Walter Gretzky, CM, O.Ont (born October 8, 1938) is a Canadian who is best known as the father of NHL legend Wayne Gretzky. The elder Gretzky, an avid hockey player as a youth and a keen analyst of the game, is credited by his famous son as playing a key role in his phenomenal success as a player. Walter coached his hockey-loving son continuously, starting at age three, building him a backyard rink, devising creative exercises and drills, teaching him profound insights into how to play successfully, and accompanying him to most of his games. He is famous for instructing Wayne and his brothers to “Go to where the puck is going, not where it has been."The elder Gretzky is well known in his own right for his contributions to minor hockey in Canada, and for his dedication to helping many local, provincial, and national charities, for which he has been honoured and recognized.
Suffered a fractured skull while working as a lineman for Bell Canada in 1961, leaving him in a coma and deaf in his right ear. He was transferred to another department after getting off disability.
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Brother Albert announced he is running for MP on the Conservative Party ticket, representing London West. The election is slated for 23 January 2006 (April 2005).
Suffered near-fatal brain aneurysm while working at his family's farm in Canning. Has only short-term memory. Most of his memories from the early 70s through the mid-90s have been wiped out. His physical therapist, Ian Kohler, married Walter's daughter, Kim, on 23 August 1995. [October 1991]
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Collects broken and discarded hockey sticks in the Brantford area and turns them over to the W. Ross Macdonald School for the blind and visually impaired, who make them into benches.
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Bell Canada telephone repairman for 34 years.
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Son of Belarussian/Polish immigrants.
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Endorses Esporta Wash Systems Inc. of Kelowna, British Columbia, which makes a revolutionary sports equipment washing system.
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Appeared in a Sharp ViewCam Camcorder commericial with Wayne and Wayne's son, Ty.
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1996 Brantford Citizen of the Year.
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Major Junior A Roller Hockey League play for the Walter Gretzky Cup.
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November 21, 2001: Added to Brantford's Walk of Fame, an honour not even Wayne has gotten.
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In his book, "Gretzky: From Backyard Rink to the Stanley Cup" (with Jim Taylor; July 1985), he recounted how he recognized Wayne's prodigious skills and shaped him into the most prolific scorer in hockey history.
$2 Million
