Terry Foster: Gordie Howe Was The Ali Of Hockey
By Terry Foster
@TerryFoster971
A few years ago my daughter Celine had to switch her soccer jersey number from 3 to number 9 because she was joining a new team and another girl got first choice of numbers.
Celine cried.
"I hate the number 9," she said.
I then told her the story of Gordie Howe, the greatest number 9 in sports. He was tough, he could fight and he could score. Many people believe that Steve Yzerman is the best Red Wing ever. My choice is Gordie Howe who played in a different era but is a legend all across North America.
The legend died early Friday in Ohio at age 88 and lived his final days like he lived his life in hockey. He was given up for dead a few years ago but the legend fought and hung around with us for a few more years. He was a tough son of a bitch on the ice and a kind gentleman off it.
Howe died on the same day that the world celebrated the life of boxer Muhammad Ali. I won't lie and say Howe made the same impact on the world like Ali. However, he was the Ali of hockey. I do know that Howe got into more fights than Ali.
Howe scored 1,071 goals and 1,850 points in professional hockey, 801 goals and 1,049 assists in the NHL. He earned six MVP trophies, won the Art Ross Trophies as the top goal scorer six times and led the Red Wings to four Stanley Cups.
I told my Celine story to Howe during a downtown appearance and he smiled.
"Tell Celine that she should wear that number with pride. It is a great number," he said.
I passed the message of the Legend to my daughter and she looked at me with skepticism.
"Does this guy really exist?" she asked me. "Or are you making this up?"
I assured her that Gordie Howe is a real person and we did some research on him. After reading about Howe Celine has worn that number in travel ever since and she wears it with pride. I bumped into Howe afterwards and told him that Celine loves the number 9.
She winked and smiled.
"That number will do her good," he said.
Howe always had a sense of humor. After signing a one-day contract with the Detroit Vipers in 1997, Howe skated one shift which made him the only player to play six decades of professional hockey. I asked about if he was concerned with playing against guys a third his age.
He quipped: "Don't worry. I will take it easy on them."
A few years ago I received a hockey stick at work and was surprised to see it was from Howe.
It read: "To Terry, Sincere best wishes, Gordie Howe '9' Mr. Hockey, 1071 goals – HOF 1972.
It has always been a prized possession. And it will never go on sale.
(Foster can be reached at Terry.Foster@cbsradio.com)
