Classic Snap Shot: Glenn Anderson

Glenn Anderson scored 498 goals in the NHL, most of them with the same reckless abandon as shown in this crease-crashing photo from the early 1980s.

Classic Snap Shot: Gordie Howe Celebrates His Birthday

This photo comes from March 31st, 1974, Gordie Howe's 46th birthday. He is celebrating his birthday with his sons/teammates Mark and Marty before a WHA game.

Classic Snap Shot: Chicago vs. Minny

Chicago and Minnesota have a great sporting rivalry, although we are still waiting for the Blackhawks and Wild to heat things up. It certainly was not quite like the old days when the Hawks and North Stars used to go to war.

In today's Classic Snap Shot, Keith Brown gives Brian Bellows an earful, while big Willi Plett is not very far away:

Gordie Howe's Surprise

I can never get enough of the story associated with this picture of Gordie Howe with his parents Ab and Katherine.

The photo was taken on March 3rd, 1959. The Red Wings were honouring "Mr. Hockey" with Gordie Howe Night between the first and second periods in a game against Boston.

Howe was presented with a bevy of gifts estimated to be worth $10,000, which was more than most players were making in 1959. The gifts included clothes, luggage, a trip to Miami, toys for the kids and a brand new station wagon.

But the biggest surprise of the night was who drove the station wagon out to center ice. Much to Gordie's surprise, it was Gordie's parents, Ab and Katherine, in the front seat.

This is significant because even though Gordie played 13 years in the NHL by this point, this was the first time his parents had ever come to Detroit. It was their first time watching their son, the greatest hockey player of them all, play hockey in the NHL with their own eyes.

The teary eyed Howe was too overcome by the surprise. He was not able to score on Gordie Howe Night.

Classic Snap Shot: 1928 Canadian Olympic Team

Here's a team photo of the gold medal winning 1928 Canadian Olympic Team:

This is actually a photo of a plaque that was presented to the team, also known as the Toronto Alumni "Grads" Hockey Club, after capturing gold at the 1928 Winter Olympic Games held in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Note the old wool cardigan sweaters with the felt Canada logo.

Classic Snap Shot: Neal Broten

This is Neal Broten, playing for Team USA at the 1981 Canada Cup. He was a star player with the Miracle On Ice in 1980 and one of the greatest American born and trained hockey players of all time.

Classic Snap Shot: 1954 World Championships

Here's a photo from the 1954 World Championships. The Soviets, in their first ever World Championships and sporting blue jerseys, would shock the Canadians 7-2 and take the gold medal home in their very first championship!

Classic Snap Shot: Valeri Kharlamov

The great Russian hockey player Valeri Kharlamov offers a sign of peace for the holiday season

Classic Snap Shot: Grandpa Howe

By the time Gordie Howe retired from hockey at the age of 52, he was already a grandfather!

Classic Snap Shot: Gump Worsley

Gump Worsley sweeps away a loose puck before Ed Westfall can get to it.

Classic Snap Shot: Terry Sawchuk

Terry Sawchuk steps in front of Claude Provost to clear the puck

Classic Snap Shot: Brad Marsh

An awkward though powerful skating style unfairly gave Brad Marsh the reputation of being a skater slower than a tax refund cheque.

In actuality he was one of the best, if unheralded, defensive defensemen of his time.


Here's the full Brad Marsh biography.

Classic Snap Shot: 1987 Canada Cup

Who will ever forget this overtime moment from game 2 of the 1987 Canada Cup finals:

Classic Snap Shot: Hulls & Gretz

What a line this would have been: Wayne Gretzky centering Bobby Hull on LW and Brett Hull on RW!

Classic Snap Shot: Gordie Howe

This is a team photo of 1945 Omaha Ak Sar Ben Knights, a farm team of the Detroit Red Wings. The coach is Tommy Ivan, but only one player would go on to accomplish much of anything in the National Hockey League. That would be the shortest player in the back row - 17 year old Gordie Howe.

Classic Snap Shot: Bobby Hull

The Golden Jet flies by Dave Balon and Jacques Laperriere.

Classic Snap Shot: Bobby Clarke - Stylin' and Profilin'

Bobby Clarke as you've never seen him before. Believe it or not, that's Boris Mikhailov beside him.

Classic Snap Shot: Hockey Hall of Fame

Since it is Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Day, this is a most fitting choice for today's Classic Snap Shot:


That is Cyclone Taylor breaking ground on the original Hockey Hall of Fame building in Toronto. Foster Hewitt stands behind him.

The Hockey Hall of Fame began enshrining members in 1945, but they had no actual home or museum until 1958 in Toronto. Three years later, a new building opened at Exhibition Place, giving the Hall a permanent home.

The Hall of Fame moved to it's current location at the old Bank of Montreal building in downtown Toronto in 1993.

Classic Snap Shot: Bobby Orr

Even with all those terrible knee injuries, Bobby Orr only knew how to play the game one way - full out:

God bless you, Bobby Orr!

Classic Snap Shot: 1939 Boston Bruins

This is a 1939 issued collage of the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins, one of the greatest teams of all time.

Featured in the photo spread are Milt Schmidt, Woody Dumart, Frank Brimsek, Eddie Shore, Dit Clapper, Cooney Weiland, Bill Cowley, Bobby Bauer, and overtime scoring hero Mel "Sudden Death" Hill.