Presented here is a tremendous piece of hockey history, a vintage game-used stick from “Mr. Hockey” himself. The great Gordie Howe played 32 seasons of professional hockey, beginning in 1946 as an 18-year-old rookie with his beloved Detroit Red Wings and ending in 1980 with the Hartford Whalers at age 52. He spent the first 25 years of his legendary career in Detroit where he won 6 Art Ross Trophies as the NHL’s leading scorer, 6 Hart trophies as the league MVP, and 4 Stanley Cups. He made 21 NHL All-Star teams as a Red Wing before moving on to the Houston Aeros of the fledgling WHA at age 45 and then helping the New England Whalers save their franchise by merging with the NHL. When Howe retired, he held pretty much every imaginable NHL record: 1,767 games, 801 goals and 1,049 assists. Forever the game’s greatest power forward, Gordie threw his body and fists around like nobody before or since, accumulating 1,685 career penalty minutes and staking claim to the ultimate stat moniker for skill and toughness: “The Gordie Howe Hat Trick.”
This Northland professional model stick likely dates to 1962-63, based on its labeling and design, when Howe had one of his best seasons, taking both the Hart and Art Ross awards for the final time. The top four inches of the handle and knob are taped in black, with strips of white cloth tape on the slightly curved blade. The front side of the shaft has both the player name “HOWE” stamped in black and his iconic No. “9” handwritten in red marker. The “Olympic Sporting Goods Co. – Detroit, Michigan” and “Northland Pro” manufacturer stamps appear on both main sides. There is a heal crack running eight inches up the base of the shaft, but the wood has not split and remains well intact. The stick exhibits an exorbitant amount of game use, with puck and other contact marks covering the blade and lower shaft. This is certainly the finest Howe gamer we have ever come across and truly one of the better examples you will find in the hobby.
Provenance: Our consignor found this stick at his late uncle’s house while clearing out the attic. His grandfather and uncle lived in Detroit and attended many Red Wings game together in the 1960’s. He remembers hearing about a game they attended during which Howe cracked his stick and gave it to his uncle in the stands.