the Great One

[body-czech]

Gentlemen, everybody know what player I mean. Probably the best hockey player who´s ever played hockey. (actually some Canucks think the best ever was Orr). But anyway, let´s get to the point.
I am interested a longer time in the origin of Wayne Gretzky. Of course, he is a Canadian, but I mean his deep roots. From where came his ancentors. I have found plenty of his autobiographies, but I couldn´t find anywhere even a word about his ancentors, from which part of Europe, or any other continent they have come to Canada. I guess he is in Canada at least for 5 generations - I just guess his family is there at least for 100 years.
I wouldn´t be wondering, if he had english or french name, but his name seems to me as polish. What if it is a screwed form of Gretský, Grecký, Øecký...ha-hardly, but what if
For example Sakic has croatian roots - Sakiè
If anybody will find something of his family tree, please post it here, thank you very much.

[DanCan]

Body-Czech,
Gretzky is third-generation Canadian. His paternal grandmother was born in Pidhaitse (in the Ternopil Province), Ukraine and his paternal grandfather was born in Belarus in a town called Mogilev.

About 150,000 Ukrainians migrated to Canada between 1896 and 1914, and Gretzky's grandmother was a late migrater in that wave. She landed in Canada during World War I.

Gretzsky's grandfather, Anthony, left Belarus in 1917 (by the time of the Bolshevik revolution) and migrated to Chigago. Wayne Gretzsky has told that his grandfather was not political and didn't necessarily migrate to escape the Communist revolution. Keep in mind that everything deteriorated in Russia (and in particular the Belarussian region) in 1917. After coming to Chigago, Anthony was about to enrol in the U.S. Army but heard the pay and benefits were better in Canada so he high-tailed it up to Winnipeg. That's where he met Wayne's grandmother.

Here's a funny story about Gretsky and his Belarussian grandfather:

Belarus in Gretzsky's blood

In his restaurant in Toronto, Gretzsky pays tribute to his grandmother and her Ukrainian ancestry by serving the dish ""Grandma Gretzky's perogies."

Here's a very good article on Gretzsky's life from he was born and onwards:

Wayne Gretzsky - profile

[Jazz]

Yep....I remember seeing that link back during the 2002 SLC Olypmics...

Very interesting.....Gretzky's grandfather could have stayed in the US (I shudder to think of him with a US jersey on).

Mind you, being in the US, he might have choosen baseball, or something like that.... I bet his grandfather had no idea that his decision to move would have profound affects on the culture of a nation!!!

G.

[DanCan]

That's right, Gurj. But in a way, Wayne's grandparent had yet another share in the creation of the Canadian hockey god. No doubt, it was Wayne's father, Walter, who laced little Waynes skates and put a hockey stick in his hands when he was only two years old. But it happened on the Nith river located beneath his grandparents farm.
This inspired him, and one year later, when he was three, Walter built an ice rink outside their house in Brentwood, ON called "The Wally Coliseum". The rest is history...

[NyQuil]

>>This inspired him, and one year later, when he was three, Walter built an ice rink outside their house in Brentwood, ON

Brantford, ON

But the rest is all accurate!

[DanCan]

Brantford...yup!

[Lukasz]

Funny story, but this is strange that he knew that he is from “White Russia” and he never try to find where this “White Russia” in fact is!

[body-czech]

Thanks DanCan for your information. I bet you would find anything of my hockey career even though I´ve never played hockey for any team.

I´ve always loved Wayne´s hockey. For his excellence, but more for his style. His records are incomparable. But I tried to re-count his record to today, and his great 215 points would mean today aproximately 152 points. I counted avarage of goals scored between years 81-88, and in last 8 years. (96-03) : (81-88) x 212 = cca 152
we have to also consider that in hte 80´s there was not such a competition like today.

But anyway, tell me who could today achieve over 150 points in one regular season.

[Jazz]

body-czech said:

...we have to also consider that in hte 80´s there was not such a competition like today.

But anyway, tell me who could today achieve over 150 points in one regular season.

The 80s (up to the mid-90s) were the golden age of hockey!

about 150pts these days: A healthy Forsberg would probably get around 130.

[pyr]

I´m sure the north americans already saw it but you, my european brothers you should watch it!
I didn´t know in what topic should I post it, but I decided to do it here becuase that goal is really a great one

ninajovsvet.okweb.sk/multimedia/creativegoal.mpg

[Tigger]

Damn Can´t get the page opened...

[pyr]

I´ve tried it a second ago, and it works

[Tigger]

Nope, still doesn´t work for me...

[pyr]

It´s a MPEG file, I think it should work...

[hockeynomad]

None other than Bobby Orr.