Black Ice by Valmore James & John Gallagher

Author:Valmore James & John Gallagher [James, Valmore]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Hockey, Memoir
Publisher: ECW Press
Published: 2015-01-31T22:00:00+00:00

NINETEEN

FOR ALL OF HIS MANY ATTRIBUTES, Jackie Robinson’s most extraordinary traits were the grace and restraint he displayed in the face of constant racial abuse. His response to the vile taunting that followed him wherever he played was to turn the other cheek. In my case, however, too much of that kind of self-control would not have been seen as a sign of strength. A non-threatening image would hardly be an asset to a hockey enforcer — I could only be effective if I was feared. For me, turning the other cheek would mean a one-way ticket back to Long Island.

When the racist insults came from the mouth of an opponent, I had a ready response: I would crack the guy’s skull. Ray Kurpis recently spoke about running into one of his old Utica teammates at a reunion. This player recalled trying to agitate me by calling me a nigger. He told Ray, “I agitated him all right. And I still have the bumps on my head that Val gave me for opening my mouth.”

I had a very short fuse when it came to a fellow hockey player disrespecting me like that. None of them was getting a free pass. It was much more difficult to respond, however, when the racism came from another team’s fans.

In the Eastern Hockey League, racial harassment from the crowds was a regular part of my gig. I knew that some sort of ugliness was waiting for me at the end of each long bus ride. The last miles before we reached our destination, my teammates would start getting focused, visualizing their play in the upcoming game. I did the same. But my own mental preparation included consideration of the slurs that were waiting for me when I hit the ice. I had to ready myself for the attacks and prepare for how I would respond and how I would not.

Going into the stands to personally deliver a lesson on civility to a drunken inbred was the option that came most naturally, and felt the best, but it also cost the most. Brawling with fans, no matter how racist, would always result in a suspension and a fine, maybe a lawsuit as well. It might also scare off potential NHL suitors. Still, nothing releases rage like making a racist eat his filthy words.

I did wonder how much some people would have to hate their own lives in order to feel the need to degrade me. I supposed that the chanting and cursing was the only way that they could forget their own sorry existence and feel superior to someone else for a few minutes. Pal, your world must be pretty pathetic if your only joy comes from hiding in a crowd and cursing someone else just because of the color of that person’s skin. Now, don’t get me wrong, the pity I felt for these losers did not lessen either my fury or my desire to feed them my hockey stick. Still, I expect that I would have run out of sticks long before I ran out of racist mouths to fill.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.