Legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky has revealed that he felt uneasy when he surpassed Gordie Howe’s goal record in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Gretzky reminisced about the day he set the record, noting his admiration for Gordie Howe, whom he considered not only a great player but also a true gentleman.
Gretzky was quoted by RMNB as saying:
So, I can remember saying to my dad, ‘I’m kinda embarrassed a little bit that I’m going to break Gordie’s record.’ And, he goes, ‘You know what, you can’t be like that. Gordie’s very proud of what you accomplished. Just remember, one day, when somebody breaks your record, you have the same dignity as Gordie Howe.’ I remember I looked at my dad, and I said, ‘Well, can I enjoy this for just a couple days?'
Gretzky became the all-time record holder on March 23, 1994, when he scored his 802nd goal, surpassing Howe’s total. He went on to score 92 more goals before retiring in 1999. Previously, Gretzky stated he would be happy to shake hands with Alexander Ovechkin if he breaks Gretzky's NHL goal record.