Mister Hockey, the legendary Gordie Howe, was almost a Ranger. This is a true story, told to me by Howe, himself.
When he was 15, he showed up at the Rangers training camp in Winnipeg. He was a big, shy kid and the thought of being away from home among big-league players left him awed. He almost starved because of it.
It was jungle law at the training table and some old pro kept swiping Gordie's plate. Finally, during one meal a sensitive veteran noticed that Howe had nothing but his silverware. "Drop that plate and let the kid eat," demanded Alf Pike, a man who later became coach of the Rangers.
Gordie carried his diffidence right into the dressing room. He was especially embarrassed because he had no idea how to adjust the complicated equipment the pros wore.
"I just dropped the gear on the floor in front of me," he said, "and watched the others. I found out pretty early that the best way to learn was to keep my mouth shut and my eyes open."
He was only 15 years old and homesick. Finally, when his roommate left for home, Gordie sulked for two days and he, too, departed.
A year later he showed up at the Red Wings camp in Windsor, Ontario and soon was signed by Detroit,
As we all know, the rest is/was history.
P.S. A few years later, Gordie's kid brother, Vic, played for the Rangers farm team, the New York Rovers. He was big like Gordie, could shoot like Gordie and could skate like Gordie. He had a couple years with the big club. One problem: he was nor Gordie Howe!