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3900 Meramec St.St. Louis, MO 63116832-7023


Next Tuesday, March 5, has been declared "Wayne Gretzky Day" at Resurrection Catholic School on Meramec in South St. Louis. To honor the hockey great's first home game in a Blues uniform, the students, for a 25-cent donation to the missions, can dress in anything blue, Blues sportswear, or the number 99. Pastor Tom Wyrsch made the proclamation because of Gretzky's excellence at what he does and his gentlemanly and sportsmanlike conduct.

STORY—When Wayne Grtezky was trade to the St. Louis Blues in late February, Fr. Tom saw a chance for a positive influence on the gradeschool children. Not only was the greatest player in the game coming to town, giving an example of excellence and accomplishment, but Gretzky is also known for his gentlemanly conduct and clean play—conduct sometimes sorely needed in our CYC games!

So Fr. Tom decided to call an “out-of-uniform” day, when the kids, for a 25-cent donation to the missions, could wear Blues things or otherwise join the spirit of the day. He decided to have it be on the day of Gretzky’s first home game as a Blue, and let the papers and local stations know.


First, when Saturday morning’s paper came out, comumnist Bernie Miklasz included the article at the end of his usual Saturday morning column. Then we heard from no one for a couple of days. Tuesday Morning, “Wayne Gretzky Day”, TV’s Channel 5 called to say they were coming to the school. As they were on their way, a Channel 11 newsman showed up. Leisa Zeigman of Channel 5 arrived with a film crew, and they interviewed Fr. Tom, and Principal Sedlacek. Then they moved through the school, filming the kids in their Blues paraphernalia and getting some interviews there also. That night, the 6 o’clock news on Channel 5 moved quickly to items on the hoopla surrounding Gretzky’s first game, and a bit on Resurrection opened up! A shot of the school, kids in the classroom, and Fr. Tom’s interview was played. After this it was fun to hear the repercussions throught the parish and indeed throughout the town. Fr. Tom hoped the point was made that all this was about someone who plays hard and clean and accomplishes a lot with manners and courtesy.

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