It is the 10th NHL season for McKegney, who will be 30 on Feb. 15, and one that he would like to make his best. My mother and father -- who adopted me from an orphanage in Montreal, and who happen to be white -- built a hockey rink in our backyard every winter, where I'd skate with my siblings. In Tony's second stint in Quebec, he played in 98 games for the team until January 29, 1991 when he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Jacques Cloutier. Tony McKegney is an Ice Hockey Player who was born on February 15, 1958 in Canada. It barely made it over the line. "I was incredulous. Tony McKegney has not been elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Tony played for the Buffalo Sabres for 5 years until June 8, 1983 when he was traded to the Quebec Nordiques along with Andre Savard, Jean-Francois Sauve and Buffalo's third-round choice in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Real Cloutier and Quebec's first-round pick in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, City mourns Buffalo firefighter Jason Arno as investigation into fatal fire launches, Buffalo firefighter makes 'ultimate sacrifice' in blaze that may have sparked backdraft, Paula's Donuts to move Clarence store that faced backlash for tax breaks to Amherst, Vandal damages 'brokenhearted' Russell Salvatore's tribute park in Lancaster, Chad Hall's departure from Buffalo Bills to Jaguars remains a bit of a mystery. Tony McKegney Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family And I just thought to myself, What are they doing out there? And I couldnt wait to go out there and join them at a year-and-a-half. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. So, I reached out. Saunders was born in Montreal in 1956. Former Sabres player charged for violating order of protection After scoring 36 goals for the Sabres in 1982-83, McKegney was traded to the Quebec Nordiques. Tony McKegney Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Salary, Title | Hockey They were around five and six years old. Wikifamouspeople has ranked Tony McKegney as of the . He got out of his contract, went back to Michigan and started playing for the Kalamazoo Wings, an International Hockey League team, while establishing himself at Upjohn, a pharmaceutical company. He was the fifth black man to play in the league. We use cookies to improve your experience. And it wasn't hard to find a different place to live in St. Louis, which is a wonderful city that I've always enjoyed. These brave athletes are actively changing hockey culture for the better. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He would like for both to be able to remember their father in an NHL uniform. NHL Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. But Jarrett believes Saunders deserved to be there. I always said that the game is tough enough as it is just trying to survive and make it outside of having that stuff on the sidelines. Today we look at former NHL forward Tony McKegney. Tony McKegney player profile, stats and championships. It's like a catch-22.". Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. SN: The numbers of black players at all levels has increased. Customize your lineup with your favourite leagues and teams. The hockey portion and the support from teammates and my parents and other hockey parents all the way along got me through it. When he was still a toddler, his family moved to the Toronto area. - Verification Badge on your profile, Post a scouting report/trivia/player comment in English (visible here). It was my 10th season in the League, and I'd gotten more comfortable over time. Just like society as a whole, the hockey community still has a lot of hard work to do. He is to appear in court in Belleville, Ontario, on May 18. But I cherish everything about that goal that found my stick in the last minute of the last game of my 1987-88 season with the St. Louis Blues. I was scared to say a peep in class. I'm certainly proud to have been one of the first consistent Black players in the NHL. Other blacks are forward Dirk Graham of the Minnesota North Stars, goaltender Eldon Pokey Reddick and forward Paul Neufeld of the Winnipeg Jets. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. His older brother John was the first to lace up skates. We didn't recognize that password reset code. McKegney was 20, playing junior hockey for Kingston in the Ontario Hockey Association, when the Buffalo Sabres made him their second-round choice in the 1978 draft. {* traditionalSignIn_signInButton *}, Comment and participate in our online community. There were a few other (skaters) that were sort of up and down.. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. NHL 2023. Born 1958-02-15 in Montral, Quebec. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. He is 64 years old. "We were so influenced by Hockey Night in Canada," he said, of himself and John. TM: I heard some stories about the tough guys like George Laraque, Peter Worrell and Donald Brashear, and apparently it was absolutely brutal for those guys in Quebec. And the support I got from teammates just carried me through some difficult situations. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. Saunders spent most of his career thinking he was the only black player out there. