Gordie Howe has suffered his second major stroke
The stroke occurred last night while Howe was staying at his daughters house in Lubbock Texas. Howe has been there since his release from the hospital after his first major stroke back in October. Mark Howe informed the press on November 16th that his fathers condition had worsened. “Mr. Hockey” is currently in the ICU of a local Texas hospital; his sons Mark, Marty and Murray are on their way to Texas to join their sister Cathy this morning.
It is very likely that Gordie Howe will soon no longer be with us. As I write those words I become teary eyed thinking of all the good that Mr. Howe… Mr. Hockey brought to the people of Detroit and the world of hockey. If anyone is worth their weight as a hockey fan, whether you are from Detroit and grew up a Red Wings fan, grew up in Chicago and despised the “winged wheel”, or you happen to be born after Gordie took his skates off for the last time wearing a Hartford Whalers sweater; (that last example includes this writer.) you know the worth Gordie Howe brought to the world of hockey and to the fans of the sport. Any time a team enforcer gets a goal you cheer for them to get the hat trick, the all encompassing “Gordie Howe Hat Trick”; a goal, an assist, and a fight.
The J-Notes
This man had more goals, more assists, and more points than anyone in NHL history until the only person to beat him was nicknamed “The Great One”. That just goes to show how important and influential Gordie was and is to the game of hockey. To this day I try to tell stories of the great “Production Line” in Detroit; of Sid Able, Ted Lindsey, and Gordie Howe, the greatest scoring line in NHL history! My dad wasn’t even born yet, let alone me. I’ve watched as much film as I can get on those games. It’s like wanting to go back in time and watch Ali fight Forman, you want so bad to go back to Detroit and watch him play and know that feeling those fans experienced.
We as fans can go on about what he’s done over the years, I haven’t event touched the humanitarian work he did with his wife Colleen until she passed in 2009. But I can share how I know who Gordie Howe is; as a comparative newcomer to the sport of hockey, (I’ve only been a fan since 1990 ) I knew who Gordie Howe was by hearing stories from my Grandfather, He grew up in Ohio, not close enough to see a game but close enough to listen on the radio and check out the TV in the window of Polskys department store; that’s how I know who Gordie Howe is, stories being told and pictures of old news papers my Grandfather kept, and that’s what will continue to happen. Gordie Howe will always be Mr. Hockey and will always be this linebacker coming down the boards ready to run you over and embarrass your goalie.
With what little time may be left on this earth for Mr. Hockey, the people here at TMMOTS send our thoughts and prayers to his family in what is one of the most trying times of their lives.