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Joey Moss

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Joey Moss
Joey Moss in 2008
Born
Joseph Neil Moss

(1963-09-25)September 25, 1963
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
DiedOctober 26, 2020(2020-10-26) (aged 57)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Years active1985–2020
Known forDressing room attendant for the Edmonton Oilers and the Edmonton Eskimos

Joseph Neil Moss (September 25, 1963 – October 26, 2020) was the dressing room attendant for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League and the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.[1] Born with Down syndrome, Moss caught the eye of Oilers centre Wayne Gretzky in 1985, when Gretzky was dating Moss' sister, Vikki. Impressed with the dedication Moss brought to a job at an Edmonton bottle depot, Gretzky suggested to team general manager Glen Sather that the young man be given a tryout.[2]

As the summer of 1986 came around, Gretzky was worried that Joey would lose everything he had learned with the Oilers, so Gretzky called up the equipment manager of the Edmonton Eskimos, Dwayne Mandrusiak, and asked him if Joey could work with them during training camp during the summer months.[3]

Moss' career with the Oilers long outlasted Gretzky's, and his determination and passion for hockey made him a nationwide celebrity and a major symbol of continuity within the franchise. (In 2006, during a surprising Oiler playoff run, he delayed elective surgery for a hernia in order to see the Stanley Cup playoffs through to the finish.) His main duties with the team included cleaning, handling towels and water, and running errands for former equipment manager Lyle "Sparky" Kulchisky.[4]

Awards and recognition

In 2003, Moss received the NHL Alumni Association's "Seventh Man Award" in recognition of outstanding behind-the-scenes service to the league. The Joey Moss Cup, a trophy contended for by Oilers players in an annual split-squad game near the end of training camp, is named after him.[citation needed]

Moss' dedication to the Edmonton Eskimos and the Oilers was recognized when a mural was unveiled on October 20, 2008 on 99th Street in Edmonton. He was recognized again on November 14, 2012 with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.[5] (Video of the Ceremony) On May 29, 2015, Moss was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.[2]

Personal life

Moss was born to Lloyd Orval Moss and Sophie Frances Moss (née Murias).[3] He was number 12 of 13 children ([6] nine boys, four girls).[citation needed] Moss died on October 26, 2020; he had recently sustained a broken hip and had Alzheimer's disease.[2][7]

References

  1. ^ Griwkowsky, Catherine (2013-09-25). "Happy 50th Birthday: Joey Moss' impact on Winnifred Stewart's Empties for Winn program". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 2018-09-26.
  2. ^ a b c Jones, Terry (October 27, 2020). "Edmonton Oilers dressing room icon Joey Moss dies". The Edmonton Journal. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Ireland, Joanne; Smyth, Ryan (October 1, 2017). "100 Things Oilers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die". Triumph Books – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Goyette, Linda; Roemmich, Carolina Jakeway (April 18, 2005). "Edmonton In Our Own Words". University of Alberta – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal honours". Government of Alberta. Archived from the original on 2013-09-25. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
  6. ^ "Joey Moss, long-time fixture in Edmonton Oilers dressing room, dies at 57" – via The Globe and Mail.
  7. ^ "Edmonton sports legend Joey Moss dies at 57". Global News. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  • "Joey Moss Cup reflection of true Oiler spirit", Edmonton Journal, Sept. 10, 1999
  • "Gretzky changed his life; Hockey great helped handicapped man get job", Ottawa Citizen, Jan. 27, 1990
  • "Disability doesn't hold back Moss; Oilers locker-room attendant receives honour", Windsor Star, Jan. 29, 2003
  • "Sather took Gretzky's advice on Joey", Edmonton Journal, Feb. 1, 2003
  • "The Hockey Star Who Never Played", Reader's Digest, Feb. 2004
  • Oilers' attendant a celebrity, Canadian Press: January 28, 2003
  • Kindness Project: Wayne Gretzky and Joey Moss forever changed Oilers, The Toronto Star: November 2013
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