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Sue maintains relationships with many people -- family, friends, associates, & neighbors -- including Daniel Mckegney, Daniel Mckegney, Marilynn Habberfie, Roger Habberfield and Tony Mckegney. McKegney vividly recalls the support from his parents - Lowry McKegney, a retired chemist, and Cathy McKegney. Customize your Sportsnet lineup for the latest news from your favourite leagues and teams. We present them here for purely educational purposes. All rights reserved. Sherry Bassin, 80, is a former junior hockey executive and another person who helped shape Saunders as a hockey player and a person. In retrospect, I can now see how it was an important milestone for people who look like me: No Black player had ever scored 40 goals in a season not until that game against Winnipeg, where a little chip-in ended up making history. Thats the greatest compliments Ive received from the younger people. I was the second to be adopted, McKegney, a St. Louis Blues forward, said of the white family in Sarnia, Ontario, he became part of before he was 1 year old. Until we get rinks in the inner (American) cities, I dont think thats going to change.. We had a hockey rink, actually, in our back yard that my parents made each year.. Even reporters, players were coming up to me saying, 'What's going on, Bernie?'". Of course, I also thought about the bonus clause in my contract, which promised $15,000 if I happened to score 40 goals (that was a lot of money in those days). Tony McKegney has a great family story - Kincardine Independent Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. And between the benches, one of the guys said it would be termed as a black-on-black crime. by "One of the nicest things I hear from young people is they felt because I was there playing they felt they could be accepted in hockey," McKegney told The Buffalo News in 2017. Saunders doesn't want to come off as someone lamenting what could have been. Boards and the whole thing. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). So I did the only thing I could do: I focused on perseverance. SN: Trevor was able to persevere. By checking this box, I agree to the terms of service and privacy policy of Rogers Media. He was a role model." Embed from Getty Images Getty Images Sport Graig Abel The subtext of the situation was clear: Because I'm a Black man, there were certain things the homeowner felt like I couldn't or shouldn't do. "I loved the game, but the game didn't love me.". Bailey, who is biracial, currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks and is in his second season with the organization. He appeared in 363 regular-season games with Buffalo, putting up 127 goals and adding 141 assists. Never fully comfortable: Maple Leafs Kerfoot and the trade he dodged, Canucks commit to re-tooling over re-building with Hronek addition, On a career heater, Nugent-Hopkins four-point night helps Oilers ground Jets. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Then the Buffalo Braves were there, the basketball team. My first time playing against another black hockey player was probably my third year in the NHL, Grant Fuhr and Ray Neufeld. At the same time, he's disappointed that he's been excluded from conversations about the first black players in the NHL. It was a personal best for me -- the first and only time I'd join the NHL's 40-goal club. So I found myself focused on a number, 40, throughout the last stretch of games. I just had this conversation with one of my former teammates, and he said, We just treated you like one of us brothers.. McKegney still does alumni work for the Sabres and Red Wings. It was wintertime and my dad had floodlights out there. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. But sometimes it comes back to haunt you. The McKegney brothers (l-r), Mike, Tony, Ian and friends on their backyard rink in Sarnia, Ontario in 1962. I went to [Daley] and said, Hey, how are you doing and how are you feeling? I just wanted to reach out and say, Been there, just keep at it. I wanted to be the best, that was a driving force. The Bulls released McKegney from his contract, and he joined the Sabres as their second-round draft choice. He became a standout in hockey while playing junior, scoring 135 points in 66 games in 1976-77. And I know they weren't alone in their thoughts. Its a very expensive sport, and its more of a suburbia sport, McKegney said. Tony McKegney Stats and News | NHL.com We celebrate Willie ORee, the first black player in the NHL, and maybe mention Mike Marson, who was the second, then the conversation shifts all the way to the unprecedented diversity we see in the game today. The people in our hometown of Sarnia, Ont., were so supportive through sports. When you and your teammates compete together, practice together, eat together, and grow up together, you start to see people for who they are. Buffalo was very interesting because we hung around with the football players. He believes he could have had a 10-year career in the NHL if he had been given a proper shot. McKegney has remained in the NHL largely because of his skating skills, his durability and the steadiness he mentioned. Tony McKegney was bom in Montreal, Quebec, in February of 1958 to a Nigerian father and Canadian mother. He vowed his sons would never play, but his eldest, Jonathan, had other plans. Subscribe: bit.ly/3925J0FVisit Sabres.com for moreFollow: twitter.com/BuffaloSabresLike: facebook.com/buffalosabresF. The sport that Saunders loved so much, the sport he says shaped him into the person he has become, has also broken his heart many times. He jumped to the AHLs Hershey Bears and then the Sabres, making his NHL debut in the 1978-79 season. