Displayed is an Oct. 1946 Gordie Howe signed Detroit Red Wings pre-season card stock scorecard, a very rare offering and the first we have seen. The Hall of Fame right wing played in the top levels of professional hockey for 32 seasons: 26 seasons in the NHL and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA). Howe played the first 25 seasons of his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings (1946-71). After a two-season retirement, Howe made a comeback, playing for the Houston Aeros of the WHA, and he won a pair of WHA Championships for Houston while playing on the same Aeros teams as his sons - Mark and Marty. Later, Gordie again was on the same team as his sons, playing in the WHA for the New England Whalers. In his NHL career, Howe scored 801 goals, tallied 1,049 assists, and had 1,850 points - each an NHL all-time mark until Wayne Gretzky surpassed Howe in all three categories. Howe made his regular season debut for the Red Wings soon after the game listed on the offered scorecard. In that debut appearance, Howe scored his first NHL goal. In that 1946-47 rookie season, the 18-year-old scored 7 goals and added 15 assists for 22 points.

The offered 6.25x9.5" 4-page scorecard was for a pre-season game in late September or early October in 1946. The game was between the Red Wings and the Cleveland Barons, of the minor league American Hockey League. Howe is listed as "Gordon Howe" on the scorecard, with his uniform number "19." He switched to his famous Number "9" in the next season. The scorecard also lists the lineups for two other minor league teams, most likely for another exhibition game on another night. The scorecard also has an advertisement for an upcoming Sugar Robinson fight at the Olympia. Gordie Howe signed the scorecard in blue ink, scripting a big and bold, neat signature. The scorecard has some light foxing and some light stains. The pages all have two vertical fold lines. Some of the blue ink from Howe's signature has faintly bled onto the first page. Despite some minor imperfections, the scorecard has nice, vintage eye-appeal, and it presents well.

Estimated domestic USA shipping cost only. Does not include handling or insurance: 16.16 Please feel free to contact us for a more accurate shipping cost.