Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

10-15-89 . . . In hockey news, Wayne Gretzky passed Gordie Howe on the all-time National Hockey League (NHL) scoring list. Howe, who played most of his long, distinguished career with the Detroit Red Wings, scored 1850 points in 1767 games. Gretzky, who is still only twenty-eight years old, has scored 1852 points in 780 games. He is in his eleventh NHL season. Ironically, Gretzky scored the record-breaking point (a goal) in Edmonton, the city where he played until last season. Gretzky, who led the Oilers to four Stanley Cups in five years, now plays for the Los Angeles Kings. It was only fitting that Gretzky should score both the tying goal (with fifty-three seconds remaining in regulation play) and the winning goal. That sums up his career; he’s a winner. Even Howe appreciates Gretzky’s class. “If it was . . . some clown breaking [the record]”, he said, “it would have bothered me. But not Wayne.” Next on Gretzky’s hit list is Howe’s NHL record of 801 goals. Gretzky has 642. At the rate he’s going, he’ll break the record during the 1991-92 season. [Gretzky played 20 seasons in the NHL. He finished with 894 goals and 1,963 assists, for a total of 2,857 points.]