NYR Alumni Birthday January 25:
Gordie Dwyer LW (2002-2003)
Today in NYR History January 25:
1967: The Rangers honor Harry Howell for reaching 1,000 games in the NHL.
The New York Rangers held a special night for their star defenceman, a tribute local sportswriters cheekily tagged 'A Night to Howell.' The celebration came two nights after Harry became the first Ranger to play 1,000 games with the team, and occurred in the midst of his most productive season. "It was the first and only night they had ever had for a New York Ranger hockey player at that time," Harry states proudly. "That was thrilling. They had a couple of plane loads of people come down from Hamilton to be there. All the relatives were there." Regrettably, a fifty-person delegation of friends missed the ceremony as New York's Kennedy Airport was fogged in.
Howell and his family received a tremendous number of gifts, including a special medal from New York's mayor, John Lindsay and three vacations. "It took them about an hour and half to read all the gifts that I got," laughs Howell. "Then, it was capped off by a new car they drove out onto the ice. Out jumps Louie Fontinato, Red Sullivan and Camille Henry. That was a real thrill. We had a great party when it was all over."
It took Howell and his family six trips in a station wagon to get all the booty home once the game ended in a 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins.
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