In the mid to late-1990s, I worked for the New Jersey Devils hockey team. I loved hockey at that time and was well-versed in its history. In 1995, Gordie Howe and his wife, Colleen, wrote their autobiography, titled And ...Howe
(For those of you who don't know, Gordie Howe is one of hockey's greatest all-time players, who became a star for the Detroit Red Wings in the 1940s and was hockey's greatest player in the 1950s and 60s. He was known as "Mr. Hockey." He played in the NHL until 1971, then came out of retirement to play with his sons in the WHA in 1973. He retired in 1980 - at the age of 52 - as the NHLs all-time leader in games played, goals, assists and points. Gordie was a complete player who had all 5 tools - shoot, skate, pass, check and fight - and the "Gordie Howe Hat Trick," consisting of a goal, assist and fight in one game, was obviously named after him.)
So in early 1996, Gordie went on a short book-signing tour to promote sales of And ...Howe! One of his stops was at the old Steinbach's department store (formerly Ohrbach's) at the Bergen Mall in Paramus, NJ. He was scheduled to sign from noon to 1:30pm on a weekday, so I left for lunch at the Devils offices at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford at noon, hoping to be back by 1pm as we only had one hour lunches.
When I arrived at Steinbach's, the line was not too long, though other fans had begun to file in behind me. Most fans were wearing jeans and tee shirts - some were wearing Red Wings gear - but I was wearing my Devils office garb - a suit and a hockey tie (I left the Devils in 1999 but still have about 2 dozen hockey ties).
I laughed and explained that I worked for the New Jersey Devils and was wearing my office attire. Gordie stopped signing, got up, shook my hand and asked how his old friend Max McNab was doing. Max had been the Devils General Manager before Lou Lamoriello arrived. Max built the team that went to the 1988 Stanley Cup Semifinals the year after he was replaced by Lamoriello. McNab was still in the office in an advisory capacity by the time I began with the Devils as a free lance video editor in 1994 (I was brought on full time in 1995).
I explained to Gordie that McNab had recently retired from the Devils but had been doing well when he left. Gordie smiled, turned to his assistant (or agent... I can't remember, but he had a handler with him) and told the guy to go get him lunch because "my new friend from the Devils will stay with me while you're gone."
Of course, by this time, it was about 12:45 and I told Gordie that I had to leave to get back to work on time. Gordie laughed and said, "You won't get in trouble, just tell your boss that you're with Gordie Howe. Now get back here and sit with me."
How could I refuse? I spent the next 20 minutes listening as Gordie Howe told me great stories of his career while signing for other people. He talked about playing with Max McNab and Ted Lindsay in the 1940s and 50s, the legendary punch he landed that broke Lou Fontinato's nose in a hockey fight, playing in the All Star Game at the age of 51 with the 19 year-old Wayne Gretzky, playing with his sons, Mark and Marty in the WHA and winning the Stanley Cup in Detroit. He was such a gentleman to me (though, unfortunately for the people on line, he was more interested in talking to me than to the fans) and I'll never forget it.
Sure enough, I returned to work about a half hour late and managed to sneak in unnoticed.
A year or two later, I met Mark Howe at a Devils game as he was scouting for another team. Because I kept the book in my office, I brought it up to him and had him sign it, too. Mark was just like his Dad, a gentleman, through and through.
At this writing, December 17, 2013, Gordie is still alive at the age of 85, 3 years younger than former teammate Ted Lindsay. McNab passed away in 2007 at the age of 83. Unfortunately, Gordie's wife, Colleen, also passed away a few years ago at the age of 76. The couple met when she was just 17 years-old.
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