Canada has often found itself at the vanguard of sports culture.

Here’s a look at a few memorable firsts in Canadian sports history:

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Jackie Robinson (April 18, 1946): Playing in the Triple-A International League, the Montreal Royals were an affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers. After signing Jackie Robinson in 1945, Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey became convinced that Montreal would be the ideal place for Robinson to break baseball’s colour barrier. He did so with his first game, played in Jersey City, New Jersey against the Giants, the affiliate club of the New York Giants. In his first game, Robinson was a revelation with four hits, including a three-run home run, four runs batted in and two stolen bases. Later that season, black pitchers John Wright and Roy Partlow would also join the Royals. Robinson led the Royals to the Little World Series that year, his only season in Montreal. He would go on to break the Major League Baseball colour barrier the following year in Brooklyn.

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Larry Kwong (March 13, 1948): A native of Vernon, BC, Kwong became the first player of Chinese heritage to appear in a National Hockey League game. Kwong’s lone NHL appearance came in a game against the Canadiens in the Montreal Forum as a member of the New York Rangers. Though his time in the NHL lasted for only a single shift, Kwong’s hockey was a lengthy one, spending 12 more seasons in various North American Leagues. Kwong was inducted to the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

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Willie O’Ree (January 18, 1958): Fredericton’s O’Ree was called up by the Boston Bruins from the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Hockey League. In dressing for his debut against the Montreal Canadiens, O’Ree became the first black player to play in the National Hockey League. The 22-year-old appeared in only two games for the Bruins that season, but would return for 43 games in 1960-1961. That season, O’Ree recorded four goals and 10 assists.

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Manon Rheaume (September 23, 1992): By the time Beauport, Quebec’s Manon Rheaume was signed to a free agent contract by the Tampa Bay Lightning, she was already a hockey pioneer. The previous year, Rheaume – a goalie – appeared in a game for the Trois-Rivieres Draveurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League becoming the first woman to do so. The following fall, Rheaume played in an exhibition game for the Bolts against the St. Louis Blues. In one period of action, Rheaume conceded two goals. The next year, she’d appear in another NHL exhibition game for the Lightning against the Boston Bruins. In the ensuing years, Rheaume would appear in seven other men’s professional leagues, but she also maintained a presence in the women’s game winning gold with Canada at two world championships and a silver medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.

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Hayley Wickenheiser (January 19, 2003): A legend in women’s hockey, Hayley Wickenheiser tried her hand at the men’s game when she signed with HC Salamat of Finland’s third division. In 12 games played with the team, she scored – becoming the first woman to score in a men’s professional league – and added three assists, including one in her first period. Wickenheiser added a goal and six assists in 11 playoff games. She returned to the team the following year after their promotion to the second tier, but left after 10 games. Atferwards, Wickenheiser joined Linden HC in Sweden’s third division. She played 21 games in Sweden, scoring once and adding two assists. A four-time Olympic gold medalist, Wickenheiser retired from hockey in 2017.