Ice
hockey legend known for his
longevity, scoring, and toughness. Held many
NHL records until
The Great One came along.
Howe played most of his pro career with the Detroit Red Wings (1946-1971). The Wings won four Stanley Cups in the '50s, with Howe as part of the famed "Production Line", with Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay.
After 2 seasons away, Howe returned to play in the upstart WHA at the age of 45. He continued playing in the WHA until 1979 for the Houston Aeros and then the New England Whalers. When the Whalers became part of the NHL for the 1979-1980 season, Howe scored 15 goals...and played past his 52nd birthday.
On October 3, 1997, Howe played in a game for the Detroit Vipers of the IHL (at the age of 69!), thus being able to have played hockey in SIX decades. It was viewed as a publicity stunt and was criticized by many.
The numbers are astounding:
Total (including playoffs), Howe scored 1071 goals and 1518 assists in a ridiculous 2421 professional games (NHL and WHA).
Howe was in the top five in NHL scoring 20 straight years. He appeared in 29 All-Star Games.
Howe won 6 Hart Trophies as NHL MVP and the Art Ross Trophy as NHL top-scorer 6 times.
The vitals:
DOB- 3/31/28 Floral, Saskatchewan
wife Colleen, 4 children (2 of which he played alongside with in the WHA and in his last stint in the NHL).
Howe is (obviously) a member of The Hockey Hall of Fame.
For those without any interest in hockey, the character Cameron Frye in Ferris Bueller's Day Off was usually seen in a Gordie Howe jersey.
Howe has his own website at mrhockey.com, which provided much of the background for this w/u.
Editor's update: Gordie Howe, "Mr. Hockey", passed away on June 10, 2016, in Toledo, Ohio. He was 88 years old and had recently suffered a stroke.