1975 WHA All-Star Game Program


I picked up this rare program last week, it's from the 3rd annual World Hockey Association All-Star game. It took place on January 21, 1975 at the brand new Edmonton Coliseum. 
The lineup page is below and shows many Hall of Famers. 

The West team won by a score of 6-4, and were led by 46 year-old Gordie Howe who had a goal and an assist. The capacity crowd of 15,326 saw what was supposed to be the last All-Star game in the legendary career of Howe. Of course he would play another five full seasons after this one and played his actual last All-Star game in 1980 as a member of the NHL's Hartford Whalers. 
Gordie's goal was the result of a half-speed backhand shot trickled over the goal line. "I was trying to pass into the goalmouth," he said. "I knew it was in when Andy Brown (East goalie) called me lucky." Howe even kept his stick from the game wrongfully stating it was his last All-Star match. "Sure it was fun. It's nice to wind up with one for the road, but the real highlight was to have the kid score one." Mark Howe took a flip pass from his pop to score the first goal of the game.


Terrific sketches of all the players throughout the program. Bobby Hull joined Howe in scoring a goal for the West squad in the second period. 


Despite Howe's heroics, the MVP of the match would be Rejean Houle of the Quebec Nordiques. He would tally two goals and two assists as the all-French line of Houle, Marc Tardif and Serge Bernier.




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