Gordie Howe's slow-down during 1979-80

[BobbyAwe]

Bobby Clarke once commented on how the first game he played against Howe, Howe caught him with a wicked elbow as soon as Clarke got near him along the glass. Clarke took it as a badge of honor.

He did the same thing to Esposito as a rookie. In the 6 team league he probably was able to "welcome" EVERY rookie in a similar manner. No doubt just sending the message "don't ever touch me, kid".

 

[FerrisRox]

I always found it interesting that not only did Gordie play with both of his sons, Mark and Marty in the 1979-80 season, but he also had a teammate, Gordie Roberts, who was named after him.

 

[VMBM]

He did the same thing to Esposito as a rookie. In the 6 team league he probably was able to "welcome" EVERY rookie in a similar manner. No doubt just sending the message "don't ever touch me, kid".

IIRC (from Espo's book), Esposito did not feel honoured, though.

The Finn Heikki Riihiranta received a 'welcome' from Howe too, but it was in the WHA in the mid-70s. He body-checked Howe (legally), and apparently Gordie didn't retaliate right away, so Riihiranta thought that he had gotten away with it (he had heard the stories about Howe of course). But then in the next shift, Howe hit him in the face with his stick --> blood, stiches.

Quite frankly, I don't know what to make of this sort of thing; I guess it is in some ways admirable that someone is able to make himself feared and thus untouchable like that, but on the other hand, I find it a bit silly too that someone feels that he is above the basic characteristics (like hitting) of a sport.

 

[JackSlater]

He did the same thing to Esposito as a rookie. In the 6 team league he probably was able to "welcome" EVERY rookie in a similar manner. No doubt just sending the message "don't ever touch me, kid".

Esposito's version of the story is pretty funny, with him telling Howe that he used to be his favourite player. I have read somewhere that Howe said that he used to go out of his way to test rookies to see how they would react to his antics. If they seemed intimidated he knew that he owned them, or something to that effect.

 

[Tarantula]

Esposito's version of the story is pretty funny, with him telling Howe that he used to be his favourite player.

I used to think you were cool man! Priceless!!!

 

[BadgerBruce]

Watched a few Whalers games with Gordie playing, mostly v Buffalo and v Toronto.

The hockey sense was very evident, even if the pace wasn't. Still looked like a top line player in his mannerisms.

He also was well respected, and was given a little more space (some times wisely) than your average forward received.


Curse my father, Pt II
Gordie was playing in Toronto v The Leafs. I thought he looked slow, and commented so to my father.

Dad said, "he's looking for openings, and he's sizing up his chances, he is ready to score." I thought there's no way. 30 seconds later Gordie skates into position, receives the puck, and scores. The release and game recognition still well intact. Dad just looked at me with an 'I told you so' look, didn't say a word.

As my dad was a soccer guy from Europe, and a guy with mostly a passing interest in hockey, that hurt.

Humility 101.
Both the old boys showed me up.

That’s a great story — one I’m sure you will never forget!

Over the years I’ve watched and re-watched the 1974 Sunmit Series, in which Howe played. My God, Game #1 saw Canada start Backstrom (37), Frank Mahovlich (36) and Howe (46) — damn near 120 combined years. I don’t think the Soviets had a single 30 year old on their team.

Anyway, I paid particular attention to Howe for the same reason your father did, Howie: all the little things he did right. What really stood out to me was his ability to make the short pass, almost Crosby-like, to use a current example. The puck was no sooner on his stick when it was gone, right on the tape of a teammate. Also, even at 46 he simply never panicked with the puck and had that “holy smokes, is he ever great!” ability to find the open man. Vision — just supreme vision.

I know lots of people, including a close relative, who played against Howe throughout the 60s, and they tell me that there was nobody like him.

 

[Pominville Knows]

IIRC (from Espo's book), Esposito did not feel honoured, though.

The Finn Heikki Riihiranta received a 'welcome' from Howe too, but it was in the WHA in the mid-70s. He body-checked Howe (legally), and apparently Gordie didn't retaliate right away, so Riihiranta thought that he had gotten away with it (he had heard the stories about Howe of course). But then in the next shift, Howe hit him in the face with his stick --> blood, stiches.

Quite frankly, I don't know what to make of this sort of thing; I guess it is in some ways admirable that someone is able to make himself feared and thus untouchable like that, but on the other hand, I find it a bit silly too that someone feels that he is above the basic characteristics (like hitting) of a sport.

