NHL GOAT Wayne Gretzky once passed up the opportunity to play in the MLB

As unbelievable as it may sound, NHL GOAT Wayne Gretzky once stood a signature away from breaking into the MLB. The NHL would have suffered a severe loss if his father, Walter Gretzky, had not stepped in at the appropriate moment.

Gretzky was a guest on an edition of "The Steam Room" podcast in 2021, where his history, present, and future in relation to the NHL and his personal life was discussed in open conversation with hosts Ernie and Charles.

He explained how much he loved baseball and how Ty Cobb, his son, was named after the great baseball player. Gretzky was enthralled by the game and nearly seized the chance to play in the major leagues.

Narrating the incident, Gretzky said:

“In those days Canada wasn’t a part of the drafts. Paul Beeston was a president of a baseball club at that time. He came to my house he offered me a $150,000 signing bond, I was 16 years old. I was about to sign, and my dad grabbed the pen and said, ‘You coming back to tenth grade,’ and that ended my baseball career.”

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Gretzky played multiple sports as a child, including lacrosse, long-distance running, marathons, and many more. But he loves baseball more than any of the others.

Wayne Gretzky’s immense love for baseball

Gretzky yearned to play for the Detroit Tigers after becoming a huge fan of the team. But it was his father, Walter, who always told him he would play ice hockey.

Wayne Gretzky on@dpshow on baseball: "I would have loved to have been the SS for the Detroit Tigers. I grew up such a big Tiger fan." – Jason Beck

Wayne Gretzky is often known as "The Great One." He was the NHL's all-time leader in goals, assists, and points in the regular season, as well as the Stanley Cup Playoffs at the time of his retirement at the conclusion of the 1998–1999 NHL season.

He served as the captain of four Stanley Cup champion teams, set a record for scoring leaders in the NHL and received a record nine MVP awards.