SN: The numbers of black players at all levels has increased. Sherry Bassin, 80, is a former junior hockey executive and another person who helped shape Saunders as a hockey player and a person. 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. He was a 4x 30-goal scorer and set career highs in 1988 with 40 goals and 78 points. Lightning. Jarome Iginla gave me a very nice compliment when he said he felt he was at home on the ice and in the school yard, because he could say, Hey, Tony McKegney, hes playing in the NHL. He felt like he belonged on a hockey rink because I was out there. All rights reserved. "People just forget me because I didn't play. I tried to, basically, suppress a lot of those feelings back then, and I just buried a lot of things. McKegney, Tony 1958- | Encyclopedia.com 1978 round 2 #32 overall by Buffalo Sabres, OMJHL Former Sabres player charged for violating order of protection Things just felt right that year. SN: When you got to the league was it a lonely existence for you? I just felt defeated," he said. This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney. As a teenager he played Jr. 'B' hockey in Sarnia. My parents had three children of their own, and they adopted three children, he said. Tony McKegney Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Salary, Title | Hockey And between the benches, one of the guys said it would be termed as a black-on-black crime. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Saturday, March 4, 4:33AM. The Buffalo Sabres recently unveiled a partnership with local artist Edreys Wajed in honor of Black History Month. He said, Just turn on the red light, which means scoring a goal. That's the biggest compliment for me.". {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, City mourns Buffalo firefighter Jason Arno as investigation into fatal fire launches, Buffalo firefighter makes 'ultimate sacrifice' in blaze that may have sparked backdraft, Paula's Donuts to move Clarence store that faced backlash for tax breaks to Amherst, Vandal damages 'brokenhearted' Russell Salvatore's tribute park in Lancaster, Chad Hall's departure from Buffalo Bills to Jaguars remains a bit of a mystery. "I got a lot of feedback from people in Canada that they were accepted in the schoolyard or outdoor rink because they could point to me as being a person of color playing in the National Hockey League. Welcome to NHL.com, the official site of the National Hockey League, Bienvenue LNH.com , le site officiel de la Ligue nationale de hockey, Tervetuloa NHL:n viralliselle nettisivustolle NHL.comiin, Vlkommen till NHL.com, NHL:s officiella web-sida, Vtejte na NHL.com, oficilnch strnkch National Hockey League, Vitajte na NHL.com, oficilnych strnkach National Hockey League, Willkommen auf NHL.com, der offiziellen Seite der National Hockey League, Bienvenido a NHL.com, el sitio oficial de la National Hockey League. Tony McKegney (front, second from r.) and his Sarnia Bees teammates of the Western Ontario Junior B Hockey League in 1973. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. They started out with walker-type things out on the ice, and then they graduated to the point where they were scrimmaging, McKegney said. People had a certain amount of respect for us athletically.". Gambling problem? Tony McKegney Height, Weight & Measurements At 63 years old, Tony McKegney height is 1.85 m and Weight 91 kg. His supporters created a fan club. I went to [Daley] and said, Hey, how are you doing and how are you feeling? I just wanted to reach out and say, Been there, just keep at it. He is not dating anyone. Tony McKegney is a member of famous Ice Hockey list. Saunders, a right-winger, played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques in 1979-80 and 1980-81. TM: No, not really. Tony McKegney - Net Worth February 2023, Salary, Age, Siblings, Bio Jarome Iginla. McKegney scored 37 goals in 1980-81. For more, check out this Q&A with McKegney & Sportsnet: While its we celebrate the historic achievements of Black players throughout Sabres history, its equally important to celebrate the Black players in the NHL today, including several with current or former ties to the Buffalo Sabres organization. He played four games with the Nordiques at the end of the 1979-80 season, the team's first season in the NHL. Complete record of every goal scored or assisted by the player. He was a role model." Embed from Getty Images Getty Images Sport Graig Abel Just like society as a whole, the hockey community still has a lot of hard work to do. On June 15, 1989, Tony was traded to the Detroit Red Wings along with Bernie Federko in exchange for Adam Oates and Paul MacLean. Bernie Saunders, one of the NHL's first black players, never thought he would find himself coaching youth hockey. At the same time, he's disappointed that he's been excluded from conversations about the first black players in the NHL. 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. Who was the first Black player to top 40 goals in an NHL season? How does that make you feel? However, the team now had a new farm team, the Fredericton Express, and the organization wanted Saunders to play there. "It was just time. 'We've taken one step forward and two back': Willie O'Ree on fighting racism in sports, This rural Ontario black hockey line broke barriers producing generations of star players, Being Black in Canada: Highlighting the Black experience, CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. [RELATED: Black History Month coverage |Hockey Is For Everyone coverage]. Tony McKegney (born Anthony Syiid McKegney on February 15, 1958) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, who played in the NHL for 13 seasons from 197879 until 199091. Jets on Sportsnet, Marchment, Pavelski end droughts as Stars dominate Avalanche, Cooper on benching Stamkos, Kucherov, Point: 'Weren't giving us the best chance to win', Bertuzzi sets up goal, Bruins stretch winning-streak in win over Rangers, Lightning fall to Sabres, bench Kucherov, Stamkos, Point for third period, {* backButton *} Tony McKegney is a well known Ice Hockey. It barely made it over the line. To me, there is no better example of such a player than Tony McKegney, who played 13 seasons in the NHL and was the first star of colour. Saunders didn't seem bitter or disappointed about not quite making it in the NHL, Jarrett said. by I pride myself in being maybe the first black player to play consistently in the league, McKegney said. 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. His NHL career ended with nine games with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1990-91, but he went on to play for the Canadian National Team, overseas in Italy with Varese HC and in the IHL with the San Diego Gulls before hanging up the skates in 1993. - Ability to add additional data to your career profile: Videos, Images, Social Media, Referrals, Fitness Testing Results and much more! Editor's note: As part of the NHL celebrating Black History Month throughout February, NHL.com will present first-person essays by some of the game's key Black players and executives. by I wanted to be the best, that was a driving force. 