Page 24 - NYLS Magazine • 2015 • Vol. 34, No. 1
P. 24
blacK ice
By Ruth Singleton
John gallagher ’94 Collaborates on the autobiography of valmore James,
a pioneering hockey player
Valmore James became the first American-born black player in the National Hockey League in 1982, playing for the Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He and John Gallagher ’94 are co-authors of Black Ice: The Val James Story, James’ autobiography, published by ECW Press of Toronto. The book recounts Val James’ years in hockey, from learning how to skate at the
rink his father managed on Long Island during the 1960s to his time in youth hockey, the minor leagues, and the NHL. During his short stint in the NHL, James regularly encountered racial slurs and threats of violence from both players and fans, and much of the book focuses on how he dealt with these incidents. John Gallagher answered a Q&A about his own career and his experience collaborating with Val James on his autobiography.
Valmore James with John Gallagher ’94
22 New York Law schooL magaziNe • 2015 • VOL. 34, NO. 1
