Gretzky: An Autobiography
- Author: Wayne Gretzky with Rick Reilly
- Publisher: HarperCollins
- Release Date: Late 1990/Early 1991
- Availability: Amazon.com Personal Sellers
When I was in fifth grade, I didn't read much. Come to think of it, I didn't read at all. My life revolved around hockey, wrestling, and Super Nintendo. Clearly, there wasn't much room for literary pursuits. That's when my mom stepped in. She thought to herself that if she got me a book about my favorite hockey player, maybe I'd actually read it. And that's how Gretzky: An Autobiography came into my life.
So I read it. A couple hundred times, to be precise. And when I moved out of my house three years ago, I was dismayed because I couldn't find parts of the book. I read it so much the spine cracked, separating this classic tome into a random assortment of pages. Thanks to the wonder of the Internet, though, The Great One is back on my bookshelf where he belongs.
What makes this book so great? I really couldn't tell you. It's hardly a literary masterpiece, though it was ghostwritten by Rick Reilly. There are contradictions and tangents galore, and some things just don't make sense. But there's a certain charm to the book, a casual style I must have picked up on at the ripe age of ten and never relinquished. After all, for all I knew, this is how everyone wrote.
Gretzky is funny and sarcastic when he wants to be - two things most people don't associate with our game's leading scorer. One other thing that I didn't really get the first time around - he was quite bitter about being traded from Edmonton.
Today's autobiographies are controversial, but are done so intentionally. Tiki Barber trashed Tom Coughlin in his book at least partially to give himself credibility heading into his journalistic career. Many of the pro wrestling autobiographies that come out include shots at other wrestlers just to generate a buzz. But Gretzky shoots from the hip. His hatred of Peter Pocklington can barely be concealed. Gretzky tells us that Pocklington gave other teams permission to call The Great One while he was on his honeymoon, that Pocklington's agent threatened to sue Gretzky for $50 million if he didn't re-sign with Edmonton, and that Pocklington's gifts often came with unpaid tax bills that became the responsibility of the recipients. Gretzky also says he will refuse to come back to Edmonton for his jersey retirement or any other special events. Well, he didn't keep that promise, but as they say, time heals all wounds.
Time, however, doesn't stop this book from being a classic. It's an extremely balanced book, one that focuses just as much on the dynasty in Edmonton as it does on Gretzky's first two years in Los Angeles (the book was released around the close of 1990). We hear a lot about Gretzky's self-doubt as he entered into the deal with the Kings and how it was erased by little things, like seeing kids playing roller hockey on the street. Gretzky's take on the future generation is rather interesting, and is most certainly colored by his own experiences as a prodigy who was booed in his own building at age ten.
If you thought you knew everything about Gretzky, you were wrong. Aside from his troubled youth, there are some bits in here that will blow you away. For example, he almost retired after the 1986-87 season and came even closer to skipping that year's Canada Cup. Also, he didn't want to break Gordie Howe's record total of 1,850 points, feeling that the best player ever should have the most points ever. He also tells the story of the time Johnny Carson wanted Gretzky to appear, but it never happened because the NHL refused to pay for his flight out to New York. This is The Great One revealed, or at least as revealing as a book around the turn of the '90s could possibly get.
There are a lot of funny stories in this book, but there's nothing too risque. Which is good, because I think we all want to view Gretzky as a larger-than-life figure. This book does nothing to hurt that mindset. If anything, it enhances it. Gretzky lets us in on his personal life and what was going on behind the scenes, and his honesty is so frank that it reminds us that he's a regular guy. He bashes the NHL's owners regularly, stating that "they have no idea what they're doing," and that they only care about making money. His ten-point guide to saving the NHL is particularly interesting, if only because so many of those things have actually happened. And, in an eerie bit of foreshadowing, he trashes the NHL for bailing on ESPN for SporsChannel America because of the larger payday for the owners. Little did he know how important that would be fifteen years later.
It's hard to find the words to express what makes Gretzky: An Autobiography such a hit in my mind. Sure, part of it is nostalgia, and the fact that I can recite entire chapters doesn't hurt. But I think there's something more. It's Wayne Gretzky as we want him to be - obviously very skilled, but humble and charming. Reading the pages he wrote eighteen years ago, it's easy to see why he helped sell the sport so well.
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