Three Names In Black Hockey History You Should Always Remember

As Black History Month wraps up, the hockey world has given praise to very deserving names from the past and present, including Angela James, Grant Fuhr, Jarome Iginla and many others.

Alton White (courtesy of Sal Barry)

But there are still people and teams that affected the sport who also deserve the same level of recognition. Whether it’s during Black History Month or beyond, it’s important to know their stories, so let’s share them.

Alton White

From 1958 when Willie O’Ree made his NHL debut, Mike Marson became just the second Black man to play in the NHL with the Washington Capitals in 1974. That didn’t mean another league challenging the NHL’s supremacy didn’t have Black talent.

From 1972 to 1975, Alton White played for three WHA franchises. He became the first Black player not only in the history of the league, but he was also the first Black player to score 20 goals in a major hockey league. He had a 21-goal campaign in 1972-73 split between the New York Raiders and Los Angeles Sharks.

That same season, White even became the first Black player to record a hat trick in either the WHA or NHL. White’s scoring prowess wasn’t a surprise as before his WHA debut, White recorded 30-goal seasons in the IHL and AHL with a career high of 37 in 1967-68 for the IHL’s Columbus Checkers.

The St. Catharines Orioles

When we talk about Black hockey teams, we rightfully think about those who made up the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes that moved the game forward and brought so many innovations to the sport from the 1890s to the 1930s. This year marks the 130th anniversary of the first game in that league.

But did you know about the St. Catharines Orioles?

While the Orioles didn’t play in the CHLM, they were Ontario’s first all-Black team, formed in 1932 and believed to be the first to compete against white teams.

They played in the Niagara District Hockey League, travelling to face teams with only a couple of spare players and fighting through the racism when some teams refused to play them.

While the Orioles’ scores and results are mostly lost, their place in giving Black people the ability to play in the sport is just as important as any other as a trailblazing team in hockey.

Art Dorrington

Willie O’Ree became the first Black player to participate in an NHL game when he made his debut with the Boston Bruins in 1958, but Art Dorrington became the first Black person to sign a contract with an NHL organization in 1950.

A scoring phenom in minor hockey in his hometown of Truro, N.S., Dorrington caught the eye of the New York Rangers and signed a deal with the organization.

Dorrington’s story did not see him crack an NHL lineup, but he would go on to have a long career in the EHL and IHL. He had at least 40 points in four-straight seasons for the Johnston Jets, Washington Lions and Philadelphia Ramblers, including a career-high 68 points in 49 games in 1954-55 and 61 points in 49 games in 1955-56.

After his career, Dorrington continued to make an impact in hockey. In 1998, he founded the Art Dorrington Ice Hockey Foundation, a non-profit organization to help kids from low income homes in Atlantic City learn life skills through hockey.

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