Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Like A Greek God

06/10/2016 at 5:31pm EDT

from Vartan Kupelian at the Detroit News,

I grew up in Detroit and Highland Park. Going to Red Wings games with my father was a ritual. He was a factory worker, but back then, even blue-collars could afford to sit in the upper deck or buy standing room and sit on the steps. That was a different time, in a lot of ways, but always special because we were privileged to see Howe, the greatest athlete I ever covered, and nothing was an inconvenience.

Howe could hit a baseball a mile. He could hit a golf ball two miles. And if somebody dared challenge him on the ice, he could throw that poor guy unfortunate enough to be wearing an opposing jersey into the cheap seats. His nickname among teammates was “Power.”

I was sitting in a Greek mythology class at Wayne State years ago when the lecturer began talking about contemporary heroic figures, those among us who the Greeks would turn into myths. He surveyed the class, looking for responses. There were none. Disappointed, the professor continued.

“Think about it,” he said. “Somebody with super-human strength. A powerful physique. Someone who combines a menacing appearance with a kind, gentle soul.”

Still, no response from the befuddled students. Exasperated, the professor said, “Isn’t anybody here a hockey fan? Doesn’t anybody here know about Gordie Howe.”

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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