Wayne Douglas Gretzky, acclaimed by millions to be the greatest professional hockey player ever, was born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, on January 26, 1961.

"The Great One" began skating at the age of 2, on the Nith River, below his grandparent's farm in Canada, where he grew up watching Hockey Night, as many Canadian kids do, and otherwise playing hockey at every possible moment. The backyard rink at their Varadi Avenue home was to become the molding ground for a hockey superstar, already inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

He began playing organized hockey at the age of 6 (two years before he was technically eligible to play). He gradually developed from one goal in his minor hockey rookie year, to as high as 196 goals and 76 assists in 1970-71 as a 9- and 10-year-old.

The rest is history...from his junior days with the Soo Greyhounds ... his pro beginnings in the WHA ... four Stanley Cups ... countless records, awards ... the big trade to the Kings ... more records ... today.

Wayne Gretzky is such an icon in Canada that former Hall of Fame President Ian "Scotty" Morrison insists even his sticks were worthy of first-class treatment.

In presenting Wayne his Hall of Fame jacket and ring recently, selection committee chairman Jim Gregory recalled that his brother called him once to say he had a prospect that Gregory, then a general manager, needed to come watch. "I asked how old he was, and my brother said, 'I think he's 10,'" Gregory recalled. "But my brother said, 'I'm telling you, you had better do what you can to get him on the Maple Leafs.'"

As Wayne Gretzky played his last game, people were heard to say he was the Michael Jordan of hockey. But many believe Michael Jordan was the Wayne Gretzky of basketball. In 1983-84 Wayne could've stopped playing on Jan. 7 and still won the scoring title. That's almost three months before the end of the season. How's this? Gretzky took the single-season points record from 152 to 215, an increase of 41 percent. Jordan would've had to average 71 points a game to do that!

Did anybody do more for his sport than Gretzky did for hockey? He snatched it from the bullies. He showed how ugly violence could be when set next to grace. He gave the game an imagination, passing off nets and skates and Gatorade bottles. One night in St. Louis, he flipped in a goal from behind the net off the back of goalie Mike Liut and scored not once but twice on face-offs.

If Wayne Gretzky was about anything, it was team. He had more assists than Bobby Orr, Frank Mahovlich and Mike Bossy combined. He broke Gordie Howe's all-time assist record in 1,086 fewer games than Howe took to set it. That's 13 seasons! Wayne Gretzky has the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, 10th, 11th and 12th greatest assists seasons in NHL history.

He retired in 1999 as the personification of sportsmanship, leadership and true sports legend.