If you were not alive or not of age at the time, it may be impossible for you to conceive of the shock, the impact, and the technology involved in learning about the Wayne Gretzky trade 30 years ago today.
There was no internet.
There was no 24-hour news.
There was barely any free agency.
And “best in the sport” superstars simply were not traded.
Basically, you’d find out about a major mid-summer trade only by reading it in the newspaper or, if you happened to catch a bulletin, on the radio or TV news.