Walter Gretzky was Canada's Hockey Dad, raising and coaching his son Wayne Gretzky, arguably the greatest hockey player of all-time.
I always enjoyed Walter telling the story about getting the call from Wayne after he scored his 50th goal in his 39th game.
I remember I got a phone call one night. It was from Wayne. I said hello. It was 2:30 in the morning. ‘I did it, Dad! I did it, I did it.’ He was screaming. I said: ‘What?’ ‘I did it, Dad. I did it!’ ‘Wayne, what?’
He was shouting. ‘I got five tonight. Fifty in 39 games.’ When he broke that record, he was so excited. And then what I will always remember: ‘I got to go, Dad. I told them I had to make an important phone call before we had a press conference.’ He thought of his family first before anyone else.
