Sad news but not unexpected. I had the pleasure of knowing both him and his wife and they were both absolutely wonderful people.
RIP, Mr. Hockey.
http://www.clickondetroit.com/sports/hockey-legend-gordie-howe-dies-at-age-88
What sad news, although as you said, not unexpected. The amazing thing is that he was blessed with many months of what appeared to be good times after he had been at a point where death seemed imminent. It seemed that he and his family enjoyed those months to the fullest. It was a fitting final tribute from fate!
A Detroit sports legend. <3
A local health system here in Northwest Ohio is starting the “Gordie How Initiative” - a coalition and clinical trials for TBI - they will do good things in his honor (working with his family)
https://www.promedica.org/Pages/ways-to-give/Gordie-Howe-Initiative.aspx
“You have to be tough to survive. I learned right off that throwing the first spear was the best way.”
I normally know nothing about sports but grew up in the 60’s and 70’s with two hockey loving brothers. RIP Gordy Howe. He was a legend in the sport.
I saw him play against the Boston Bruins when I was a little kid. He was still a great player even with graying hair. I recall he skated with his head and shoulders straight up and was very graceful on the ice. He was strong and they couldn’t knock him off the puck. I believe he either scored a goal or got an assist in each of the games I saw at the Boston Garden. He must have been something in his prime.
Having lived in the Hartford area, I saw Gordie and his sons play for the Whalers numerous times. I was surprised the first time. There was this old guy out there, the only one without a helmet.
Love his Miller Lite TV ad from the 1980s in a restaurant; "Did someone say “check?” Then, KABOOM!
I wanted to post more this morning but I was rushing out the door. My mom was his and Colleen’s banker and I had the pleasure of meeting him several times and they were always gracious and kind. Below are probably my two favorite stories.
I was eating with my sister and parents at Bill Knapp’s (a restaurant). I was probably 3 or 4 (so I only vaguely remember but it’s been a family story for a while) so my sister was around 8. Gordie and Colleen were eating a table or so away from my us. My dad quietly whispered to us that the greatest hockey player of all time was eating next to us. So my sister, loudly, says “no he’s not! He’s really old!” He said that he was. So my sister, being the firecracker that she’s always been, goes over to him and says “my dad says you’re the greatest hockey player of all time… are you?” and he said something along the lines of “well, they do call me Mr. Hockey” and my sister suddenly got star struck. He and his wife were very good sports about the whole thing.
A few years later, we were driving up to Traverse City and drove by his restaurant (it’s not there anymore) and noticed lights on despite it being very, very late. So we pulled up to get some quick dinner since it seemed to be the only place open and we had been driving for several hours. We go up and the restaurant was locked but Gordie and his wife were in there and let us in because he knew us. It turns out that another notorious hockey player (I won’t name names out of respect for the dead) had been in there that night and threw a credit card at a waitress, cutting her forehead. So Gordie and Colleen went in personally to make it right. Anyway, we ended up eating with them and they gave us several signed jerseys and a signed copy of their book. I only remember bits and pieces because I was fairly young but I still have the jerseys and the book as well as pictures of me sitting on Gordie’s lap and him swinging me around.
We haven’t seen them in several years but they will always hold a special place in my heart. Not only because I am a hockey fanatic but because they were truly just wonderful people and treated all of their friends like family. They truly loved each other and were a fantastic couple- at least as far as I could tell. I don’t personally believe in an afterlife, but I do hope that somehow they are together again.
I didn’t grow up around hockey, so I never heard of a Gordie Howe hat trick until today. Ha! A goal, an assist, and a fight.
RIP, Mr. Howe.