Hockey legend Gordie Howe passes away at age 88

[laundry_queen]

35. That's the part I find most impressive

In an era where there was a lot of physical play...to last that long is amazing. He must've been the toughest player ever.

I was lucky enough to have an autograph from him when I was 7 or 8 - my best friend's dad worked with him....He asked my friend's dad if his kids had any friends that wanted some things signed. I didn't have anything except an old 'book of autographs' that I sent with my friend. It came back with a little note from Gordie and he signed it. I remember my dad being more excited than I was, LOLOL. And I was pretty excited because I knew he was a hockey legend. (LOL my dad was mad he didn't know about this beforehand, he said he'd have sent a hockey stick to be signed, not some old crappy autograph book). My friend got pictures with him and everything. I was quite jealous, lol. But who does that? Asks if kids want things signed? Sounds like he was as nice as Wayne Gretzky said he was.

Unfortunately, my mom must have thrown out my old tattered book, because we were unable to find it when my parents moved from my childhood home. It was a bad habit of my mom to throw out other people's stuff in a fit of cleaning (never her own stuff though, of course) and when my dad found out it was gone, he was quite upset. My dad doesn't get mad at my mom very often...but he was very angry.

RIP Mr. Hockey.