Glen Sather) that the young man to be given a shot at assisting them. In the summer of 1986 Gretzky was worried that Joey would forget everything he had learned with the Oilers, So Wayne came up with the idea and called the equipment manager of the Edmonton Eskimos (Dwayne Mandrusiak). He asked if Joey could work with them while they did their training camp. Wayne even said he would pay Joey’s wages instead of the team paying. om/watch?v=1FpZDt EbAWM