50 years ago and some change, Willie O’Ree, 22 years old, stepped onto the ice at the hallowed Montreal Forum, a brand-new member of the National Hockey League’s Boston Bruins, who had just called him up from the minors. It was January 18, 1958.

He only played that night and the next, for a total of two games. But three seasons later, O’Ree was back, this time lacing up his skates 43 times for the Bruins. It was then that he was dubbed “The Jackie Robinson of Hockey” for breaking the NHL’s color barrier.

Today, O’Ree is the Director of the NHL’s Diversity Program, which aims to bring the game of ice hockey to inner city kids and other underprivileged youths. He oversees some 39 programs, all designed to get as many kids on the ice as possible, so that the trail O’Ree blazed doesn’t get overgrown with weeds.

He recently sat down with SET during a visit to Detroit. Here’s the first installment of a multi-part series that SET will run of our Q & A with “The Jackie Robinson of Hockey.”

SET: Let’s talk about you personally. When you stepped onto the ice in 1958 as the first black player in NHL history, did you see yourself as a trailblazer, or just as someone who was realizing his dream of playing in the National Hockey League?

O’Ree: Well, that was my goal, to be a professional hockey player and hopefully one day play in the National Hockey League.

I turned pro in 1956 with the Quebec Aces (of the Quebec Minor League), and my first year there we won the league championship. Then I went to the (NHL’s) Boston Bruins training camp in 1957, and was again returned to the Aces. Then on January 18, 1958, the Bruins contacted the Aces and said they wanted me to join the team in Montreal for their next game against the Canadiens.

“I fought because I had to, not because I wanted to.”

So prior to that, to the Montreal fans I was just Willie O’Ree of the Quebec Aces. The big write up was that we beat the Canadiens, 3-0 – not that I broke any sort of color barrier or anything. I traveled with the team to Boston and Montreal beat us, 6-2. Then I was returned to Quebec to finish the season.

It wasn’t until 1961, when I got called back up by the Bruins, that the media gave me the nickname “The Jackie Robinson of Hockey.”

SET: What sorts of things did you have to endure, being a minority of one in the NHL, that other players didn’t have to deal with?

O’Ree: Well, the racial remarks.

I was a physical player, and I knew I was going to get hit when I came up [to the NHL}. I give a lot of credit to my older brother, Richard, who was my mentor. He taught me a lot about hockey. He taught me how to be physical. I fought a lot when I first came up (to the NHL). I fought because I had to, not because I wanted to. Guys wanted to see what I was made of. I won fights and lost fights.