 In 1956, Willie O'Ree signed with the Quebec Aces, the minor league team associated with the Boston Bruins. During his second season, O'Ree was struck in the eye with a puck and lost 95% of the vision in his right eye. Doctors advised him to stop playing, but O'Ree was back on the ice eight weeks later. Willie re-signed with the Aces in 1957, and Quebec won the championship that year. He was called up by the Bruins in 1958, thus becoming the first black player in the NHL. O'Ree retired in 1974, but in 1978, at the age of 43, Willie came out of retirement to play for the Pacific Hockey League, San Diego Hawks. During a 70-game season, Willie scored 50 goals, and at the end of the season, he retired for good. But his name remains synonymous with the effort to integrate professional hockey. Celebrating black history, I'm Megan Triplett.