Gordie Howe

Although most of Howe's NHL records have been broken—most famously, his all-time points record fell to Wayne Gretzky in 1989—his status as one of the sport's best-ever players is unquestioned. Twenty years after his final retirement as a player, Howe also remains one of the most respected figures in any sport for his professionalism on the ice and his unassuming demeanor and dignity away from it. In October 1997 Howe returned to play one game with the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League, making him the first hockey player to participate in a professional game in each of six decades. He played for less than a minute, but still managed to score a goal "I've been blessed with a lot of great moments," Howe told Neil Stevens of the Canadian Press with characteristic modesty at the end of the game, "And this was one of them."