Before there was Wayne Gretzky, there was Gordie Howe. Howe became known as Mr. Hockey, as he dominated the sport year in and year out. He played in the NHL across an amazing five decades: the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s.
It was on this day, February 29th, 1980, that Gordie Howe scored his 800th career goal. At the time, it was a record, which later was surpassed by the great Wayne Gretzky. Gordie accomplished the feat at the age of 51, while playing for the Hartford Whalers.
Howe had a standout career. He won the MVP award six times, and he was able to win the Stanley Cup four times. He helped turn the Detroit Red Wings into one of the most successful organizations in the NHL and he is widely considered one of the greatest to ever play the game, usually #2 right behind Gretzky.