I wrote this tribute to Gordie Howe in June 2016 when he passed away. At that time I just shared it with friends on email.
Did you have a hockey hero? Was it Bobby (pick one), Maurice, Johnny, Stevie Y, Mario, Patrick, Jean, Yvan, Sidney, Alex or Phil.
My hockey hero was Davey Keon, number 14 of the mighty Toronto Maple Leafs. A small, fast skater that could stick handle like no other. A kid from Noranda, Quebec who left the Leafs in disgust (think Harold Ballard) and the wounds have only recently healed. Keon moved to the WHA, first with the Minnesota Fighting Saints and then to the Hartford Whalers. In 1978 he played with an old guy who, like Keon, was at the end of his playing career. For many people this classy, tough, old giant Mr. Hockey was their hockey hero.
The giant has fallen. Gordie Howe has died. Howe was born 10 days after my late father.
From humble beginnings growing up in Saskatoon to the big hockey cities in the NHL, they say Howe remained a man of the people. I never met Gordie Howe, yet as a kid I followed his career as I did so many of the hockey players of that time.
We live in an era when everyone wants to determine who was “the best ever”. Who cares? As Wayne Gretzky pointed out, he and Howe played in different times where there was a different emphasis on offence and defence. No need to compare, just appreciate the players for what they brought to the game.
Possibly the most telling statistic and NHL record, and one that will never be broken, is that Howe finished in the top 5 in scoring for 20 consecutive years. Unbelievable when you think about injuries, travel and talent.
Howe was tough and durable. He used his stick and elbows in ways that would not be tolerated in today’s game. A Gordie Howe hat trick is a goal, an assist and a fight. In reality Howe only had two of these hat tricks. In all, he had 22 fights. One of these fights was with Howie Meeker, a person many remember as an annoying, hockey announcer on CBC. Howie Meeker won the rookie of the year in the NHL the same year Howe was eligible. Really? Yup, really.
At 6 feet and 200 pounds, Howe was a big man in his era, yet in today’s game his size would not be noticed. No steroids required, just hard work.
Apparently, Howe did things with little fanfare. As people arrived at Wayne Gretzky’s wedding in limousines, Howe arrived in a yellow taxi. Nothing extra – just a prairie boy.
According to some reports, the prairie boy got taken advantage of financially for years. He was the top player of his time; however, he was not paid that way. Howe signed the contracts put before him and he trusted management. Other teams used his small contracts as excuses to pay players less. A player from another team finally brought this to Howe’s attention. Colleen Howe, Gordie’s wife, took over the financial management for the family and things improved. It was Colleen who negotiated the deal that took Gordie, Mark and Marty Howe as a package to the Houston Aeros of the WHA.
Saskatchewan has exported many talented people over the years. Was there any better?
My second cup is now empty…………
