Latest news with #LondonFreePress
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Wayne Gretzky reveals he was nicknamed ‘The Great One' at age 10 after scoring 400 goals in a single season
Wayne Gretzky's iconic nickname, "The Great One," originated when he was just 10 years old (Getty Images) Long before Wayne Gretzky dominated NHL record books and became a global icon, his legendary nickname — The Great One — was already following him around the rinks of Ontario. But as Gretzky recently revealed ahead of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final, the origin of that iconic moniker goes back to when he was just 10 years old, lighting up minor league hockey in Brantford. Wayne Gretzky's 400-goal season as a kid drew the attention of the media Speaking candidly, Gretzky shared how a mind-blowing 400-goal season as a 10-year-old caught the attention of a reporter from the London Free Press. The journalist, impressed by the young prodigy's scoring spree, wrote a feature story that would unknowingly set a cultural moment in motion. 'I was 10 years old,' Gretzky said. 'A reporter from the London Free Press came down and did a story on me — I scored 400 goals that year. 'At the end of the article, he said, 'NHL guys have one nickname — Mr. Hockey, the Golden Jet. And he said, 'We should just call him The Great One.'' The nickname, intended as a compliment from a local reporter, had staying power. But not everyone was on board at first — especially Gretzky's father, Walter, who was hesitant about the title being attached to his son so early. Walter Gretzky tried to tone down the hype, but the nickname stuck 'Well, my dad tried to kill that right away,' Gretzky recalled. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy the Dip: Top 5 Dividend Stocks with Growth Potential Seeking Alpha Read More Undo 'And it just kept coming back and coming back.' Despite his father's initial resistance, the name became inescapable. And as Wayne continued to grow into the sport — eventually scoring 894 NHL goals, collecting 2,857 career points, and winning four Stanley Cups — the nickname proved prophetic. 'Finally, I just was like, 'Well, we're going to have to live with it,'' Gretzky added with a laugh. Also Read: Anton Frondell snubs Blackhawks and Connor Bedard to stay in Sweden with childhood club In hindsight, the reporter's intuition was spot-on. 'The Great One' didn't just describe Gretzky's potential — it defined a career that would go unmatched in hockey history. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Hamilton Spectator
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
What does placing an Ontario school board under supervision look like?
Trustees will be stripped of their powers, but they have no idea if they can attend board meetings, visit schools or meet parents. Some are wondering if they'll still be able to access work emails and cellphones. The province's bombshell announcement Friday that it is taking over four school boards is prompting questions about what that means for the elected officials. The crackdown comes after investigations into the finances of Ottawa's public board, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic board and Toronto's Catholic and public boards . 'I find this to be quite a bad day for parents and students,' said Markus de Domenico, chair of the Toronto Catholic District School Board. 'They are the ones that will suffer, frankly. They will not have a voice at the board. There will be virtually no board meetings. They will not have any way of asking someone to help them, other than to call the school principal and superintendent, which is fine, but they vote for trustees to be their voice. And that voice has been taken away.' Similarly, Alexis Dawson, trustee with the Toronto District School Board, said the move 'strips families and community of their primary resource to having a voice.' 'Trustees are such an important bridge between the community and the school board ,' said Dawson, adding she's helped many families navigate the system. The supervisor takes over the authority held by the board of trustees. Trustees in the public system will no longer receive an honorarium. Trustees in the affected Catholic boards will receive 25 per cent of their full pay for the duration of supervision — which, for boards in the past, has lasted as long as two years — as they still have decision-making power over denominational issues. That means anything the supervisor is dealing with that could affect the religious side of education needs to be taken to trustees. In the Thames Valley board, also recently taken over, the supervisor had cancelled almost all board and committee meetings for this year, but spoke at a recent meeting of a special education committee, the London Free Press has reported. The four boards have either run deficits over many years or failed to balance budgets this year, It is unclear how meetings will be handled in the newly affected boards, given trustees have no voting power under supervision. The ministry-appointed supervisors are: Rohit Gupta for the TDSB; Frank Benedetto for the TCDSB; Robert Plamondon for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board; and Rick Byers, who's a former Progressive Conservative MPP, for the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'My dad tried to kill..': Wayne Gretzky opens up about how his father tried to stop ‘The Great One' nickname from sticking