It was Old Time Hockey, so all present views about humanity and ethics needs to be viewed upon through the Old Time Hockey lens.

 

[blood gin]

That’s a great story — one I’m sure you will never forget!

Over the years I’ve watched and re-watched the 1974 Sunmit Series, in which Howe played. My God, Game #1 saw Canada start Backstrom (37), Frank Mahovlich (36) and Howe (46) — damn near 120 combined years. I don’t think the Soviets had a single 30 year old on their team.

Anyway, I paid particular attention to Howe for the same reason your father did, Howie: all the little things he did right. What really stood out to me was his ability to make the short pass, almost Crosby-like, to use a current example. The puck was no sooner on his stick when it was gone, right on the tape of a teammate. Also, even at 46 he simply never panicked with the puck and had that “holy smokes, is he ever great!” ability to find the open man. Vision — just supreme vision.

I know lots of people, including a close relative, who played against Howe throughout the 60s, and they tell me that there was nobody like him.

It's pretty amazing that at 46 he was still doing so much at a high speed and high level...to compete at that level with and against the best. I mean 46 is exceedingly rare in any professional sport. You can't recover as well, the hands go, your wheels go, your release on your shot slows down, you lose velocity. Some guys lose it all, others lose some but retain others (I remember Ryders final season he was an embarrassingly slow skater but his shot was still lethal. He just couldn't get into any position to score. Couldn't even skate with the puck without getting his pocket picked)

Somehow with Howe the usual degradation happened at a much slower rate.

He eventually did go but even to the very end to recover from that severe a stroke, at 87 is remarkable. Maybe we shouldn't have been so surprised

 

[BobbyAwe]

Esposito's version of the story is pretty funny, with him telling Howe that he used to be his favourite player. I have read somewhere that Howe said that he used to go out of his way to test rookies to see how they would react to his antics. If they seemed intimidated he knew that he owned them, or something to that effect.

Actually, I forgot to mention that he did the same thing to Orr also in Bobby's first season - although they both tell the tale a little differently? Gordie said Orr "laid the lumber on the back of my neck" so Gordie flattened him a moment later (I guess it was the usual elbow?) Bobby told the story as if he wasn't sure WHY Gordie hit him, so either Orr just doesn't remember provoking Howe or Gordie is embellishing?

Also Derek Sanderson claimed that Howe knocked him out TWICE IN THE SAME GAME with elbows, and that he regained consciousness on the bench after one of the incidents and had to ask Johnny McKenzie who it was that hit him. McKenzie just said, "Number 9."

 

[VMBM]

It was Old Time Hockey, so all present views about humanity and ethics needs to be view upon through the Old Time Hockey lens.

Well in that case!!!!!

No, I think Howe might have been a bit of an anachronism already in the 1970s... On the other hand, I have seen very little WHA games in my life, so maybe it was a 'jungle out there'. Somewhat of a shock for European-bred players for sure.

 

[DannyGallivan]

There is a lot of merit to Howe's fight in 1959 to Lou Fontinato. After that drubbing of Lou, Howe fought (NHL and WHA included) a total of 8 times over the next 20 years to his retirement. Either out of fear or respect from opponents. I would suspect like others have said that Howe got some extra room because no one wanted to fight him or anger him, or no one wanted to fight him because the thought of losing to a 51 year old might be embarrassing. Or they were in awe of him. It could be that as well.

You're right on both counts. Most players consider other players their peers. How could a 20-something year-0ld player consider a man old enough to be their father, a Hall of Famer, and at the time a player who was considered the best who ever played, as a peer?

Plus, 51 years-old may be too old for some things that involve stamina, but not too old for most strength-based activities including a hockey fight. Howe could have beaten up many of the players in the league in 1980 if he got the first few shots in.

 

[crimsonace]

A few close to me who saw Gordie play in the WHA have told me stories about how young guys would take runs at the silver-haired Howe. He'd pick himself up, and a few shifts later, a young guy would be crumpled up on the ice in the corner. Gordie had picked his spot.

 

[Big Phil]

Plus, 51 years-old may be too old for some things that involve stamina, but not too old for most strength-based activities including a hockey fight. Howe could have beaten up many of the players in the league in 1980 if he got the first few shots in.

Exactly. 50 years old isn't 80 either. No doubt you've lost some of your strength by 80 years old. But at 51? You can easily be as strong if not stronger at 51 than the average 25 year old. No doubt Gordie could have still dropped them.