Howie Meeker
A Canadian hockey original who leapt from winning the Calder Trophy to teaching the nation the game with infectious, telestrator-fueled passion.
1923–2020 (age 97)·Canadian politician and ice hockey player·Birthday: November 4·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Howie Meeker lived several public lives, each stamped with his trademark exuberance. He burst into the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, winning the Calder Trophy as top rookie in 1947 and a Stanley Cup soon after, his career interrupted by a wartime injury. But his lasting impact came from a microphone and a chalkboard. On Hockey Night in Canada, Meeker revolutionized sports broadcasting. With his rapid-fire delivery and pioneering use of the telestrator—a device that let him draw on the screen—he broke down plays with the zeal of a schoolteacher, which he also was. His 'Howie Meeker's Hockey School' TV series and books taught fundamentals to a generation of kids. He even served a stint as a Member of Parliament, but it was his role as hockey's most animated tutor that made him a household name.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Howie was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Howie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Howie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2020Died at 97
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- Won the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1947 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- Pioneered the use of the telestrator for hockey analysis on Hockey Night in Canada, changing sports broadcasting.
- Created and hosted the influential 'Howie Meeker's Hockey School' television series in the 1970s.
- Served as a Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Waterloo South from 1951 to 1953.
Did You Know?
He lost parts of two fingers on his left hand from a grenade accident during military training in World War II.
He once scored five goals in a single NHL game on January 8, 1947.
His signature broadcast exclamations included 'Golly gee willikers!' and 'Stop it right there!'
“Golly gee willikers!”