Wayne Gretzky is a name synonymous with greatness in the , but the origin of his famous nickname, "The Great One," has a surprising twist. During a recent segment on NHL on TNT's Face Off, Gretzky shared that his father, Walter Gretzky, was not a fan of the moniker when it first appeared during his youth hockey days. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A nickname born out of early dominance on the ice Long before Wayne Gretzky shattered NHL records, he was just a ten-year-old prodigy from Brantford, Ontario, netting an unbelievable 400 goals in a single season. A reporter from the London Free Press came to profile the young phenom. At the conclusion of the article, the journalist proposed a fitting nickname: 'The Great One,' drawing inspiration from legends like 'Mr. Hockey' and 'The Golden Jet.' 'They said, 'We should just call him The Great One,'' Gretzky recalled. 'Well, my dad tried to kill that right away — it just kept coming back.' Walter Gretzky believed such a title placed unnecessary pressure on his young son. He didn't want Wayne to bear the weight of premature hype. But despite his father's objections, the nickname gained traction and became permanently linked to the budding superstar. Acceptance of a name that would define a legacy Over time, the family had no choice but to embrace the label. 'Finally, I just was like, 'Well, we're going to have to live with it,'' Gretzky admitted. And live with it he did. By the time he retired in 1999, Gretzky had not only fulfilled but exceeded the expectations that came with such a grand title. With 894 goals, 2,857 career points, and 61 NHL records, 'The Great One' wasn't just a nickname—it became his rightful legacy. Panthers Win Game 5 to Take 3-2 Lead in Stanley Cup Final | NHL on TNT Switching gears to current NHL action, Gretzky also shared his thoughts on the Edmonton Oilers' Game 5 loss to the Florida Panthers. 'Right from the get-go, Florida played a really smart, intelligent road game,' he said, noting that Edmonton looked 'cautious' and 'on their heels' early on. Also Read: From a childhood nickname to a storied NHL career, Gretzky's story remains one of humility, brilliance, and enduring greatness.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wayne Gretzky Reveals Early Origin of 'The Great One' Nickname
Wayne Gretzky Reveals Early Origin of 'The Great One' Nickname originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As unbelievable as it sounds, Wayne Gretzky was 'The Great One' way before he legitimately became the greatest NHL player of all time. Advertisement Gretzky was just another 10-year-old kid from Brantford, Ontario, lighting up scoreboards by the time he got his nickname. He was so good that he went on to score 400 goals in a single season, in a rather big sign of things to come later in his professional career, including breaking many records, winning multiple Stanley Cups, and ultimately making it to the Hockey Hall of Fame. As Gretzky revealed before Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final, that 400-goal year caught the attention of a reporter from the London Free Press, who came to write a story. Right at the end of the article, the reporter made a suggestion that ended up sticking for life. Advertisement 'I was 10 years old," Gretzky said. "A reporter from the London Free Press came down and did a story on me — I scored 400 goals that year. "At the end of the article, he said, 'NHL guys have one nickname — Mr. Hockey, the Golden Jet. And he said, 'We should just call him The Great One.'' Right there, however, Gretzky made it sound like his father wasn't thrilled with his kid getting labeled as such. Wayne Gretzky speaks amid the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images 'Well, my dad tried to kill that right away,' Gretzky said. 'And it just kept coming back and coming back.' At the end of the day, the nickname fit Gretzky like a glove, and the reporter got vindicated for his early take on the young phenom's talents. Advertisement By the time Gretzky retired in 1999, he held 61 NHL records, including scoring 894 goals and 2,857 points, as well as hoisting four Cups, appearing in 18 All-Star games, and many more accolades. 'Finally, I just was like, 'Well, we're going to have to live with it,'' Gretzky finished. Related: Taylor Swift's Gesture in Oilers-Panthers Game Reflects Stanley Cup Final Madness Related: Oilers Coach's 'Unfortunate' Message About Stuart Skinner Decision This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Toronto Sun
16-05-2025
- Toronto Sun
London, Ont. woman charged with attempted murder for trying to drown toddler
London police were at 254 Marconi Blvd. on Wednesday May 14, 2025, one day after a woman was charged with the attempted murder of a toddler. Photo by Derek Ruttan/London Free Press A London woman is charged with attempted murder for trying to drown a toddler, court records show. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Officers were called Tuesday at about 7:15 p.m. to a home on Marconi Boulevard where a woman attempted to cause life-threatening injuries to a three-year-old boy, police said. The woman was arrested nearby and paramedics assessed the boy, who didn't require medical treatment, police said. The woman tried to drown the boy, court documents say. A London police spokesperson declined to provide any additional information, citing the ongoing investigation. The accused made a court appearance Wednesday, when the Crown said it would oppose bail and requested she not communicate with five people, including the complainant. The case was adjourned to Friday to set a date for a bail hearing. A lawyer for the accused requested a publication ban on evidence presented at the bail hearing. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Police were on the scene at a unit at 254 Marconi Blvd. – a townhouse complex operated by the London and Middlesex Housing Corp. – until Wednesday. A London police special constable vehicle was parked outside a home on Marconi Boulevard on Wednesday May 14, 2025, one day after a woman was charged with the attempted murder of a toddler. (Derek Ruttan/The London Free Press) Earlier this year, a London man, 44, and woman, 34, were charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life after a child was injured by a shotgun blast in the city's Whitehills neighbourhood on Feb. 15. The child, 7, was shot in the foot and spent five days in hospital, a relative said at the time. A publication ban prohibits publishing information that could identify the child. dcarruthers@ Read More
