This Coach Really Did a Number on Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky’s decision to coach the Phoenix Coyotes has made huge waves in the hockey world.

When Muzz MacPherson became coach of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of Canada’s Ontario Hockey Assn., there wasn’t even a ripple outside of Ontario. Yet with one simple suggestion, MacPherson carved his niche in hockey history.

Only 16 when he joined the Greyhounds for the 1977-78 season, Gretzky wanted to wear the number of his hero, Gordie Howe, but No. 9 was taken.

He tried Nos. 19 and 14 but wasn’t happy.

MacPherson, as described in the book “Gretzky” by Walter Gretzky and Jim Taylor, had a suggestion for the teenager: “If you can’t have one 9, how about two? Wear 99.”

Marked man: “Guys see that and they’ll be running at me,” Gretzky told MacPherson when the coach suggested the unorthodox 99.

“Wayne,” MacPherson replied, “they are going to be running at you anyway.”

Another forgotten coach: Nelson Skalbania signed Gretzky for the 1978-79 season. Skalbania owned the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Assn., but was thinking of buying the Houston Aeros.

He called a coach with the Aeros, according to Gretzky in his autobiography, written with Rick Reilly, and asked, “Can Gretzky play pro hockey?”

“Well I’m not sure about his skating,” said the coach, whom Gretzky declined to identify. “I hear he’s not that good of a skater.”

That was enough for Skalbania, who knew better. He didn’t buy the Aeros, and they folded.

Trivia time: Who was Gretzky’s first coach with the Kings?

Name game: Josh Ranek, a 5-foot-8, 205-pound tailback for the Ottawa Renegades of the Canadian Football League, is nicknamed the Little Ball of Hate.

“When you get a nickname,” Ranek proudly told the Regina Leader-Post, “it means you’re doing something right.”

Name game II: John and Rhonda Till are fervent San Antonio Spur fans. So fervent, wrote Ron Rapoport in the Chicago-Sun Times, that they named their son Parker Duncan Ginobili Till. Good thing Rasho Nesterovic didn’t have a big season.

Trivia answer: Robbie Ftorek, who was gone after Gretzky’s first season in Los Angeles.

More trivia: Dan Marino and Steve Young were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Sunday.

Young, of course, got his start with the L.A. Express of the now-defunct United States Football League. But, wrote Jerry Greene of the Orlando Sentinel, the Express’ first choice for quarterback was the player selected with the first pick in the first USFL draft. That player, however, said, no thanks.

His name? Dan Marino.

And finally: Commenting on a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that 43% of West Virginians surveyed had lost six or more teeth through disease or decay, Randy Turner of the Winnipeg Free Press wrote, “Isn’t it a sign of poor dentistry when your state has fewer teeth than the Chicago Blackhawks?”