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Complete player biography and stats. But on the ice, Saunders was still alone. Back in 1988, I'm not sure if I realized what it really meant. Dont forget to read the Q&A we did with several Black players who spent time with the Buffalo Sabres organization. He played in Detroit for only 14 games before being traded back to the Quebec Nordiques on December 4, 1989 in exchange for Robert Picard and Greg Adams. Most recently in the IHL with San Diego Gulls. Tony McKegney Tells His Story of How He Came to Buffalo | Sabres Jarrett won the scoring title and says he couldn't have done it without Saunders at his side. SN: Given what you went through in your career, does it make it tougher to hear stories of the abuse faced by players who came after you? But I had a rink in my backyard, my own playground. His point production dropped off, but he was still eventually called up to the big club. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. There were five centermen on that team who were great passers, and when you're playing with so many good centermen, you're going to get chances every game. John Kreiser, Stanley Cup Final | Avalanche vs. TM: No, not really. If you said Tony McKegney, you are correct. Statistics of Tony McKegney, a hockey player from Montreal, PQ born Feb 15 1958 who was active from 1973 to 1993. After leaving the NHL, he had a long, successful career in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. And my teammates treated me like I was not any different than anybody. Tony McKegney - Net Worth February 2023, Salary, Age, Siblings, Bio His first encounter with racism happened while he was playing junior hockey after his family moved to Ajax, Ont., during his senior year of high school. (Tony) McKegney will need to be working on his paddle stroke or riding as a passenger. Only once has he played in fewer than 60 of the regular season's 80 games. All rights reserved. Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to your inbox! Complete record of every goal scored or assisted by the player. Amateur Teams: Kingston Canadians. Since then, he has played for five NHL teams - Buffalo, Quebec, Minnesota, New York and St. Louis - scoring a career-high 37 goals in 1980-81. Only once has he played in fewer than 60 of the regular seasons 80 games. Two years ago, when he scored 15 times and had 25 assists, was the only season he scored fewer than 23 goals or compiled fewer than 45 points. Tony McKegney Goal vs. Toronto 12/13/80 - YouTube Saunders, a right-winger, played 10 games for the Quebec Nordiques in 1979-80 and 1980-81. I probably should have, and I never did that. He played in St. Louis for two years. SN: When you were playing hockey as youngster, there werent many black faces for you to see when you watched NHL games on Saturday nights. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Former NHL forward Tony McKegney has been charged with impaired driving on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. Sorry we could not verify that email address. Stay tuned to Die By the Blade over the course of the month as we continue to highlight Black players in Buffalo Sabres history. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Boards are the best place to save images and video clips. Buffalo Sabres Schedule, Roster, News, and Rumors | Die By The Blade, Celebrating Black History Month: Tony McKegney, Game Thread: Sabres vs. All Rights Reserved. Buy his book. Tony McKegney has never won a Stanley Cup as a player. In fact, I think their parents were thinking about saying, Look, why dont you just go play soccer, because it was so bad as far as the remarks. Saunders says it's tremendous. McKegney, Tony 1958- | Encyclopedia.com SN: Was there a brotherhood among the black players in the league? It was a simple chip-in that just dribbled through the goalie's pads. He talked about him, his brother Ian, and his mother who lives in Kincardine. Bernie Saunders, one of the NHL's first black players, never thought he would find himself coaching youth hockey. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Tony McKegney. When he left, he was the all-time leading scorer. Youre going to do well in the NHL. I just praised him, knowing that he was a great player and he was going to play in the NHL for a long time. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. Part of the reason McKegney wants to continue a while longer is because of sons Daniel, 2 1/2 , and Robert, 7 months. Tony McKegney | NHL Wiki | Fandom Jets, Hockey Night in Canada: Maple Leafs vs. Canucks on Sportsnet, Hockey Night in Canada: Oilers vs. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2023. McKegney, while striving to help provide black youths more opportunity, will never forget the chance given him by Lowry McKegney, 70. It's a big deal that Grant, Willie, and now Jarome have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. The goal is to make stereotypes disappear by making people from all backgrounds feel welcome, celebrated, and empowered on an equal playing field. I showed up there and I remember sitting on my adoptive mother's knee and looking out the dining . But I always wanted to be, and knew I could be, a dominant player. Saunders said at the time, O'Ree was more of a mythical figure than anything else. Tony McKegney Goal vs. Toronto 12/13/80 - YouTube 0:00 / 0:44 Tony McKegney Goal vs. Toronto 12/13/80 Disengage 1.53K subscribers Subscribe 947 views 8 years ago Tony McKegney ties the game. Jonathan freaked out. McKegney had been expected to sign with Birmingham of the World Hockey Association, but the deal fell through and he was taken by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round (No. He was following in the footsteps of his older brother Ian McKegney (who had been a star with the Sarnia Legionnaires before moving on to the pros). Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. His best season came with the St. Louis Blues in 1987-88, when he had NHL career highs of 40 goals and 78 points. SN: Trevor Daley went through a difficult, racially insensitive experience with John Vanbiesbrouck. For more, check out this Q&A with McKegney & Sportsnet: While its we celebrate the historic achievements of Black players throughout Sabres history, its equally important to celebrate the Black players in the NHL today, including several with current or former ties to the Buffalo Sabres organization. Jets on Sportsnet, Marchment, Pavelski end droughts as Stars dominate Avalanche, Cooper on benching Stamkos, Kucherov, Point: 'Weren't giving us the best chance to win', Bertuzzi sets up goal, Bruins stretch winning-streak in win over Rangers, Lightning fall to Sabres, bench Kucherov, Stamkos, Point for third period, {* backButton *} Tony McKegney, former NHLer and ambassador for, Hockey is for Everyone, congratulates a participant during the clinic sponsored by the NHL and the. At the age of 20, Tony signed a contract with the now defunct World Hockey Associations (WHA) team in Birmingham, Alabama only to see the owner illegally renege on the deal after fans threatened to boycott the team for having added a black player to its roster. But it wasn't to be. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Other than that, I hadnt played against another black hockey player my whole life. Its basically black children. We only use official stats. Why did you feel like that was necessary? "Tony McKegney showed me it was possible for someone like me to play in the NHL," future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla said in author Cecil Harris' book, "Breaking The Ice, The Black Experience in Professional Hockey." "He set the example. SN: What were the conversations like with your parents about it? - Connect directly with players, coaches, teams, scouts and agents (optional) It was like, all the emotions from my career, my life: it was too much for me," the elder Saunders said. Welcome to NHL.com, the official site of the National Hockey League, Bienvenue LNH.com , le site officiel de la Ligue nationale de hockey, Tervetuloa NHL:n viralliselle nettisivustolle NHL.comiin, Vlkommen till NHL.com, NHL:s officiella web-sida, Vtejte na NHL.com, oficilnch strnkch National Hockey League, Vitajte na NHL.com, oficilnych strnkach National Hockey League, Willkommen auf NHL.com, der offiziellen Seite der National Hockey League, Bienvenido a NHL.com, el sitio oficial de la National Hockey League. Willie [ORee] had a good thing. Check out the Black Girl Hockey Club, a non-profit organization that focuses on making hockey more inclusive for Black women, their family, friends and allies. Highlighting Black players throughout Buffalo Sabres history. The judge ordered McKegney, while on probation, to complete all assessments, counselling and treatments directed by his probation supervisor to deal with issues arising from domestic. Sue G McKegney, 63 - Buffalo, NY - Has Court or Arrest Records - MyLife He jumped to the AHL's Hershey. Who was the first Black player to top 40 goals in an NHL season? Oilers' Mike Green out three to four weeks with knee injury, Islanders re-assign Josh Ho-Sang to Blues' AHL affiliate. I just tried to shut everything else out. Sabres Tony Mckegney Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Year By Year Fight Totals. Season Players Videos. Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. How does that make you feel? Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Tony McKegney (born Anthony Syiid McKegney on February 15, 1958) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player, who played in the NHL for 13 seasons from 197879 until 199091. Today, Tony McKegney, the first Black player to score 40 goals in an NHL season, tells his story of overcoming racial bias and serving as inspiration for Jarome Iginla, the only other Black player to hit the 40-goal milestone. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Overall, his NHL career saw him appear in 912 regular season games and accrue 639 points. McKegney was born in Montreal, but was adopted by a white family in Sarnia, Ont. You may have created an account with another Rogers Media account that can be used to sign in here. That is a great start and I am looking forward to rooting for the Black players drafted in the past few years who are going to carry on this legacy. "People just forget me because I didn't play. It's the number of Black players who have ever scored 40 goals in an NHL season. McKegney needed less than a season to join Buffalo during the 1978-79 campaign. As a teenager he played Jr. 