On the surface, this isn’t unusual, but in Bolden’s and Johnson’s case, the two female pucksters are among the small handful of Black hockey players.
Sports: a space for local and national sports news, with emphasis on stories pertaining to African Americans.
The color of hockey: The current state of diversity in a traditionally ‘White’ sport
Hockey is still seen as a White sport. Some believe it should stay that way forever.
Few Blacks spotted at hockey tournament
This column continues the Only One series in which this reporter shares his experiences as one of the only African American journalists on the scene. A Black person who watches hockey sometimes feels like a space invader in an all-White puck universe. In five games over three days – three of them finished in overtime, […]
Black fans all but nonexistent at Frozen Faceoff
This column continues the Only One series in which this reporter shares his experiences as the only African American journalist on the scene. It took four walk-arounds inside the downtown Minneapolis arena before we finally accomplished our simple goal: finding a Black fan. “I am very excited to be here,” admitted Isaac Johnson, a sixth […]
Wild have shot at Stanley Cup
When I walk into Xcel Center and sometimes after finishing a sports update, I get calls, questions, emails and text messages asking why I talk about hockey. Perception is not reality. Many assume that Black people don’t like hockey or don’t know the game. Wrong. I grew up in Chicago where the Blackhawks were the […]
Wild hire Bruce Boudreau
Four years in a row the Minnesota Wild have reached the Stanley Cup playoffs, and tickets are very tough to get at Xcel Center — 19,000 occupied seats with standing-room only has been the attendance for virtually all 41 home dates.
Trials of an Only One in the sport of hockey
We virtually spent a no-diversity weekend at the NHL Stadium Series game, staged for the first time in Minnesota and at the University of Minnesota football stadium. Following is our account set to 1970s hit songs.
Pro hockey is apparently not for everyone yet
Just as we were about to do our Black fan search in the Gophers’ football stadium concourse, we ran into Anthony Wilson of St. Paul.
Minnesota suddenly ‘Land of the Interims’
After eight straight losses, the Minnesota Wild has fired Head Coach Mike Yeo.
Women’s pro hockey games were first in MN
History was made recently at University of Minnesota’s Ridder Arena as well as in the state of Minnesota. The first professional women’s hockey game ever played here — actually the first and second such contests — took place between the Boston Pride of the first-year National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) and the local Minnesota Whitecaps, an elite women’s hockey club.