Wayne Gretzky talks nickname, meeting Gordie Howe on ‘Colbert’ (Video)
Wayne Gretzky has a new book out this week called “99: Stories of the Game” with Kirstie McLellan Day, so that means media blitz! “The Great One” appeared on Tuesday night’s “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” to discuss how he earned that famous moniker, meeting his idol, Gordie Howe and some baseball tips he recently gave to a few Cleveland Indians that ended up working out.
How did “The White Tornado,” “Main Wayne” or “The Manada from Canada” not catch on over “The Great One?”
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As for his 400-goal year as a 10-year-old, Gretzky told Dan Patrick last year he wasn’t very fond of the switch to the blue line.
“It was my fifth year on the team. The coach came to me and said I’m going to make you a defenseman,” Gretzky said. “Of course, it crushed me. I remember thinking, ‘oh my god, this guy is ruining my life. I have to be a defenseman.”
An injury allowed Gretzky to play just about every minute that season, which certainly helped in reaching that outrageous stat line.
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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Sean_Leahy
