gordie howe from 50's to WHA

[sportshistorybuff]

Did Gordie Howe ever go toe to toe with Tim Horton or John Ferguson? Now those bouts would have been intense.

[GeorgiaBoy1961]

Gretzky was a magician with the puck, but depended on stronger, tougher teammates to do his dirty work in the corners and drop the gloves when necessary. A team of guys like Howe beats a team of guys like Gretzky more often than not. My prototypical player, if I was forming a team, would be Bobby Orr. Orr himself calls Mario Lemieux the most talented player he's ever seen. You could do worse than Howe when building a team... he could do anything, and do it well, and did it longer than anyone.

[TheDaleDenton]

@GeorgiaBoy1961 If I had to make a team, i think it'd be one full of bobby clarke's. gritty, ruthless, but for the most important reason, the work ethic.

[GeorgiaBoy1961]

@TheDaleDenton: Bobby Clarke was a gamer, no doubt. I'm still smarting from the Flyers beating the Sabres in 1975 in the Cup final. Clarke didn't have as much talent as some guys, but he wanted to win more than just about anyone. On the minus side (plus if you are Flyer fan), Clarke was a dirty player, quite the little hacker. Back in those days, though, it was expected. None of those old-school players had too many teeth.

[TheDaleDenton]

@GeorgiaBoy1961 haha Yeah, I'm a Flyer fan. And I'll agree he was amazingly dirty. What ever it took to win was his whole beliefe, but the Flyer fans sorta put not just Clarke's viciousness but the whole teams up on a pedistal. And yeah, he may not of had as much talent as some of those guy (though he was pretty talented) but even Gretzky tried to play like Clarkie (not the same kind of stick work though). And the no teeth era was the best time in hockey. It's not the same anymore

[GeorgiaBoy1961]

@TheDaleDenton: Clarke was something special... he really elevated those great Flyers teams back in the 1970s. I agree - the "no teeth" was it if you love hockey! As much as I like today's game, I liked it better back in those days. Hey - as a Flyer's guy, what do you think of their rebuilding moves this off-season? I was pretty stunned to see them trade Richards and Carter... but have heard rumblings that these guys didn't have the dedication off-ice to satisfy Pete Laviolette... what gives?

[GeorgiaBoy1961]

@GeorgiaBoy1961: Continuing my question about the Flyers off-season, what do you make of their moves? I'm a Blackhawks fan, and the boys in black and orange gave them a heck of a run in 2010. Gotta wonder whether it was the right move to blow up the team. Team chemistry is a delicate thing, and moves don't always work out how you think they will. Well, maybe you guys have that number one goalie you've needed for so many years.

The Bruins and Tim Thomas just weren't going to be denied this year.

[TheDaleDenton]

@GeorgiaBoy1961 no dedication off-ice? don't get me wrong, dedication off anf on is ais great but if they show up every game and do what needs to be done, what's the big fuckin deal. Laviolette just seems like and up-tight, head up his ass guy with too much pride if that was the case. And to trade 2 of your best players for that reason, like come on man. But we still got briere,hartnell,giroux. and now we got Bryz, a solid goaltender which we needed and the legand of the likes of Jaromir Jagr

[GeorgiaBoy1961]

@TheDaleDenton: You've certainly made your case. Not surprised to hear that Laviolette is an uptight sort; he always seems on the verge of exploding about something. Guy's always in a bad mood about something...

[TheDaleDenton]

@GeorgiaBoy1961 Well it makes sense. Somebody who would trade 2 of your best players because of an attitude off ice that he didn't like's gotta be a prick

[GeorgiaBoy1961]

As great a scorer and playmaker as Gretzky was, if I was putting together a team, I'd want a guy like Gordie Howe first... tough, smart, durable, scores, passes, fights and does the dirty work in the corners, and knows the game from top-to-bottom. Gretzky was brilliant, of that there is no doubt - but he ran up his totals in an era of diluted talent and patsy goalies. Howe set his records, for the most, part in the days of the original six. No watered-down competition there.

[waterlilyqueen]

To me, Gordie Howe is the quintessential hockey player: a farm kid from Western Canada, tall and muscular, handsome in a rugged kind of way, a dirty and violent player on the ice but seems like nice and humble guy off the ice, doesn't appear to be that smart (though perhaps just not very well educated)

[seismiccowboy]

Interesting debate....Ruth/Aaron, Howe/Gretzky....Gretzky beat Howe's record in drastically fewer games...but...you could argue that the talent pool is watered down with so many more teams...but...the game is unquestionably faster now...it goes on.

