Today is the 30th anniversary of Gordie Howe’s 1,000th career goal. He scored it as a member of the WHA’s New England Whalers against the Birmingham Bulls in a game played on December 7, 1977 in Birmingham Alabama off of goalie John Garrett. Garrett would later end up playing for the Whalers when the Bulls folded and ceased operations.
Howe, who played for the Detroit Red Wings, Houston Aeros and New England/Hartford Whalers, is a member of 11 Hall’s of Fame, and played several seasons professionally with his sons, Mark and Marty.
Howe who is known as Mr. Hockey won four Stanley Cups with Detroit while playing along side fellow Hockey Hall of Fame members Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay on “The Production Line” named for their scoring and as an allusion to Detroit’s auto factories.
Howe played his final NHL Game on April 6, 1980 with the Whalers and scored a goal against his former team the Detroit Red Wings.
