tony mckegney family

I was scared to say a peep in class. Forward Born Feb 15 1958 -- Montreal, PQ [65 yrs. 8 9 25 25 10 7 14 11. When sports are at their best, that's what they can do. Stay tuned to Die By the Blade over the course of the month as we continue to highlight Black players in Buffalo Sabres history. There is one number, though, that says a lot about the season I had in 1987-88. He played four games with the Nordiques at the end of the 1979-80 season, the team's first season in the NHL. Jarome told me that he felt comfortable at the school yard because he could point to me and say, "Look, Tony McKegney's playing in the NHL.". Tony McKegney was bom in Montreal, Quebec, in February of 1958 to a Nigerian father and Canadian mother. A year later, the left winger was ready to join the pros. Or write about sports? After leaving the NHL, he had a long, successful career in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. Today, Tony McKegney, the first Black player to score 40 goals in an NHL season, tells his story of overcoming racial bias and serving as inspiration for Jarome Iginla, the only other Black. And I said to myself, Geez, this is great. It was awesome to see these guys and theyre all good players. I always said that the game is tough enough as it is just trying to survive and make it outside of having that stuff on the sidelines. Buffalo was very interesting because we hung around with the football players. - EP Contact Book listing of your profile (optional) John Kreiser, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. TM: He brought up a lot of memories for me, ugly memories. In February 1988, I was interviewed for an article called "Tony McKegney Makes His Mark in the NHL," where I talked about how the season was going and importance of role models. While in Chteauguay, he played for Jacques Demers, who went on to coach the Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens. Tony McKegneny (c.) with his sons, Dan (l.), and Robert. People had a certain amount of respect for us athletically.. Hes won Stanley Cups.. So, there was a lot of black athletes in town in Buffalo. And there was a ton of it, ugly stuff. He jumped to the AHLs Hershey Bears and then the Sabres, making his NHL debut in the 1978-79 season. However, the Bills' statement does not specify that Frazi. When he was still a toddler, his family moved to the Toronto area. Who was the first Black player to top 40 goals in an NHL season? It can be difficult to talk about how those views affect you as a person. Some may find that number low. Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted soon thereafter, and raised by a white family in Sarnia, Ontario. While in Fredericton, he says the coach told him he may play a couple dozen games at the NHL level, but his main role would be to tutor the other players. It's a big deal that Grant, Willie, and now Jarome have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Sabres Send Asplund to Nashville for 7th Rounder, 2023 NHL Trade Deadline: Open Thread & How To Watch. And I'll always be proud of the 40-goal season I had in 1987-88, the wonderful camaraderie of that Blues team, and the little chip-in that somehow found its way into the net. All Rights Reserved. In Tony's second stint in Quebec, he played in 98 games for the team until January 29, 1991 when he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Jacques Cloutier. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. Tony McKegney player profile, stats and championships. But by capitalizing on circumstances known by few, he has become an example for blacks who would aspire to playing in the National Hockey League. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The Buffalo native was drafted by the Sabres 52nd overall in 2013 and began his pro career with the Sabres and Amerks. Complete player biography and stats. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. SN: How did it make you feel when you saw it? The McKegney brothers (l-r), Mike, Tony, Ian and friends on their backyard rink in Sarnia, Ontario in 1962. TM: We just sort of stayed away from it. Tony McKegney (r.) with brothers Mike (l.) and Steve in front of their house in Sarnia, Ontario in 1970. Position: LW Shoots: Left. One house seemed perfect for me and my wife, Sue. Season Players Videos. And I still struggle with that to this day, with the trauma that I faced and went through. Search instead in Creative? TM: I knew John because we were teammates, we were roommates, and it seemed out of character for him. He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. Pioneers like Willie O'Ree, Angela James and Grant Fuhr will be featured. It was wintertime and my dad had floodlights out there. When I started in the league, I never would have guessed. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! It saddens me to hear the accounts of the current crop of Black players and other players of color that are still facing the same obstacles and ugly behavior that I encountered when I was their age. They were playing Ottawa and there were five black players in the game on the two teams combined. Saunders, 63, who now lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C., has since retired and written a book about his life. In fact, I didn't play against another Black hockey player for nearly 18 years -- when Ray Neufeld, Grant Fuhr, and I were all active in the League. "It felt like they were ripping out my heart. Today we look at former NHL forward Tony McKegney. That year, he also played against a team from Birmingham, Ala. His first game there, team executives told him he might be shot, so he went into the arena with extra protection. He went to New Brunswick, feeling discouraged but not ready to give up. Oilers' Mike Green out three to four weeks with knee injury, Islanders re-assign Josh Ho-Sang to Blues' AHL affiliate. This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney It was a personal best for me -- the first and only time I'd join the NHL's 40-goal club. But I know my brother took a lot more abuse than I did because I saw it. of 1 Even now, when I tell the story of the 1987-1988 season, I use a lot of numbers to explain why the season turned out so special. Tony McKegney Tells His Story of How He Came to Buffalo | Sabres Why did you feel like that was necessary? "I was incredulous. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Bailey, who is biracial, currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks and is in his second season with the organization. Born 1958-02-15 in Montral, Quebec. This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney. McKegney was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. Tony McKegney weighed 200 lbs (90 kg) when playing. The subtext of the situation was clear: Because I'm a Black man, there were certain things the homeowner felt like I couldn't or shouldn't do. A couple of weeks ago, Ron MacLean from Hockey Night in Canada gave the McKegney family a shout out during the Saturday night broadcast, recognizing McKegney as part of Black History month. We didn't recognize that password reset code. After scoring eight goals in 52 games as a rookie in 1978-79, he scored 23 in his second NHL season 37 in 1980-81. Tony McKegney Goal vs. Toronto 12/13/80 - YouTube And I followed the advice that the great Willie O'Ree has given so many times: channel your energy into lighting the red light. The Montreal-born left wing was a big scorer in junior hockey, finishing with 135 points (58 goals . Bassin knew Saunders was getting racist taunts, but said Saunders always handled it in stride and never let it get to him. They were there for me for the most part. TM: Everything. It was my 10th season in the League, and I'd gotten more comfortable over time. Since then, he has played for five NHL teams - Buffalo, Quebec, Minnesota, New York and St. Louis - scoring a career-high 37 goals in 1980-81. Even reporters, players were coming up to me saying, 'What's going on, Bernie?'". Q&A: Tony McKegney on the NHL's overlooked generation of black players And obviously we watched the games, the Leafs and the Red Wings on TV back in the six-team league. Some hockey portraits on this site are licensed from Images on Ice, Hockeys Photo Agency. After playing for 15 years professionally, it was a hard transition and Im sure Ive made some mistakes and would do some things differently. He heard the N-word on the ice and from fans in the stands, and opponents always made sure to finish their checks on him. It's the number of Black players who have ever scored 40 goals in an NHL season. TM: I heard some stories about the tough guys like George Laraque, Peter Worrell and Donald Brashear, and apparently it was absolutely brutal for those guys in Quebec. Most recently in the IHL with San Diego Gulls. But I had a rink in my backyard, my own playground. Hes had the most success. He is vaguely aware of the recent push to change hockey culture. {* traditionalSignIn_signInButton *}, Comment and participate in our online community. I was too timid to talk to a girl. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Saunders says it's tremendous. He was following in the footsteps of his older brother Ian, who had been a star with the Sarnia Legionnaires before moving on to the pros. It's something that most Black players at the time trained themselves to do, even though we shouldn't have needed to. Until we get rinks in the inner (American) cities, I dont think thats going to change.. It's the kind of impact that wins, losses, and point totals can't capture. Go inside the Hockey Reference Database. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Tony McKegney, 1958-02-15 Montral, QC, CAN Canada. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. It was like, all the emotions from my career, my life: it was too much for me," the elder Saunders said. The more hockey lives up to those ideals, the better we'll all be. (Tony) McKegney will need to be working on his paddle stroke or riding as a passenger. But I cherish everything about that goal that found my stick in the last minute of the last game of my 1987-88 season with the St. Louis Blues. These brave athletes are actively changing hockey culture for the better. McKegney, a Montreal native who was raised in Sarnia by his adoptive family, was drafted by the Sabres with the 32nd overall pick in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft.

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