08/19/2026
Did you know? During a promotional visit to mid-century Halifax, Gordie Howe was asked to throw the first pitch at a local baseball game. To practice, he asked local radio broadcaster Bob Huggins to play catch, and signed the baseball for him afterwards. It is now featured in the Birthplace of Hockey Museum. đ + âŸ
Gordon Howe was born on March 31st, 1928 in Floral, Saskatchewan. He grew up in Saskatoon in the midst of the Great Depression, playing hockey from the age of five. His mother saved up for months to buy him his first pair of skates, and he learned the game on frozen ponds in below freezing temperatures, wearing socks stuffed with newspapers and using a tennis ball instead of a puck. When it froze, a neighbour would heat it up in her oven.
As a young teen, Howe played on the King George Athletic Club bantam hockey team. In 1944, he was invited to the training camp of the Detroit Red Wings, and signed to the organization at just 16 years old. He would spend two years in the juniors and minors, playing briefly for one of the organizationâs farm teams in Ontario, and later for the Omaha Knights in the 1945-46 USHL season. There, he officially became a pro, and scored 48 points in 51 games.
Howe would make his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings at the age of 18 on October 16th, 1946, during which he scored a goal against Turk Broda. With 7 goals in the 58 games of his first season, Howe, who played right-wing, didnât immediately shine. It wasnât until he was paired up a year later with left-wing Ted Lindsay and Sid Abel at centre to form the sharp-shooting âProduction Lineâ when he would double his points, and begin a long career of prolific scoring.
In terms of skill, Howe is widely considered to be one of the greatest hockey players of all time. His famous nickname, âMr. Hockey,â speaks to his all-around ability. His extraordinary puck-handling, pin-point passing, and subtle yet powerful scoring ability made precision and skill a big part of his repertoire as a player. Simultaneously, at 6 feet and 200 pounds with a nasty mean-streak, he was known just as much for his toughness. He would use his weight, elbows, and stick-ends just as much as his skillful maneuvering to intimidate opponents. Today, the âGordie Howe Hat Trick,â memorializes his multifaceted style of play; it is achieved when a player logs a goal, an assist, and a fight in a single game.
Howe would play 25 seasons with the Red Wings, winning 4 Stanley Cups (â50, â52, â54-55), 6 Art Ross Trophies as the NHLâs top points scorer (â51-54, â57, â63), and 6 Hart Trophies as the NHLâs MVP (â52-53, â57-58, â60, â63). From 1949 on, he was in the leagueâs top five points scorers for 20 consecutive years, a level of consistency that is still unmatched to this day. In 1969, a rift formed between Howe and Red Wings management after he discovered he was the teamâs third-highest paid player. Although he was able to successfully increase his salary, he retired as a player in 1971. He took a front-office job with the Red Wings for the next two years, but received little in the way of work. Howeâs career soon took another, record-breaking turn. Stay tuned for part two!