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. All rights reserved. SPORTSNET: What was your first exposure to the game of hockey? Tony McKegney Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com Continue reading to discover who is Tony McKegney. Another referee determined he made a kicking motion and gave him a match penalty. There weren't many black players in the junior league at the time. "We just felt like other Canadian boys and wanted to play hockey.". 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. You reached out to him afterwards. Saunders spent most of his career thinking he was the only black player out there. When I started in the league, I never would have guessed. There hadnt been many blacks in the NHL when he arrived, but hopefully his talent made quite a few people color-blind. Lightning | Game 61, Sabres Acquire Jordan Greenway, Austin Strand. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. (Born onFebruary 15, 1958) -- Tony McKegney was something of a pioneer in the world of hockey. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. NHL 2023. The sport that Saunders loved so much, the sport he says shaped him into the person he has become, has also broken his heart many times. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Sign up for EP Premium and verify your profile to access these benefits. Go beyond the basics. Bassin knew Saunders was getting racist taunts, but said Saunders always handled it in stride and never let it get to him. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. He would like for both to be able to remember their father in an NHL uniform. 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. Unlimited access for the whole family until Feb 21. . Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. SN: How did it make you feel when you saw it? the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Born 1958-02-15 in Montral, Quebec. Buffalo looks to bounce back with a clean slate against another tough team. But he was reassigned to the minors. But I think sports probably helped a lot, because we were known as athletes and so forth. TM: He brought up a lot of memories for me, ugly memories. TM: I had several concussions, so thats not been a good scenario for me. I loved basketball, football, baseball, golf. Did that ever dissuade you at all from getting into the game? Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. But I know my brother took a lot more abuse than I did because I saw it. - Improve your search rank It's the kind of impact that wins, losses, and point totals can't capture. Bailey, who is biracial, currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks and is in his second season with the organization. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. TM: We never really talked about it much. "They always came up with their hardest stuff, their elbows and what-not, and tried to punish me.". 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. Thats basically what got me where I am today., Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. At the age of 20, Tony signed a contract with the now defunct World Hockey Associations (WHA) team in Birmingham, Alabama only to see the owner illegally renege on the deal after fans threatened to boycott the team for having added a black player to its roster. After leaving the NHL, he had a long, successful career in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. And that was the Buffalo Sabres. *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. As of 2018 Tony McKegney is 59 years years old. McKegney recalls no special obstacles for him or his two adoptive brothers, who are also black, as they were growing up with a racially mixed family in a city of 50,000. Thats the greatest compliments Ive received from the younger people. People weren't used to seeing a Black player succeed on the ice. It was my 10th season in the League, and I'd gotten more comfortable over time. I don't talk much about the taunts and racial slurs I faced in youth and minor hockey. 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. Bailey has appeared in three games with the Canucks this season and was placed on injured reserve on February 12 with an upper-body injury. This Birthday in Buffalo Sports History: Tony McKegney He was released on his own recognizance by City Court. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. McKegney was drafted 32nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. The funny thing is that Im starting to enjoy the game more than I ever have, he said. Former NHL star sent to jail | The Kingston Whig Standard Not a lot from opposing, players, but more so from fans, that they just couldnt handle the fact that the pure white sport, was being dominated by a black kid and that was me. Tony McKegney was born on February 15, 1958. Tony McKegney player profile, stats and championships. More Tony McKegney videos. Tony McKegney Net Worth, Age, Height, Weight, Wife, Wiki-Bio, Family Some hockey portraits on this site are licensed from Images on Ice, Hockeys Photo Agency. Clearly, Jarome recognized that the 'typical' hockey player could be anyone who loves the game and plays it well. (Tony) McKegney will need to be working on his paddle stroke or riding as a passenger. Only once has he played in fewer than 60 of the regular seasons 80 games. I wanted to be as good as my brothers. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. TM: Its wonderful. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. He believes the colour of his skin is part of the reason he didn't. I remember the dedication that my parents put into it when we were younger, driving us to rinks at 7 in the morning, he said. Only once has he played in fewer than 60 of the regular season's 80 games. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. By checking this box, I agree to the terms of service and privacy policy of Rogers Media. (Tony McKegney, the fourth black player, debuted in 1978). Sorry we could not verify that email address. tony mckegney family https://iccleveland.org/wp-content/themes/icc/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 ICC ICC https://iccleveland.org/wp-content/themes/icc/images . That is a great start and I am looking forward to rooting for the Black players drafted in the past few years who are going to carry on this legacy. Playing hockey at a high level is difficult enough without navigating the pressures of racism in society or figuring out how to respond to the supposed "fan" with a sign that says, "McKegney, grab a basketball" behind the Zamboni entrance. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Jonathan freaked out. Saunders was a shy, quiet kid with a remarkable work ethic, Bassin recalls. When I came along, obviously there were comments made, but I was so focused on what was happening on the ice. Get access to our unique free agency lists and many more premium features. It was wintertime and my dad had floodlights out there. 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