[chronikpayne14]

I pride the fact my last name is Howe and I'm from Michigan!

[znogypogy]

got to see gordie take a pre game skate with the thunder bay thunder hawks chl circa 1994. he was in his 70 's at the time. still skating smooth warming up with the rest of the players, looked as though he could still play. he must have been somthing in his day.....

[gggturcott]

Stars in those days had summer jobs. Other players had DAY JOBS! You can't compare the old days with the new. I'm pretty sure Gretzky used frozen cow s**t as pucks.

[GeorgiaBoy1961]

@gggturcott: As recently as the 1960s, most pro athletes had off-season jobs to tide them over campaigns. Back then, guys knew most or almost all of the players in their respective leagues - and since in the NHL, you saw that "original six" opponent many times in a season, you'd think twice about head-hunting, knowing that your opposite number would have ample chance to retaliate for any cheap shots. No ads on the boards or painted under the ice. Different game then, a different time.

[redwingsred74]

Gordie Gordie Gordie!!! The guy is the Terminator!

[britteach]

Great memories here. Boy, that was a time when the players didn't wear helmets because they thought it was effette to do so. Stan Mikata, one of the fiercest players ever, changed all that for the better.

[GeorgiaBoy1961]

@britteach: Lots of fond memories watching Stan Mikita play at the old Chicago Stadium and on TV. He was a hell of a player in his day. I got to meet him at Gene Ubriaco hockey camp one year as a kid; there he was right out on the ice with us kids... great guy, clearly a rink rat from way back - just enjoyed being around hockey even if it was just some no-name kids banging the puck around.

[bbasher79]

If you're going to make a case that Wayne was a bitch, you should then consider Mark Messier the greatest player of all time. He's 2nd on all-time list and was a very similar player to Howe.

[HirsuteGentleman]

Gordie was Bad-Assery on skates. the best complete hockey player of all time. wayne was a lil bitch.

[khav11]

lil bitch of 2800 points

[HirsuteGentleman]

No arguments here. Wayne was definitely the greatest offensive force of all time, but he was by no means a complete hockey player. He had to have other thugs protect him and carry out his defensive dirty work. Gordie did it all.

[scottslovegun]

@HirsuteGentleman

YOU GOT IT RIGHT MAN

[turbantickler911]

gretsky was the best player ever to disagree with that is fucking retarded, he may have been a floater but he played the game like a god. but i like gordie more.

[sdgakatbk]

Thanks for posting these. I am absolutely loving these Gordie Howe videos!!

[bashbrannigan]

This is a true story. Howe had come out of retirement to play with his sons in the WHA. He was then 47 years old! In one game some of the young players on the other team were laughing and trash-talking him because of his age. During the game a player hit one of his sons with a dirty hit. As the guy was leaving the ice Howe went over and cross-checked him with his stick right to the neck almost taking his head off. They stopped laughing after that.

[chrisshorkey]

He was 45 when he came back and played all the 7 WHA seasons before playing one final NHL season when the WHA folded and the Whalers joined the NHL. He retired at the age of 52. He was 45 when he came out of retirement, not 47...

[jpzena17]

I'm from Detroit and was at the local airport where I literally bumped into Mr hockey who was standing with a bunch of friends. Before I could sorry he looked right at me smiled and said "hey watch the elbows" his friends howled I Just scampered.

[usuckeggs321]

thank for the post - this should add a great touch to my sons school project

[Ghost2773]

Gordie! We ALL love you at UNCLE RAY'S BAR in Dearborn Heights. AND thanks for the autograph!

[c9m9h9]

that's my gramps! go peepaw!

[slapshot254]

Happy 80th to Mr. Hockey.

-from Chicago (even, haha)

[Bleeney]

Not only was Gordie one of the 3 greatest players ever, he was the toughest. Look at what he did to Fontinato's face: Broken nose, broken cheekbone, split lips, knocked out teeth, and a lot of stitches. He never lost, but he didn't just win his fights, he literally beat guys to a pulp, knocked them out cold. after a while, EVERYBODY was afraid of him. Even John Ferguson left him alone.

[GeorgiaBoy1961]

@Bleeney: Long live the Gordie Howe hat trick - a goal, an assist and a fight. Waterlillyqueen, re: "a dirty and violent player on the ice but seems like nice and humble guy off the ice, doesn't appear to be that smart (though perhaps just not very well educated)"... What?? Gordie Howe is plenty smart. He was just raised in a time when people were taught not to wear their education on their sleeves as they do now. Howe is a country boy, and they let their actions do the talking.

[MisterQuebec]

lol at 2:10. Gordie has eyes behind his back!