Skip to main content

Watch: Red Wings fans sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Gordie Howe

What do you do for Mr. Hockey’s 88th birthday? Why, you get fans at Joe Louis Arena to serenade Gordie Howe with a rendition of "Happy Birthday!"

The SI Extra Newsletter Get the best of Sports Illustrated delivered right to your inbox

Subscribe

Get all of Beth Maiman’s columns as soon as they’re published. Download the new Sports Illustrated app (iOS or Android) and personalize your experience by following your favorite teams and SI writers.

Hockey legend Gordie Howe hits 88 years of age on Thursday, and the Detroit Red Wings helped start the birthday celebration early.

During the first period on Monday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, the crowd at Joe Louis Arena serenaded the man known as Mr. Hockey with a rendition of "Happy Birthday."

Fans also celebrated the hockey legend with team-issued signs and while his actual birthday isn’t for a few days, it’s safe to say the man just enjoyed taking in the good old hockey game.

Sometimes, it’s the simple things that are loved the most.

Howe played right wing for the Red Wings between 1946–1971, appearing in 1,687 games. During that time, he tallied 786 goals and recorded 1,809 points. Howe, who dealt with health problems in 2014, suffering from a series of strokes, was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.