I've always felt a little connected to Mr. Howe. A Great Aunt of mine used to give him milk and cookies after he and one of my cousins played midget hockey in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Pyscho redneck? I don't know about that but in his prime Gordie was one of the dirtiest players ever to pick up a stick. He had elbows that reached half way across the rink and was never loath to "lay on the lumber". There's a story about him and an old enforcer named Reggie Fleming. The two of them were fighting. Gordie knocked Reggie down. Reggie got up and tried to resume the battle. Gordie knocked him down for a second time and for a second time Reggie made a motion to get up. He was restrained by one of his teammates who said: "For God's sake stay down! If you get up again he'll kill you"! That was one side of him, but he was also one of the best players ever. I would have loved to have seen Gretsky go against him in his prime.
I didn't know about the newspaper thing, but that doesn't surprise me. Gordie does a lot of good things for people out of the public eye. I'm personally attached to a charity that he supports. It was probably financially significant for him too. He was in the league long before the advent of multi million dollar contracts. He is by no means rich.
Good on you Mr. Howe.
David Horne Vancouver BC
>
>