I've been wasting time lately reading about boys games played by grownups, while Rome burns, and I remembered someone once asking about racism in sports awhile back. (ok, a long while back) Didn't get much past banter about Don Cherry's hierachy of hockey if I recall correctly.
Anyhow, I think I've found some tangeable if not solid proof that yes, racism (and other foerms of prejudice) still plays a significant role in who gets to play and how much they get payed.
First item. We've come at least a ways from the bad old days yes? Well take a look for yourselves at all the native born players plying their trade in the pros now:
FN/Metis--Major League -Minor Pro -European Pro (Active): Norm Maracle (Mohawk) Carey Price (Dakelh Dene) Steve Silverthorn??
Mike Berube (?) Ryan Constant (?) Chad Denny (Micmac) Gary Gladue (metis) Shane Peacock (?) Clay Plume (Kainai Blackfoot) Wade Redden (Metis?) Brandon Smith (?) Sheldon Souray (Metis)
Arron Asham (Metis) Robin Big Snake (Siksika Blackfoot) Judd Blackwater (?) Rene Bourque (Metis) Mike Bulawka?? Trent Campbell (Chipewyan Dene) Jonathan Cheechoo (Cree) Kyle Chipchura (Metis) Chris Cloud (Cree) Adam Courchaine (?) Keegan Dansereau (?) Vernon Fiddler (Metis) Colt King (?) D.J. King (Metis) Dwight King (Metis) Brad Leeb (Plains Cree) Greg Leeb (Plains Cree) Cody McCormick (Ojibwa-Mohawk) Lance Monych (Metis) T.J. Oshie (metis?) Casey Pierro-Zabotel (?) Wacey Rabbit?? Darren Reid (Metis) Jason Silverthorn?? Chris Simon (Ojibwa) Craig Stahl (metis) Jordin Tootoo (Nunavit Inuit) Darcy Tucker (metis) Dustin Whitecotton (?) Colton Yellow Horn (Piegan Blackfoot)
And compare to not so long ago:
FN/Metis--Major League-Minor Pro-European pro(Retired):
Dan Cloutier?? Mike Frawley (Ojibwa) Grant Fuhr (Afro-metis?) Bill Horn?? Jamie McLennan?? Ryan Person (Ojibwa) Stephen Wagner (?)
Clarence "Taffy" Abel (?) Allen Aime?? Roy Atcheynum?? Rick Barefoot (?) Bob Craig?? Gerald Diduck?? Jim Eagle (?) Scott Ferguson (Metis) Magnus Flett?? Rod Flett?? Harley Hodgson (Cree) Ian Jacobs (?) John Kordic?? Floyd Lahache (Mohawk?) Jeremy Leroux?? Scott Lewis?? Jim Neilson (?) Rich Pilon (?) Pierre Pilote?? Rudy Poeschek?? Brad Prefontaine (?) Jamie Rivers?? Gary Sargent (?) Barry Tabobondung (Ojibwa?) Brian Tucker (?) Dennis Vial?? Cy Whiteside??
George Armstrong (Ojibwa-metis) Kelly Askew (?) Blair Atcheynum (?) Wendell Bennett?? Craig Berube (?) Brant Blackned (Cree) Henry Boucha (?) Chris Brant (Mohawk?) Curtis Cardinal?? Reg Cardinal?? Jim Cashman?? John Chabot (?) Brad Chartrand (Metis) Ted Cook (Mohawk) Jacques Cossette?? Jerry Cunningham (?) Kimbi Daniels (?) Scott Daniels (?) Ryan Davis (?) Ron Delorme (Metis) Ernie Dick?? Brent Dodginghorse (?) Joe Dragon (?) Theoren Fleury (Metis) Dan Frawley (Ojibwa) Jeff Friesen?? August George?? Wes George (?) Tony Gingras?? Stu Grimson?? Ted Hodgson (Cree) Jimmy Jack?? Darcy Johnson (?) Stan Jonathan (Mohawk) Wayne King (Ojibwa) Dan Kordic?? Shawn Legault?? Mike Lalonde (Saulteaux Ojibwa) Denny Lambert?? Jamie Leach (Cree?) Reggie Leach (Cree?) Elmer "Bud" Maracle?? Sandy McCarthy (?) Dale McCourt (?) Vic Mercredi (?) Jamie Muswagon (?) Brantt Myhres?? Brandon Nolan (Ojibwa) Ted Nolan (Ojibwa) Gino Odjick (Algonkin) Ed Olczyk?? Dave Parenteau?? Mike Peluso (?) Art Quoquochi (?) Dean Roach (Cree?) Everett Sanipass (Micmac) Earl Sargent (?) Fred Sasakamoose (Oji-Cree) Matt Sharuga?? Bobby Simpson (Mohawk) Frank St. Marseille (Ojibwa-metis) Joey Tetarenko?? Rocky Thompson (?) K.C. Timmons (?) Terence Tootoo (Nunavit Inuit) Bryan Trottier (Metis) Rocky Trottier (Metis) Justin Williams (?) Ron Willy?? Dody Wood?? Harry York??
An improvement? Sure.
But equal opportunity?
I'll get back to this tomorrow.