Celebrity System

Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky, often referred to as “The Great One,” is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and head coach. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. Gretzky played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for four teams from 1979 to 1999. He has held numerous records, including the most career goals, assists, and points. Gretzky led the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships and won nine Hart Trophies as the league’s most valuable player. Wayne Gretzky was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999.

Before his pro career, Wayne played in the minor leagues for the Peterborough Petes and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, two teams in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). He began his minor league career in 1976 and played for these teams until 1978 before moving on to professional leagues.

Later in his career, Gretzky played for the Los Angeles Kings

Wayne Gretzky coaching the Arizona Coyotes after retiring as a hockey player

Wayne Gretzky’s Hi-Fi System

We have an old photo of a young Wayne Gretzky listening to a very modest Hi-Fi system. The photo was likely taken around 1978, when Gretzky was just 17 years old and living in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Check out the Styx and Elton John posters on the walls!

Wayne Gretzky with his Hi-Fi system around 1978

Wayne’s Hi-Fi system includes a Simpsons Sears RE-1202 receiver and a BSR McDonald 2260X record changer.

Simpsons Sears was a chain of Canadian department stores that operated from the 1950s until the 1970s. They sold their own “Sears” branded line of Hi-Fi equipment.

A Simpsons-Sears department store in Canada

The Sears RE-1202 receiver included a stereo amplifier, an “8 track” tape player/recorder, and AM/FM radio. It was manufactured for Simpsons Sears in South Korea. You can see there is a “Record” button for recording 8-track tapes, a signal strength meter for tuning, and low and high filters.

Sears RE-1202 Stereo Receiver with 8-Track Recorder

The Sears RE-1202 receiver had AM, FM, and 8-Track capabilities

Microphone inputs, low and high filters, and a signal strength meter for the radio tuner

Input selector for Auxiliary, Phono, Tape, AM, and FM Auto

Sitting atop the receiver is the BSR McDonald turntable. Birmingham Sound Reproducers (BSR) was founded in the United Kingdom in 1932 and began manufacturing turntables around 1947. The company was hugely successful and produced millions of units over the years.

The 2260X was a typical BSR product. It operated at three speeds (33, 45, 78) and used an idler wheel to spin the platter. It was a record changer with a tall spindle for playing multiple records automatically. The base was plastic with a simulated wood insert in the front panel. In the photo above, you can see Wayne has a record loaded onto the spindle and is about to hit the “Play” switch to start the music.