(Mid-fight photo. Image courtesy of Elite Players)
Donald Brashear was one of the most feared black hockey players to play in the 1990's. His career high goals (11) may have been low; however, he was most known for being one of the most feared fighters. Brashear was known as the punisher.
His biological father was an alcoholic who relentlessly abused his family, including slashing Donald with belts and electrical cords. On one occasion, when Donald was only six months old, he picked him up and hurled him through a window.
Brashear endured racism from a young age. Dealing with his racist step-father, his mother sent him to Canada. (See racism section for more).
He later went on to MMA. Holding a 2-1 record. In 2000 he was arrested for assaulting a man complaining about his son crawling on a treadmill in a communal gym,
On February 21, 2000, Brashear took one of the worst hits in hockey history. After one fight and colliding with a goalie of the opposing team (Boston Bruins) Brashear was greeted with a stick to the side of the head. This knocked him out cold leaving him to seize on the ice. The hit was given from Marty McSorley who was hardly punished in court, only receiving 18 months probation. Although no accusations of racial tension were brought up at the time, today one can look back and ask questions. Would the same punishment happen if roles were reversed? If it was a black man who hit a white man what would happen?
Brashear's mother left him at a young age (unknown) because her future husband was prejudiced and wanted to avoid having another mixed-race child in the house. While still there, however, his step father made him sleep with a trash bag around his waist to avoid wetting the bed. He was called brutal and racist names from his step father for not being able to tie his shoes.
Brashear made his name in the NHL as one of the most feared fighters. Brashear topped the 200-penalty minute mark five times during his NHL career and was one of the most feared enforcers of the late 1990s. He is ranked 24th most feared players in NHL history according to Bleacher Report.
(Researched and written by Logan Sherwood.)
