John Miner could always tell when an opponent was going to drop the reference. It was always a player imported from North America to his pro hockey league in Austria or Switzerland. They'd give him a glance, then smile, and then say some variation of the following:
"Oh, there ya are! Miner and Gretzky! The legend, right here!"
Miner would laugh, acknowledging the attempt to honor his unique place in hockey history while subtly giving him the gears, as opposing players are wont to do. Because his name was written in that legend, albeit as a sidebar or a footnote.