Gordie Howe scores his 600th goal
On November 27 1965 Detroit Red Wing Gordie Howe scores his 600th goal in a game against the Montreal Canadiens.He was the first (and the last until Wayne Gretzky) NHL player to score 600 times in his career.Hed broken the previous record544 goals set by the legendary Canadien Maurice Rocket Richardin November 1963.
That games referee told reporters that Gordie Howe can do more things better than anyone else.Thats just all there is to it.November 27 was a lucky day for Howe On that day in 1960 in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs hed become the first NHL player to earn 1000 points.(Hed broken Richards 946-point record earlier that year.) Exactly five years later he scored his 600th goal a gentle flip shot past Canadiens keeper Gump Worsley at the Montreal Forum.
Even with Howes goal the home team had the game well in handthey eventually won 3-2so the fans could afford to be generous about Howes accomplishment.They cheered politely and sent newspapers programs and other scraps of paper fluttering into the air and onto the ice.In Howes 32-year career he played 2421 games scored 1071 goals (including goals he scored in the post-season and with teams that belonged to the World Hockey Association instead of the NHL) and racked up 2589 points.(He also earned 2418 penalty minutes in his career a tribute to his legendary aggression.
His teammates called him Mr.Elbows Sports Illustrated said he was calculatingly and primitively savagea punishing artist with a hockey stick slashing spearing tripping and high-sticking his way to a comparative degree of solitude on the ice.) Until Gretzky came along Howe held the NHL records for goals810 in the regular seasonand points1850.He was the league MVP six times.Gordie Howe retired in 1971 after his 25th season with the Red Wings but he couldnt stay off the ice for long He soon joined the WHA team in Houston where he played alongside his sons Mark and Marty.
In 1977 all three Howes moved to Hartford to play for the Whalers.That team joined the NHL two years later so Howe was able to add a few goals points and penalty minutes to his official records before he retired for good at age 52.
