AN EVENING with WALTER GRETZKY
The CFB Trenton Pond Hockey Classic, organized by Captain Jeff Moorhouse on behalf of 436 (T) Squadron, ran January 17/18 using 3 natural ice surfaces at Batawa, Ontario. Funds raised were earmarked for the Military Families Fund and the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation. Featured guest speaker for the “Roots of Hockey” Gala dinner hosted at the Air Force Museum, including the Air Force dance band, was Mr. Walter Gretzky, “hockey’s most famous father.” Approximately 220 attended the dinner.
Stories Behind the Stories
“45 years ago winters were a lot colder,” said Walter Gretzky. Kids would play hockey outside all day and not realize that they were cold until they returned home and began to thaw out. “I’d take Wayne to the rink and freeze. To warm up I’d stay in the car and run the heater but gas was 18 cents a gallon so one day I decided I wasn’t going to do that anymore. I built Wayne a backyard rink.” For Walter it was a matter of self preservation. “People thought I did it to help Wayne get to the NHL,” he laughs. “I got to stay nice and warm in the house while Wayne skated in the backyard. It wasn’t to make Wayne a hockey player.” One house rule was that when Wayne returned home from school he had to do his homework first – then he could play hockey in the backyard.
Gramma Gretzky was Wayne’s first goalie. They’d play ball hockey in the house. Every now and then I’d hear a scream and then Wayne saying, “Sorry Gramma.”
When he was 7 Wayne would take a sheet of paper, draw a rink on it complete with lines and follow the puck during the hockey game on TV. “That’s when his thinking and finesse game took root.”
Walter used to flood the rink regularly with a sprinkler. One day he fell asleep and the sprinkler broke. “I sent my wife to the hardware store to buy a replacement.”
When he returned from work Walter was greeted by a somewhat annoyed spouse.
“Don’t ever do that to me again,” she remonstrated. “It was -15 F and I was asking for a sprinkler. The salesman thought I was nuts.”
When he was 10, Wayne was playing against Paul Reinhart who was “big for his age,” said Walter. At one point in the game Paul had Wayne pinned against the boards and wouldn’t let him go. “That’s when Gramma Gretzky left her seat and attacked Reinhart with her purse. After that we didn’t let Gramma sit alone.”
“Kids to-day are a lot smarter than I was at their age,” said Gretzky. He explained that 7 year-olds will ask Walter to sign “W.Gretzky” so they can tell their friends they have Wayne’s signature.
Since Walter suffered a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1991 he has no short term memory. “My golf game has really improved,” he laughed.
Wayne told his mother a year in advance that he was going to retire. “I found out the night before. Why? I asked.” Wayne told his dad that if he wasn’t aware he wouldn’t have to lie to the Media about it. “Wayne never regretted retiring,” emphasized Walter.
Over 30 years Walter and Wayne have raised $millions for the CNIB with their 9 golf tournaments across Canada.
99
Wayne always looked up to Gordie Howe. In minor hockey he always wore number 9. Then in Junior “A”, when he went to The Sault the number had already been taken and Wayne just couldn’t decide on a new number. Finally, the coach said if you can’t wear one “9” you can wear two (“99”). Walter said that Wayne was not the first to wear “99” in hockey. An internet search reveals the following.
Looking through the archives of Le Petit Journal, to the week of November 10, 1934, the entire first game of that season’s schedule is documented on the sports sections’ pages. Joe Lamb was dressed for the opening night loss to the Maple Leafs. Joe Lamb was the first player on the 1934-35 Canadiens, and in hockey, to wear the number 99 sweater.
Whether outside at the Pond Hockey Tournament or mixing with dinner guests, Walter Gretzky was a genuine gentleman who warmly associated with everyone, of all ages. If you have the opportunity to hear Walter – to paraphrase Yogi Berra – “take it.!” If you wish to learn more, Walter has written two books – “On Family, Hockey and Healing” (2003) and “Gretzky: From Backyard Rink to the Stanley Cup” (1985). Also, the CBC produced a movie in 2005, “Waking Up Wally: The Walter Gretzky Story.”