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Sunday, December 11, 2005
He's a dreamer bent on making his dreams come true
Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | ||||||
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DANBURY, Conn. ‹ Craig Gray was no different from any other baseball fan growing up in New England. He believed he was the next left fielder for the Boston Red Sox. "When I realized I couldn't hit for power, I figured I could play second base," said Gray. Even as a youngster, Gray could adapt to life's realities. Why give up on a dream when there might be another way to live it? Craig Gray never did play for the Red Sox or even sign a pro baseball contract. Some years after accepting that fact, he was in a car accident that took away his ability to walk. But not his ability to do. He currently is player-coach of the Portland Sled Hockey Pirates, a team in the new Prudential Northeast Sled Hockey League. The league, the only one of its kind in the country, opened its season last Sunday with a round of games in Danbury, Conn. Gray, a native of the central Maine town of Newport now living in Scarborough, is a soft-spoken man who turns 50 soon. He is not shy. If you know where to look, his name pops up repeatedly in media outlets. Five years ago he hiked in his wheelchair with several other people with disabilities to a remote mountain hut in New Hampshire's White Mountains. The Appalachian Mountain Club had built a ramp into the hut, making it accessible to wheelchairs. Bunks, bathrooms, the dining area and the kitchen were also made accessible. Some thought the project was a waste of scarce funds. The trail was difficult for able-bodied hikers, let alone those in wheelchairs or on crutches. Who would use the ramp and the other changes? Gray would. To traverse large roots, rocks and the usual hurdles found on AMC-maintained trails, Gray's wheelchair was fitted with poles that enabled the front end to be tipped. Gray's arm strength on the rear wheels propelled the chair. Two years earlier he competed in the 1998 Paralympic Games in Nagano, Japan. He was a sit-skier. His time was among the slowest. The victory was in making the starting line. Nasty infections in his buttock, bone loss, surgery and rest robbed of him of valuable training time in 1997. Under the guidance of Peter Grosso, a physical trainer from Westbrook, Gray made it. ³He made me as strong as a bull," said Gray. A friendship deepened. Gray became the godfather to Grosso's daughter. At Nagano, Gray watched the U.S. Paralympic sled hockey team win gold. He was hooked. Later, he joined the New England Bruins, coached by former Boston Bruins player Rick Middleton. The very competitive team plays in tournaments. A self-employed business consultant, Gray is the quiet but tireless promoter of sled hockey and the new league. The opportunity and exposure are limitless, he said. That the Pirates have able-bodied players alongside those with disabilities is important and gratifying. ³In the workplace, people with disabilities are sometimes seen as being unable to carry their share of the load,² said Gray. ³On the ice, everyone's able.² Staff Writer Steve Solloway can be contacted at 791-6412 or at: ssolloway@pressherald.com
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