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SPORTS ZONE 1: Hockey Star Retires Again

Mario Lemieux retired from the Pittsburgh Penguins, a professional hockey team, on January 24, 2006. The hockey legend was forced to retire because of a condition called atrial fibrillation. This condition causes his heartbeat to irregularly pulse in an uncontrolled manner. A condition this serious can be treated with medication or an operation, but unfortunately it does not allow Lemieux to continue to play the fast-paced game of hockey.

Retirement is not completely unknown territory for Lemieux; the hockey star retired from the Penguins in 1997, which was also the same year he was chosen to be in the National Hockey League (NHL) Hall of Fame. The first retirement also came as a result of some sickness and injury, all of which were better by the 2001-2002 season.

Although it is sad to say good-bye to such a great hockey player, Lemieux has had a great career. As stated in an article in the Washington Post, Lemieux was the first pick by the Penguins hockey team in 1984. Lemieux led the Penguins to two Stanley Cup victories, an event which matches up the two best hockey teams at the end of the hockey season in 1991 and 1992. At the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Lemieux won a gold medal when he played for the Canadian hockey team.

Lemieux will also never be far from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is a part owner of the team. In fact, Lemieux is the first big professional athlete to be an owner for his "own" team. So, although Lemieux will not be putting on his skates to play for the Penguins again, he can still be associated with the team both as a hockey superstar and as an owner.

--Written by Erica Rose

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