Timeless - A Man Named Howe

By Richard Curry

1st in a 2-Part Exclusive Series

Oct 9, 1997: Red Wings greats Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay

hand the Stanley Cup to the new era of Red Wings champions -

Nicklas Lidstrom, Steve Yzerman, and Brendan Shannahan

When you say Gordie Howe, what comes to mind? A man who skated

professionally for five decades, a father that played on the same line with

his two sons in the NHL at the age of 52, a player with incredible skill &

strength, a man who could intimidate you by his pure presence on the ice,

or an athlete that's on everyone's Top 10 list of all time in all of sports?

Off the ice one word says it all - a gentleman. He is a loving husband,

father & grandfather. Gordie always finds time for everyone, young or old.

He greets you with a firm handshake and a warm smile. He has a quick wit

and makes those around him feel welcomed & accepted. With all the accolades

that have been steeped upon his broad sloping shoulders, you'd think he

might get a belief of exaggerated self-importance, but not Gordie. He is as

humble as apple pie and to this day credits his Mom with his kindness and

self-well being. He's not only a once-in-a-lifetime hockey player, but also

an extraordinarily caring human being.

In the age of egotistical, money driven athletes, Gordie may well be the

last of his breed. Recently I saw from a sports collector the contract he

signed in his 24th year in Detroit. They paid him $70,000 for the season.

In 1953, as a first-team all-star, he was paid $7,500. How the Red Wing

organization could do this and sleep at night, I have no clue.

Gordie was hockey and the game was an intricate part of his life. The

Norris family, who owned the Red Wings, didn't compensate their best asset.

But Gordie still returns to Joe Louis Arena because the fans continue, and

will forever will love this man for his integrity and what he did to help

make Detroit Hockeytown USA.

In 1955, Gordie Howe scored the game winner at Olympia Stadium for a Red

Wing 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadians. It was the team's second

straight Stanley Cup and their 7th straight 1st Place finish. Hockey

goalies didn't wear masks and their teams traveled by train. You could

travel around Florida for 16 days on a greyhound bus for $116.00.

A lot of things have changed in that time frame, but not Gordie. The man is

genuine, kind, and may very possibly be the last of the great American

Sports Heroes - one your kids could look up to.

My Experiences With Gordie Howe

Gordie came to Saginaw for a Bay Ice Arena fundraiser on a cold

winter night in February. I left my car at the same time he did. Gordie

slipped on a sheet of ice. I reached down and helped him up. He stopped and

said, 'Thank You', and told me firmly, 'I'm going to have to punch you in

the nose if you tell anyone you helped me off the ice.'

Then he gave me a big smile.

Years ago I collected hockey memorabilia and at one time I had a stick Howe

used with the Hartford Whalers. I gave it to my 9-year old son Patrick to

get signed when we went to a Detroit banquet featuring Gordie Howe. That

night Gordie picked up Patrick by the arms seconds after pat started

towards him with the stick, and carried him across the room and stuck him

into the corner. He said, "Son, you're getting two minutes in the box for

stealing my stick."

On the night of November 10th, 1963, I was sitting with my wife in row two

- center ice in the upper tier of the venerable and aging Olympia Stadium

on Grand River Ave. In the second period, Howe took a pass from the

blonde-haired rookie Billy McNeill and fired the puck just inside the post

and past Montreal goalie, Charlie Hodge. It was goal #545 - the one that

eclipsed Rocket Richard's all-time scoring record.

I will never forget the thunderous ovation that followed - it lasted 10

minutes and brought many Wing fans to tears. That same game featured Terry

Sawchuck's 94th shutout, tying the NHL record of George Hainsworth. Both

Red Wing players knelt on the ice in front of the Wing bench during the

celebration. Long after the game was over, Gordie was seen down the long

corridor in the Old Red Barn signing autographs until the very last fan

left the building. Gordie's signature was a beauty. He told his mother &

sister when he was 10 that he was working on a good one to use when he got

into the NHL. The innocence of America left just 11 days later when JFK was

shot it Dallas.

One night during a dinner in Traverse City, Gordie had promised a waiter an

autograph. After arriving home he remembered he forgot. Gordie drove back

25 minutes to the restaurant to sign it for him.

Last year when Gordie was selected by ESPN as one of the nation's best

athletes, the network had a presentation dinner Howe committed to. Gordie's

flight the night before was cancelled. He drove 20 hours in a snowstorm and

made it there to fulfill his obligation. Gordie said, "When a Howe makes a

promise, he keeps it." The Howes have since moved from Traverse to Detroit.

I was the 1982 NHL All-Star game in Washington, D.C. and sat down next to

Gordie. He was talking about a confrontation he had with a Russian player

while playing for the WHA all-stars in Moscow. His lights light up every

time he gets into discussing the physical aspect of the game. I have always

found that amazing for a man who's amassed such incredible numbers.

In 25 years with the Wings he played 1,687 games, made 786 goals, 1,023

assists, and scored 1,809 points. One can see he loves to reminisce about

the battles more so than the goals.

"In our first game with Russia," explained Gordie, "this guy wearing #13

spears me with two minutes to go in the first period. I went back to my

bench and sat down, got up again, and left while the game was still going.

I walked down the hall to the Russian team exit leading to their dressing

room. I waited until the period ended. I watched the Soviet players go by

till #13 came into view, and I dropped him."

Once during Eddie (Clear the Track) Shack's whirling dervish heyday with

the Toronto Mapleleafs, he finally got Gordie angry. Gordie pulled him over

and said, "If you keep bothering me, I'm going to jam this stick so far

down your throat it'll be coming out of your shorts." Eddie proceeded to

bother other people for the rest of the evening.

Denny McClain said when he was a rookie with Calgary Cowboys he took a

face-off against Gordie. After Gordie won the face-off, Denny was left with

5 stitches in his face. He shoed me the box one day with the stitches.

Denny proudly says, "I got these from Gordie Howe." This could become a new

sports collectable.

I was watching a game at Olympia when Gordie was at the long end of his

career in Detroit. A 225-lb. Rookie Montreal defenseman named Noel Picard

decided to take on the old fella. After the fight started, Gordie stepped

on his neck and landed directly on his butt. Not one person in the stadium

said a word. It was a show of total respect. Gordie proceeded to get back

up and knock this rookie back to the second grade. And the crowd went wild!

In 1989, Howe said of himself: "You've got to remember that I was crazy. I

was never afraid of getting hurt. It's one thing to be rough, but to be

rough and crazy means the other guy is never going to get the last hit. I'd

play with him, tease him, but he knew that sooner or later he'd pay."

Look up the word 'great' in the dictionary. I think we may find Gordie's

face there.