He Almost Made the NHL, Then Lost It All. Now Mike Schmitt Is Sharing His Story in Okmulgee

"I had a contract and a plane ticket… all I had to do was show up."

Let that sink in for a second.

After years of grinding through poverty, pushing past every obstacle, and fighting his way from the back streets of 1950s Chicago all the way to the doorstep of the NHL, (Mike Schmitt had done it).

The contract was signed. The ticket was in his hand. All he had to do was show up to St. Louis Blues training camp and his dream was real.

Then came the injury.

A Kid With Nothing to Lose

Mike Schmitt didn't grow up with advantages.

He grew up in Chicago in the 1950s and 60s, in a home marked by poverty, family hardship, and an alcoholic father whose presence made life anything but stable.

But somewhere in the middle of all that, he found hockey.

And hockey changed everything.

"Growing up with an alcoholic father was not a fun home life," Schmitt writes in his autobiography. "I am thankful that I found the sport of hockey that taught me discipline, toughness, and perseverance."

For a kid who felt like he didn't fit in, not class-wise, not equipment-wise, not any-wise — hockey wasn't just a sport. It was a way out.

"I believe you make your own opportunities," he says. "Not measuring up just pushed me to work harder."

From Chicago to the Pros

That work ethic carried him a long way.

Schmitt fought his way into professional hockey, playing in the minor leagues, including time with the Milwaukee Admirals, and eventually earned an invitation to an NHL training camp with the St. Louis Blues.

He had the contract. He had the plane ticket. He was days away from living the dream he'd been chasing since he first laced up skates as a poor kid in Chicago.

Then a devastating torn ligament ended it before it could begin.

Most people would've let that define them. Schmitt decided it wouldn't.

The Part That Matters Most

Here's where the story gets really good.

Because Mike Schmitt didn't disappear after hockey. He didn't walk away bitter. He turned around and gave everything he'd learned back to the next generation, becoming a youth hockey coach and spending years lifting up young players the same way the sport once lifted him.

"I love coaching. No negative… always pat them on the back."

That's not just a coaching philosophy. That's a man who remembers exactly what it felt like to be a struggling kid who needed someone in his corner.

Recently, the hockey community gave him a long overdue nod, inducting him into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builder's category.

Not just for what he did on the ice. But for what he built off of it.

Why He Ended Up at a Donut Shop in Okmulgee

On March 27th, Mike Schmitt walked into the Donut Top right here in Okmulgee and spent a few hours doing something simple and powerful, he talked to people.

He shared his story. He signed copies of his book. He connected with fans of all ages who showed up to listen.

Small town charm meeting big league stories, right here in our community.

His autobiography "My Life Story" covers all of it. The childhood in Chicago. The abusive home life. The hockey journey. The near miss with the NHL.

The coaching years. The lessons learned across a lifetime of getting knocked down and getting back up.

It's the kind of book you hand to a teenager who's struggling. Or read yourself on a hard week. 

Or buy for someone who needs to be reminded that where you start doesn't have to be where you finish.

Where to Find the Book

Can't make it to a book signing? "My Life Story" is available right now on Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble.

Grab your copy of My Life Story on Amazon