Gordie Fucking Howe Boys

There are a few names that everyone knows, that are synonymous with the games they played. Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky. But aside from the Great One, when it comes to hockey, I doubt there’s a more iconic name than Number 9, Mr. Hockey himself, Gordie Fucking Howe. 

I’d be crazy to try and list all of his stats and accomplishments here but I’ll name just a few. 2,421 games played, 1,071 goals, 1,518 assists, and 2,589 points professionally in the NHL and WHA. 25 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. Top ten in scoring for 21 consecutive years, six-time Art Ross Trophy winner for most regular season points, six time Hart Memorial Trophy winner for Most Valuable Player. He’s had a school, a bridge, a campground, stadiums and more named after him. A hall of famer, with a professional career spanning 6 decades, he was the inaugural recipient of the NHL Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008, and the oldest player to play in the NHL at 52 years and 11 days. I could keep going and I probably still wouldn’t be able to hit everything. Simply put, the name is a god damned legend. 

Gordie was born in the midst of the Great Depression in 1928 in a farmhouse in Saskatchewan. One of nine kids, he and his family moved to Saskatoon at nine days old. As a kid he was mildly dyslexic and quit school at an early age so he could work construction during the depression. He started playing organized hockey at 8. At 15 he was invited to the New York Rangers training camp in Winnipeg. They wanted Howe to sign a “C” form which would guarantee the club his NHL rights. Gordie felt the team wasn’t a good fit for him and decided to return to Saskatoon to play with his friends. 

He gained the attention of the Detroit Red Wings and in 1944 signed a “C” form for that team. Now I don’t know much about the early days of the NHL other than the original six teams but from what I’ve gathered a “C” form basically makes the player the property of that club for their entire career. Meaning they could send a player to play for any of the club’s affiliated teams. Gordie bounced around different Red Wings junior league affiliates for about 2 years until he was placed on the main teams protected list, finally bringing him to the show 

On October 16, 1946 he made his NHL debut, scoring in his very first game at age 18. As a rookie he played his first season under the number 17 until he was offered the number 9 which he would wear for the remainder of his career. He quickly established himself as a dynamo. He was a great scorer and play maker and he didn’t shy away from a fight. He fought so much in his rookie year his head coach said to him, "I know you can fight. Now can you show me you can play hockey?"

His penchant for fighting led to the term “Gordie Howe hat trick” which consists of a goal, an assist and a fight all in one game. However he only achieved the feat twice in his career because people were afraid to fight him.  

Howe quickly became one of the top players in the league leading the Red Wings to four Stanley cup titles and first place, over all in regular season games for seven consecutive years from 1948-‘55. In 1950 he suffered the worst injury of his career with a skull fracture, a broken cheek ,a broken nose and had to have surgery to alleviate the pressure on his brain. He came back the following season and just dominated. Leading the NHL in goals and assists with 86 points and winning the scoring title by 20 points. 

Fast forward to 1971. After obliterating records for 25 years Gordie retired due to a chronic wrist injury. He was immediately inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame that same year and then the Hockey Hall of Fame a year later. 

At the end of the ‘70-‘71 season the Red Wings offered Howe a position in their front office, which he accepted. A year later the World Hockey Association offered Howe a contract to play with the Houston Aeros alongside his two sons Mark and Marty. The addition of Gordie Howe, as well as some stellar up and coming players like a 19 year old Wayne Gretzky, helped the WHA to establish some much needed legitimacy in their early years. Gordie played an additional 6 years between the Aeros and the Hartford Whalers winning multiple championships with his boys and in ‘79 made the all star team and was placed on the same line with his son Mark and then rookie Wayne Gretzky. 

Howe experienced dizzy spells in his ‘78-‘79 season and after extensive tests signed to play a final season with the Whalers playing all 80 of his scheduled games scoring 41 points, helping his team reach the playoffs. At 52 he became the oldest man to play an NHL game. In 1997 he played a shift with the Detroit Vipers, spanning his professional career six decades having played in the USHL, NHL, WHA and IHL from the 1940s to 1990s.

In 1998 Gordie was listed at number three of the top 100 players of all time behind Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr. Gretzky and Orr are both quoted calling Howe the Greatest of all Time. 

Gretzky surpassed Howe statistically but Howe set the standard for consistent, high level play. Although he would go on to break many of Howes records, the two became good friends. Gretzky idolized Howe. Gretzky wore the number 99 as a direct tribute to Howe since the number 9 was taken in his early days. 

After Howe's death, Gretzky called Howe "the greatest hockey player ever", and said that if it were up to him Howe's No. 9 would be retired for all NHL teams the same as his own No. 99. 

Howe died on June 10, 2016 at the Toledo home of his Son Murray. Howes casket was brought to the Joe Lewis arena, at the time the home of the Detroit Red Wings, for public viewing. The service lasted from 9am to 9pm as a tribute to Howes no. 9. At Howes funeral, which was also public, Gretzky was a pallbearer. Gordies ashes, along with his wife’s, were interred in the base of his statue outside SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon. 

Gordie is considered one of, if not the best all around hockey player ever to touch the ice. You’d be hard pressed to find a hockey fan who hasn’t heard of Gordie Howe. He retired the first time in his 40’s came back and played for additional 6 years at top level and continued to win championships. He’s an absolute legend. He played hockey literally his entire life. Hockey was his life. A guy who loved, respected and contributed so much to the game truly lives up to the moniker “Mr. Hockey”

⁃ To infinity and beyond