I needed some exercise, and I wanted to play some hockey. So I headed for New York City in 1997. I quickly put together a hockey team called the “Camelot Knights.” Then I matched our team up with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League for an exhibition hockey game.

I put on my #13 hockey jersey and hockey gloves over my full suit of armor. I looked lean and mean; I was ready for contact. The referee dropped the black puck at center ice, and the contest began.

The first twenty-minute period ended without incident. Neither team managed to score. It was a hard fought defensive battle, from the outset. Wayne Gretzky, New York’s famous perennial All-star team captain, finally broke the ice at the 11:38 (minutes and seconds) mark of the second period. The speedy, crafty, center iceman darted out from his “office” area behind the Knights’ net and slapped the puck home. Gretzky’s timely goal gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead as we headed into the third and final stanza.

With just under six minutes left in the game and the score still 1-0, the fabulous Gretzky stole another puck near center ice and raced toward our goalie, undefended, on a fast break. I was the only skater who had a chance to stop Gretzky from likely scoring on the play, which would have virtually “iced” the game for the stingy Rangers.

I angled in on Wayne from several yards across the ice. I couldn’t quite get to the streaking Gretzky. Just as he was about to release one of his patented slap shots, I reached out with my long-handled hockey stick and collared #99 around the neck. Wayne’s head snapped back, and he lost his balance. Gretzky started to topple backwards. When he fell, he tried to stretch his left leg out, to brace himself for the fall. But the front portion of the blade on Wayne’s left skate dug itself into the ice; his left foot didn’t move along with the rest of his leg. Gretzky’s awkwardly positioned left leg buckled at the knee. He went down, hard, hitting his back on the frozen floor. The fall briefly dazed hockey’s living legend. But my rough, harsh tactics didn’t seriously injure him.

By the time Wayne worked his way back onto his feet, he was fighting mad. “This is just an exhibition game!” Gretzky shouted. “What’s your excuse for your madness and unnecessarily brutal, dirty style of play?”

I bitterly responded, “I’m a fighting knight, sworn to the duel. You are a formidable opponent. Nonetheless, if I had my lance, I might impale you!”

Without further words or delay, Gretzky and I threw our gloves and sticks down on the ice. We began “duking it out” near the pace-off circle in the Knights’ zone. Both benches cleared; fights broke out all across the rink. Some fifteen thousand Rangers’ fans whooped it up and hollered. They loved every moment of the frantic, fisticuffs action.

By the time the referees brought a halt to the brawl, several players’ jerseys had been ripped and torn. Blotches of blood gradually soaked into the badly scraped, scarred-up ice.

I was awarded a five-minute major penalty for “roughing.” While I sat in the penalty box, I tried to analyze my still aggressive-oriented character. I said to myself, “Lord, do You think of me as being overly competitive or as being a bad sport?”

The Lord, who had #1 printed on the back of Her Knights’ hockey uniform, met me at center ice. She said, “Wantsalittle, winning in life is important, but not at any cost. A fine line exists between failure and success in almost anything that you set out to do. Practice the ‘psychology of winning.’ Be a fierce but fair competitor. Get mentally tough from your determination to win. Exercise your will power to succeed. Strive to perform to the best of your abilities. Then let the chips fall where they may. More important, remember that regardless of whether a person or a team wins or loses, true victory belongs to he or she or those who exhibit the best sportsmanship.”

Suddenly, God slipped on the ice. She fell down on Her hands and knees, which interrupted Her conversation with me. When God got back to Her feet, She continued, “Wantsalittle, try to follow the advice of Shri Krishna, Master of all Yogis, who said, ‘Be even-tempered in success and failure, for it is this evenness of temper which is meant by yoga.’ As you think with feelings of determination and good sportsmanship, you will be a tough but fair competitor. Wantsalittle, do you have what it takes to be competitive and still be a good sport?”

“Yes, Lord, I think that I do!”

“Great, Wantsalittle! I’ll talk to you later.”

After the game, I stood in line with my teammates as the triumphant Rangers’ players paraded by. Players from both teams shook one another’s hands, a gesture of good sportsmanship.

I held my hockey stick by my side as “the Great One” walked up to shake my hand. Together, Gretzky and I glanced down and saw a patch of open water; the ice had just melted between our skates—the skates of two fierce, but fair competitors.

“Congratulations, Sir Wayne! You truly are the greatest hockey player ever! I have learned that winning is not so important as just doing my best and showing good faith on the field of battle.”

“For a rookie, you’re not so bad yourself,” Gretzky replied. “Good luck to you throughout the rest of your journey!”

(The moral of this episode: True victory belongs to he or she or to those who display the best sportsmanship!)

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