23 Replies to “Number 9”

  6. Nailed it, Jeff (golly gee!). I kind of think Gordie had teensy bit more success than Howie Meeker, though. Wasn’t it old tomato-faced Jack Adams who said there wasn’t enough money in the entire N.H.L. to pry Gordie away from the Red Wings? And that was BEFORE he did anything of note.
    More trivia; I’m pretty sure Gordie was only the 3RD player in N.H.L. history to hit 100+ points in a single season; he did it the same year as Phil Esposito and Bobby Hull… but Gordie Howe was 40 (40!) years old when he did it (1968-69).
    He had a couple so-so line mates that year (some guys named Delvecchio and Ma-hellovich, er somthing like that), and between the 3 of them, they scored about 120 goals, highest output ever up to that time by a regular N.H.L. threesome, if I recall (did I mention Gordie was 40 at the time?)

  7. Could make an argument for Horton as one of the most reliable defensemen who ever played, for sure. In my opinion, I would put Bobby Orr at the top of the heap as far as defensemen are concerned. I remember Tim Horton, though; they say he was strong as a bull. He sure had a lot of success with the Leafs.

  10. Thanks Joe B
    As a kid I read every thing I could on hockey and the Howie Meeker thing always stuck with me. Even as a kid in the 70’s and 80’s I remember wondering how the heck could Howie freaking Meeker win the Calder over Howe.

  11. Jeff, Justthinkin…
    Howie Meeker’s nickname? Hurricane Howie… really! I understand he could skate like the wind; had a bad back so he packed it in after 6 or 7 years.

  12. Ah Gordie Howe. A triple header on numerous occasions (1 goal, 1 assist, 1 fight). I remember him giving Orr a receptive elbow in retaliation for a slash. Orr got the message.

  13. And Gordie wasn’t paid what they are getting now.Motivated by something other than the bucks. Gordie played over 6 decades.

  17. “High-scoring N.H.L. brother act…
    Gordie… 801 goals.
    Vic…… 3(?) goals.
    Posted by: Joe B. at April 12, 2007 12:44 AM ”
    No … Gretzky and his sister had 894 between them. No sister? OK, brother Brent had 1 NHL goal.

  18. I grew up a Chicago Blackhawks fan, but, even though I was only about ten at the time, I thought that it was tacky for them to change Bobby Hull’s number to 9 (from 16, I think), so that he could have Gordie’s number. Gordie deserved to have that number all to himself.

  19. Our time as hockey fans determines who we think the greatest hockey players are. For me, though I admire Gretzky as player and person, it was Bobby Orr. He was a magnificent hockey player who could take over a game at will, it seemed. Even though I am a die-hard Leafs fan (masochist?), and hated what Orr did to them, he was amazing – blazing speed, powerful stride, could shoot, pass, deke at full speed, with deceptive release that fooled many goalies.

  20. Yes Hulls number was 16, they used it again for the Russia series when Hull and Howe both went. they debated at the time about using two #9s and then defered to elder statesman and Bobbys old number. Howe was Hulls hero. I think they first met when Bobby was a 10 year old wunderkind.

  21. “Gordie deserved to have that number all to himself.”
    On behalf of Montreal Canadiens fans everywhere: Um, no. Howe will never be the first guy we’ll think of when we see #9.

  22. Shortly after the picture was taken, the photographer complained of receiving an elbow in the eye as Gordie left the building.
    He rocks. 🙂

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