For The Oracle’s ninth issue, we’d like to welcome Gordie Howe, also known as “Mr. Hockey,” to the Hall of Fame. His career spanned six decades, from 1946 to 1980. Howe is known for spending his first 25 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, wearing his iconic red and white No. 9 jersey. Howe has a number of achievements, including winning six Hart Trophies as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player and leading the Red Wings to four Stanley Cup Championships. The “Gordie Howe hat trick” is an expression named after him.
The term is used to describe a player who manages to score a goal, register an assist and get in a fight – all in one game.
During the opening game the playoffs in 1950, Gordie attempted to slam Ted Kennedy of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but crashed into the board headfirst instead. The collision was near fatal, and Howe’s future career seemed uncertain. He suffered a brain hemorrhage, broken nose, shattered cheekbone and scratched his right eye. Luckily, thanks to the work of good surgeons, Howe survived. The fact that even after such a terrible accident Howe went on to have a monumental career proves he deserves to be in the hall of fame. Undoubtedly, Howe will go down in history as one of hockey’s best.