'B' hockey in Sarnia. Saunders, 63, who now lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C., has since retired and written a book about his life. Lightning | Game 61, Sabres Acquire Jordan Greenway, Austin Strand. They were there for me for the most part. Draft: Buffalo, 2nd round (32nd overall), 1978 NHL Amateur. I've always been a player that plays on enthusiasm, and I was just losing my zest for the game.". He sat down with Donnovan Bennett to discuss the struggles, success and lessons that came. The things he went through were things I experienced in my time. SN: How did it make you feel when you saw it? Youre a great player. Economics and demographics - there are far fewer blacks in his native Canada than in the United States - still keep blacks from following him to the pro ranks. Tony McKegney Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. All rights reserved. Hockey made me gave me all the confidence in the world.". It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. I just felt defeated," he said. I know there werent very many [black players]. TM: Everything. Sign up for Stathead Hockey - first month free. * Some data is missing to provide a correct summary. McKegney was selected 32nd overall in 1978 after scoring 92 points with the Kingston Canadians. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. 32) of the 1978 NHL Draft. The second person to achieve (and ultimately surpass) this milestone? Go beyond the basics. And I still struggle with that to this day, with the trauma that I faced and went through. His father eventually returned to Nigeria, and when Tony was a year old, he was adopted by the McKegneys, a white couple that lived in Sarnia, Ontario. Tony McKegney is a well known Ice Hockey. From the time he was in the crib, Jonathan was obsessed with the sport, and so he followed in his father's footsteps. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. McKegney was the first Black Canadian hockey player to make an impact in the NHL. After playing for 15 years professionally, it was a hard transition and Im sure Ive made some mistakes and would do some things differently. Tony currently does periodic work on behalf of the Red Wings Alumni Association and the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Hockey Team. Im sure it affected me. Drafted 1974, 1 #2 overall by Kingston Canadians in the OHL Priority Selection, Cult/Star player for Kingston Frontenacs. Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments. Sabres Host Lightning in Saturday Matinee. TM: I just would tell them to persevere. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. I dont have any theory why Tony has played with so many teams. You get to keep that mask on and Im out there for everybody to see. So, I told Grant, jokingly, that I was envious of him. Do you have a sports website? (Tony McKegney, the fourth black player, debuted in 1978). He was a 4x 30-goal scorer and set career highs in 1988 with 40 goals and 78 points. Brother: Ian McKegney He says he doesn't watch much anymore. Subscribe to Stathead Hockey: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Hockey Reference Database. Continue reading to discover who is Tony McKegney. The Montreal-born left wing was a big scorer in junior hockey, finishing with 135 points (58 goals . Jarome told me that he felt comfortable at the school yard because he could point to me and say, "Look, Tony McKegney's playing in the NHL.". He was coaching the Pickering Panthers, a Junior B team, when he suspended four players for breaking a rule and got four replacements from a lower-level team. That was my first exposure, to have a hockey rink in my backyard. Today, Tony McKegney, the first Black player to score 40 goals in an NHL season, tells his story of overcoming racial bias and serving as inspiration for Jarome Iginla, the only other Black. Hockey-Reference utilizes Official NHL data for current NHL seasons. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. The Montreal-born left wing was a big scorer in junior hockey, finishing with 135 points (58 goals, 77 assists) in 66 games with Kingston of the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League in 1976-77 and 92 points (43 goals, 49 assists) in 55 games the following season, when he also played for Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship. In fact, I didn't play against another Black hockey player for nearly 18 years -- when Ray Neufeld, Grant Fuhr, and I were all active in the League. And I said to myself, Geez, this is great. It was awesome to see these guys and theyre all good players. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. NHL 2023. TONY MCKEGNEY: I was adopted when I was 18 months old and I moved [in with my adoptive family]. Saunders was part of a wave of black players who debuted after Willie O'Ree became the first black player in the National Hockey League in 1958. I ignored that coach, of course. "I could deal with it individually, but to see my son go through it was just overwhelming.". The Nordiques didn't have a farm team that year, so he was sent to play for the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, one of the Montreal Canadiens' farm teams. He scored a goal in that game and got a standing ovation from the crowd. Enter Search Term. Black History Month essay: Tony McKegney | NHL.com NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. He still remembers, almost 50 years later, the smile on Saunders's face when he was told he wasn't going back to his old team.
Boring Vs Trenching Costs,
West Broward High School Yearbook,
Lids Exclusive Fitted Hats,
Articles T
tony mckegney family