Howie Meeker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Howie Meeker
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1998 (Broadcaster)
Meeker with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1947
Born	(1923-11-04)November 4, 1923 Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Died	November 8, 2020(2020-11-08) (aged 97) Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	1946–1955

Howard William Meeker CM (November 4, 1923 – November 8, 2020) was a Canadian hockey player, coach, and famous TV commentator. He also served as a politician.

Howie Meeker was best known for his exciting and energetic TV commentary on Hockey Night in Canada. He used a special tool called a telestrator to draw on the screen and explain hockey plays.

In the NHL, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie. He is also one of the few players to score five goals in a single game. Meeker won four Stanley Cups, all with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He received the Order of Canada and is in the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame for his broadcasting work.

Meeker was the last living member of the Maple Leafs teams that won the Stanley Cup in 1947, 1949, and 1951. He was also the last living player from the very first NHL All-Star Game.

Howie Meeker's Early Life

Meeker was born in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1923. He grew up in New Hamburg, Ontario. He played junior hockey for the Kitchener Greenshirts and Stratford Kist. In the 1941–42 season, he scored 29 goals and 45 points in just 13 games. This helped his team, the Stratford Kist, win the OHA Junior-B title.

After playing one more year of junior hockey, Meeker joined the Canadian Army. He was seriously injured during World War II, but he fully recovered. After the war ended in 1945, he played one more season of junior hockey.

Howie Meeker's Hockey Career

Playing in the NHL

Howie Meeker was a right winger. In the 1946–47 season, he joined the Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League. He had an amazing first year, scoring 27 goals and 45 points. Because of his great performance, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's best rookie.

Meeker also played in the 1947 NHL All-Star Game that year. He tied an NHL record by scoring five goals in one game against the Chicago Blackhawks. He also won his first Stanley Cup with the Maple Leafs that season. This was the first of three Stanley Cups they would win in a row. This rookie season was Meeker's best as a player.

In the 1947–48 season, Meeker scored 34 points and played in the 1948 NHL All-Star Game. He helped the Leafs win their second straight Stanley Cup. The next season, he hurt his collarbone, which limited him to only 30 games. He didn't play in the playoffs, but the Leafs still won their third straight Stanley Cup.

In the 1950–51 season, Meeker won his fourth Stanley Cup with the Leafs. They beat the Montreal Canadiens in five games. Meeker played three more seasons with the Leafs before leaving the NHL. He continued to play hockey for different senior teams for 15 more years, finally stopping in 1969.

Coaching and Managing

Howie Meeker also coached the Toronto Maple Leafs. He became the coach in April 1956. The team finished with a record of 21 wins, 34 losses, and 15 ties under his coaching. In 1957, he was promoted to general manager. However, he was fired before the start of the 1957–58 season.

Howie Meeker's Other Work

Political Career

While still playing for the Maple Leafs, Meeker also worked as a politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. In June 1951, Meeker won a special election in the area of Waterloo South, Ontario. He served for two years but did not run for re-election in 1953.

Hockey Schools and TV Show

Later in his life, Meeker started running hockey schools. These were like summer camps for young players in Canada and the United States. In 1973, he published a book called Howie Meeker's Hockey Basics.

He also had a weekly TV show based on his camps, called Howie Meeker's Hockey School. This show ran from 1973 to 1977 on CBC Television. The show was filmed in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. It showed boys learning basic hockey skills like skating, puck control, and passing. Meeker believed that hockey was not being taught well at younger levels. His show aimed to help coaches across Canada teach the game better. He also spoke out about how important good protective equipment was for young players. The TV series had 107 episodes, each 15 minutes long.

Broadcasting Career

In the 1970s and 1980s, Howie Meeker became very well-known as a hockey analyst and colour commentator on Hockey Night in Canada. He was famous for his energetic style. He would show replays from an overhead camera that gave a full view of the ice. Then, he used a telestrator to draw on the screen and explain plays. His favorite phrase during these segments was, "stop it right here!"

He also worked on Vancouver Canucks TV broadcasts. When TSN started showing NHL games in 1987, Meeker joined their team. He stayed with TSN until he retired in 1998. Meeker often used the phrase, "Keep your stick on the ice," which later became a popular saying.

Helping Others (Philanthropy)

Howie Meeker was involved with Special Olympics for over 40 years. He helped start Special Olympics Canada. In 1988, when he was 64, he helped organize a fundraising golf tournament for Special Olympics in Campbell River, British Columbia. For 30 years, Meeker personally took part in this successful event, called the Howie Meeker Charity Golf Classic. In 2018, at age 94, he welcomed NHL player Clayton Stoner to help co-host the event. This ensured the fundraiser would continue in Meeker's name.

In 2004, Meeker also helped with a golf tournament to raise money for BC Guide Dog Services. This event was so successful that it ran for four years on Vancouver Island. It is now held every year in the Metro Vancouver area. Through their involvement, Meeker and his wife, Leah, helped raise over $350,000 for guide dog services by 2011.

Personal Life

Howie Meeker moved to St. John's, Newfoundland, later in his life and lived there for many decades. He was married to his first wife, Grace, for 55 years. They had six children together. Grace passed away in 1998. After retiring, Meeker lived with his second wife, Leah, in Parksville, British Columbia. He passed away on November 8, 2020, in a hospital in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Howie Meeker's Awards and Achievements

• In the 1942 season, he scored 29 goals and 45 points in 13 games.
• Won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1947.
• Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1947, 1948, and 1949.
• Won the Stanley Cup in 1947, 1948, 1949, and 1951.
• On January 8, 1947, Meeker scored 5 goals in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
• Won the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in 1998 for his excellent hockey broadcasting.
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998 as a broadcaster.
• On December 30, 2010, Meeker was named a Member of the Order Of Canada.
• In 2010, Meeker was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.
• Was the fastest Toronto Maple Leafs player to score 25 goals (later passed by Auston Matthews).

Career Statistics

Coaching Record

Images for kids

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  Meeker with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1947