Ah, Mike Grier ... one of my favorite subjects
 
1) African-Americans in the NHL
 
The history of blacks in the NHL is well chronicled - Willie O'Ree was
the first (Boston, '57-'58 and '60-'61), but was a native of Fredericton,
N.B. Many have followed, including the aforementioned Graeme Townshend
(Kingston, Jamaica - raised in Canada). A total of approximately 20 blacks
played in the NHL by Feb. 1993, according to American Hockey Magazine
(the publication of USA Hockey). None were born and trained in the U.S.
The two players cited in the same article who were hoping to be the first
were former Wisconsin defenseman Chris Nelson (Philadelphia, grew up
in Hanover, N.H.) and Miami-Ohio junior goalie Eustace King (Chicago).
Nelson peaked in the AHL, and King doesn't look like an NHL prospect.
Hence, Grier is likely to be the first. There are other African-Americans
in college hockey (and have been in the past - third string Princeton
goalie Will Schmede in the '70s), but none of Grier's caliber.
 
2) Grier as a target of other teams
 
I recently interviewed Grier for Drop the Puck (soon to be published).
Among other things, he told me "My parents feel more than I do that
other people are taking runs at me ... by hitting me they're trying to
say that they're not intimidated by (B.U.)."
 
3) Grier and the pros
 
Mike told me that he will sit down w/Parker and his parents at the end
of the year. He also talked about the things he still needs to work
on, including his shot and lateral movement. I interpret what he said
as indicating that he'll stick around for one more year - and if he
polishes those two aspects of his game, he won't be reluctant to
leave school. That is my opinion only, I hasten to add.
 
4) African-Americans in hockey
 
This has nothing to do with Mike Grier, really, but nothing would mean
more to me than to see inner city African-American children given the
equal opportunity to try ice hockey - facilitated by clinics, scholarships
into local youth programs, etc. Hockey in Harlem is the perfect example -
for those of you who don't know of it, it's a program initiated by the
N.Y. Rangers to teach the game to inner city kids. A few graduates of
Hockey in Harlem have already moved on to the prep school ranks - so
Grier may not be alone in the NHL for long when he gets there. If any
Hockey-L participants are in the position to encourage the trend, you
have my support and blessing - and I hope we can all contribute.
 
Geoff Howell
The Trenton Times
Drop the Puck