Growing up during the Depression, we didn't have much, but we had each other, we had our friends, and that was pretty much all we needed. I was aware that some people had more, but those who did, shared.
— Gordie Howe
It's been said that, while growing up, I ate meals with my skates on. It's true.
I'm aware that not everyone approved of how I played, but I don't think any apologies are in order. Early in my career, I decided that it was worth it to do whatever was necessary to earn the extra split second it takes to make a pass or shoot the puck.
It doesn't matter whether I'm in an NHL arena, at a local rink, or on a sheet of ice in the middle of a baseball stadium: when I'm around the game, I feel at home.
I wish I had more opportunities to play for Canada when I was younger, but pros just never had the chance in those days. It was just set up that way.
You should hold the top hand on the stick like you would hold a hammer when you're driving a nail. You have the most leverage, and you won't get your wrist broken.
If Colleen Howe had been a hockey player, she would have been a centremen. I can see her as a centreman because you can do what you want and go wherever you want to go.
My mother and dad played the fiddle and the guitar.
You find that you have peace of mind and can enjoy yourself, get more sleep, and rest when you know that it was a one hundred percent effort that you gave - win or lose.
Growing up, I probably raised a bit more hell than I should have.
If you make it anywhere in life, you owe that success to the people along the way who stuck up for you, or made sacrifices for you, and gave you a push when you needed it. In my case, those people were my family.
I might have some quibbles with the way the game is played today, but at its core, I know that hockey will always be hockey no matter what year the calendar reads.
It's not easy to retire. No one teaches you how. I found that out when I tried it the first time. I'm not a quitter.
I would say it is important to have a good education, as hockey is a career that does not last many years, and you need to be prepared for this.
The first time I met Wayne Gretzky... he never said anything back.
People say I'm henpecked. Well, let them say it.
I helped put in a rink in Cadillac, Michigan, when my wife was very healthy. She helped them put it in and the rink is going full-bore the last time I was there.
All hockey players are bilingual. They know English and profanity.
That was Dad. Don't take any dirt from anybody.
If I learned one thing by playing professional hockey for thirty-two years, it's that you have to love what you do. And that's not just true for sports.
I like to think that I'm a family man first and a professional athlete second.
I don't want to retire, because you stay retired for an awfully long time.
I still believe it is important that children have a chance to play other sports because they all offer learning experiences. Soccer is a growing sport and would be a good complement to hockey.
My philosophy is never start talking about 'if,' 'and,' 'but' or the past, because 90 percent of what follows will be negative.
There's always something in the game you wish you would have done different. That's why players improve, because they learn from what they did before. They might have been guessing before, but now they know.
American professional athletes are bilingual; they speak English and profanity.
You've got to love what you're doing. If you love it, you can overcome any handicap or the soreness or all the aches and pains, and continue to play for a long, long time.
