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• Garry Stockdale, the Polonaise manager, gave them one scoop. "I asked wayne for his registration fees," he said. "I told him you have to pay to play minor baseball. "See my Dad,' he said. I tell you, money hasn't changed the kid a bit." He pitched 5 games in a midget tournament in Oshawa, won the first 4 and lost 3-2 in the final.
• For his first 5 days in Edmonton, Wayne moved in with Glen Sather's family ("I've never seen a kid who eats like that one," Sather told reporters. "He eats more at meals than my whole family, and he's always up for snacks.") Then he moved in with Ray Bodnar and his wife. Ray was the brother of Jim Bodnar, with whom Wayne had lived in the Soo, so he was comfortable with Kevin Lowe, who happens to be a great cook.
• Mr. Poklington paid $20,000 on behalf of the club and another $20,000 on behalf of Wayne, which came off his signing bonus. That really made me mad. Phyllis and I spent half a day with a lawyer. He said he didn't think Wayne should pay anything because, after all, he'd only been in the OHA for a year and was such an attraction he brought money in for everybody.
• In 1982, the people of Brantford honoured Wayne by renaming the North Park Arena Complex the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre. At the official dinner, Wayne stood up and thanked everyone, including his former coaches.
• Pocklington phoned Gus and told him he wanted to sign Wayne to a 21 year contract- 9 years plus 26 year option, at $180,000 per year for nine, plus a $100,000 bonus. In a nice little prmotional touch, that would make No. 99 an Oiler until 1999. Peter called back and offered the same deal, only at $280,000 for each of the first 9 years, plus the $100,000 bonus.
• Wayne's birthday was on friday and now he is legal and No. 99 was 18. He could go into the pub with the boys and he could afford to buy a round, that is if he remembered to bring any money.