Wayne Gretzky, the greatest hockey player of all time, retired at age 38, right before the conclusion of the 1998-99 NHL season. Having led the league in assists two of the past three seasons and having led the Rangers in scoring for the third straight season, he certainly retired when he was on top. But was it too soon?
To answer this question, let's examine each of the reasons for retiring, whether they were physical, personal or, as he suggested in his retirement announcement, a gut feeling.
A Gut Feeling
On April 16, 1999, "The Great One" held a press conference and announced his retirement from professional hockey. As reported by CNN Sports Illustrated, Gretzky claimed the timing of his retirement was a "gut feeling, something I believe is right."
Is it really reasonable to assume that someone would discontinue the greatest career in a sport's history based on a fleeting emotion? Especially someone who has always been known as a great thinker. According to Dave Bid ...
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Article written by Rob Vollman