Gordie Howe never forgot his prairie roots. We see Howe at about the age of 60 standing in a white Red Wings jersey holding the blade of a hockey stick. In the background, the wheat fields of Saskatchewan.

Gordie Howe never forgot his prairie roots.
Photo Credit: cbc.ca

A look at the many legacies of Gordie Howe

They buried Gordie Howe in Detroit on Wednesday–a lifetime away from the prairie farmhouse in Floral, Saskatchewan where he first made his presence felt.

Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky in 1972. Gretzky patterned his public persona on lessons he learned from Howe. We see a somewhat buck-toothed, mob-topped, blond Gretzky smiling at the camera as Howe who is sitting to Gretzky's right, playing wraps the blade of a hockey stick under Gretzky's chin. Gretzky was
Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky in 1972. Gretzky patterned his public persona on lessons he learned from Howe.

The birth announcement did not record if his lethal elbows and massive forearms arrived fully formed with him.

Or, maybe those elbows and arms ballooned as he muscled away his eight siblings in quest of the meat and potatoes set before them.

Unlikely.

For if Howe was the ultimate meat-and-potatoes guy as he forged his way to four Stanley Cups and a playing career that lasted from 1946 to 1980, the one thing that did appear to grow was his ego.

From all reports, Howe remained genuinely down to earth.

Which, of course, is not the same thing as saying he lacked a temper.

Pity the poor opponent attempting to inflict damage in the corner of an NHL rink.

Gordie Howe in his prime in the 1950s. Howe spent most of his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, and played 33 pro seasons. It's a black and white photo with Howe, missing most of his teeth, in a dark Red Wings jersey. He is looking up the ice under hair that his beginning to recede. We see his famous number nine on the sleeves of the jersey. Behind him we see the fans dressed in dark suits and ties and--in 1950s fashion--wearing short hair.
Gordie Howe in his prime in the 1950s. Howe spent most of his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, and played 33 pro seasons. © cbc.ca

Retaliation from Howe was swift and lethal.

This was one tough guy.

And one humble guy.

It was Gordie Howe who wrote the book on how one acts–both for superstars that followed him and for an awful lot of Canadians.

The credo: “Ah Shucks.”

“The bigger the star you are,” Howe seemed to say, “the more humble you better be. This is how it’s done. You never blow your own horn.”

Calgary-based sports commentator and author Bruce Dowbiggin, who had many dealings with Howe, joined RCI by phone on Thursday to discuss the many legacies of the man known as “Mr. Hockey.”

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