FeedMeet Mr. Mercenary – Gordie Howe
March 20, 2009 in Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard, Montreal Canadiens, Tour of Powell River Tags: Gordie Howe, Mother Teresa, Mr. Hockey, Powell River, Rocket
Am I wrong to think bad thoughts about Gordie Howe? Is it like being naughty about Mother Teresa and other saints in heaven?
Gordie is in Powell River for two days to help open a grocery store and sign autographs. I didn’t go down because I was never a big fan of Howe’s. There’s another number nine I always preferred. And besides, Howe calls himself Mr. Hockey, which, in my book, is a bit self-indulgent. Does Gretzky call himself The Great One? Nope.
Anyway, Jordy reported the following to me. Howe charges $500 to sign a jersey, which you supply. The $500 doesn’t buy the jersey. He charges $200 to sign a stick, which you also supply yourself. He charges $200 to sign pucks and other miscellaneous items, any of which you also supply yourself. And he charges $60 for photos, which, you guessed it, you supply.
What is that?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Gordie Howe is no Rocket Richard.
This also brings me back to a previous story about Howe. It’s all about money, right, Gordie? http://dennis-kane.com/gordie-howe-didnt-make-an-old-fans-day/
March 20th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
At face value, I agree this appears outrageous. But is this money for him or for some sort of charity?
March 20th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Jordy said the money’s for Howe. There was nothing advertised about charities.
March 20th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
wow really? I read in the paper that he was going to come here but there was no mention of CHARGING for autographs, hopfully everyone there told him to kiss their ass when he asked for money
March 20th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Howe won’t show up for free maybe its the promoter trying to recoup
his money plus abit extra – Howe gets paid no matter if no one shows up
or alot of people show up………
March 20th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Howe doesn’t charge that kind of money around the Metro Detroit area–you can go down to Joe Louis Arena and buy the Wings’ Howe book, “Nine,” and have the thing signed for a total of $70.
Generally speaking, those rates involve a promoter offering an “official” and/or “certified” signing where the vast majority of the fee is split between the event promoter, the event handler, the fancy $2 certificate you receive to ensure that you didn’t receive a signature from Gordie’s doppelganger, and *then* the airfare/accommodations of the person who actually came out to sign whatever you’ve brought.
March 21st, 2009 at 12:44 am
@ George,
The rates he was charging in powell river didnt include any sort of certification with the autograph you received from him. He was a decent guy to talk to but he is way out of line charging fees like that. The cost of guy lafleur or jean beliveau, and alot of other hockey legends costs nothing more then a 60 cent stamp and a half ass letter telling them you a fan and you would like an autograph. Gordie Howe might have more stats then those guys but he sure cant match them in class. As far as where the money was going to , I’ve heard portions were going to charity but nobody seemed to know what one.
March 21st, 2009 at 6:32 am
I’m sure Gordie would be crushed to learn he was on the receiving end of such a withering rebuke by the great Dennis Kane.
Who’s this Rocket Dick anyway?
March 21st, 2009 at 10:00 am
JD, would you have an extra Red Wings jersey and a spare $500 so I can get him to sign it? Please?
March 21st, 2009 at 12:06 pm
JD JD, he had to take a pee
But he had to hold it in
`Cause Howe he had to see
And pay 100 x a fin
Before he did his bizz
After all
His Mr. Hockey is a whizz
Hehehe
March 21st, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Alternative end: Before he took his whiz/After all/Mr. Hockey needs the biz
March 21st, 2009 at 12:16 pm
JD
When you go down to see your hero Mr. Howe,
And he says, gimme 500,
Please don’t have a cow.
March 21st, 2009 at 5:15 pm
wow JD I see you got some extra ordinary feelings towards Mr. Hockey, you might want to keep them to yourself or eye brows could be getting raised around here.
March 21st, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Do your mothers know you’re using the computer?
I can only hope for your sake you’re not all Canadiens fans. How’s HNIC working out tonight, eh?
March 21st, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Naw, JD, you’re the kid here. You got back what you gave out only with some wit and humour. But, like a kid, you fail to see how smarmy you were. Hey, lilttle fella, you made the `Dick/dick’ play.
July 30th, 2009 at 4:52 am
I always admired Howe the hockey player, but I am not sure I would want to play hockey with good ol gordie. I could be wrong, but is howe the guy who used to wipe his nose on his teammate’s jerseys right on the bench? I heard that story somewhere…..In any case, a big part of gordon’s game was intimidation: if he couldn’t intimidate you, he wasn’t the same player (I don’t think its any coincidence that he struggled against the canadiens back in the day because a number of habs refused to let him run them out of the rink).
Anyways, a great player but not the greatest
April 7th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Gordie played in an era when players were notoriously poorly paid. Unlike current players, he probably has a very small retirement check from the NHL. I don’t blame him for cashing in on his name. But back in 1967 I was a kid who wrote him for his autograph, and I got an autographed photo at no charge. I know I’d never get that from Crosby or Ovechkin today.
April 7th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Hi Bruce. Thanks for your comment. I don’t deny that players didn’t make the money back then. I’m almost 60 and understand about these players completely. But Gordie is a millionaire, and 500 bucks or so to sign a jersey that you supply is just too much in my estimation.