Morning Musically-Minded, Medically-Minded, Masticators!
(Today’s post is sponsored by the letter “M”)
Over the past 600+ episodes, The Simpsons has taken us on an amazing journey involving music, science, and food to name a few concepts.
And what better way to start your week, then by discussing some of these concepts Monday morning?
So let’s get started this week by talking about two historical figures, former US President Woodrow Wilson and Ice Hockey Hall of Famer Gordie Howe.
In the fifty first episode of The Simpsons, Bart the Lover (Season 03, Episode 16), Edna Krabappel is feeling down on her luck and lonely. Flipping through a magazine, she comes across an ad and decides to place a personal ad.
When Principal Skinner invites the Twirl King Champions to Springfield Elementary for an assembly, the yo-yo becomes a craze around the schoolyard.
When Bart’s latest yo-yo trick kills the classroom fish, Bart ends up with a month of detention. During detention, Bart comes across Edna’s personal ad and decides to prank her by responding. Bart pretends to be an adult male called ‘Woodrow’, named after former US President Woodrow Wilson.
When things heat up between ‘Woodrow’ and Edna, and Edna requests a photo, Bart turns to the book “NHL Stars of 1969” and gets a picture of NHL legend Gordie Howe.
Bart: “Strap on your skates, Gordie, you’re goin’ in.”
But when Bart realizes how much his prank has hurt Edna, he turns to his family for help on how to make things right. The episode ends with a screenshot showing Gordie Howe’s professional hockey stats.
But have you ever wondered who Woodrow Wilson and Gordie Howe are?
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson was a member of the democratic party who served as the 28th President of the United States from 1913 to 1921. Prior to this, he served as the 34th Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913 and the 13th President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910. During his presidency, Woodrow led the United States into World War I in 1917, establishing an activist foreign policy known as ‘Wilsonianism’. He was the leading architect of the League of Nations, for which he was awarded the 1919 Nobel Peace Prize.
Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924)
Gordie Howe
Gordon ‘Gordie’ Howe was a Canadian ice hockey player known as Mr. Hockey. From 1946 to 1980, he played twenty-six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA). He played for the Detroit Red Wings, Houston Aeros, New England Whalers, and Hartford Whalers. Gordie is often considered the most complete player to ever play the game and one of the greatest of all time. He became the namesake of the ‘Gordie Howe hat trick’, which is comprised of a goal, an assist and a fight in the same game. At his retirement, his 801 goals, 1049 assists, and 1850 total points (as seen at the end of the episode) were all NHL records that stood until they were broken by Wayne Gretzky. In May 2015, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder announced that a new international bridge spanning the Detroit River would be named in honour of Howe. The Gordie Howe International Bridge is set to open in 2024.
Gordie Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016)
Now that we’ve learned more about Woodrow Wilson and Gordie Howe, be sure to come back next week when we continue our Monday morning musings with the next episode of The Simpsons.
Did you remember Bart using the name Woodrow and a picture of Gordie Howe in this episode? Have you ever heard of Woodrow Wilson before? What about Gordie Howe, heard of him? Who is the most attractive athlete you would like to be catfished by? Sound off in the comments below. You know we love hearing from you.
I’ve heard of both of them. I met Gordie and his wife when I was in grade school, and currently live close to where he grew up. He was known in the NHL for being a bit of a dirty player…you never wanted to get near his elbows if you were on the other team. In fact, Elbows was his nickname among his peers.
That’s so cool you got to meet him. He was my idol’s (Wayne Gretzky) idol. And my idol (who most consider the greatest of all time) always argues that Gordie is the true greatest of all time.
They were both amazing players but we have to remember that they played in different eras (different equipment, rules, number of teams, expectations etc.). If you put Gretzky into Howe’s era he probably wouldn’t have been quite as successful and vice versa.
Back in the day most guys didn’t wear helmets. Before that goalies didn’t helmet or a mask
Gordie Howe
He won the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings 4 TIMES and won 6 Hart Trophies as the NHL’s MVP! His Hockey Stats are legendary, his induction into Hall Of Fame in 1972 is only eclipse by the Statue honouring him that came later (after he died).
OFF TOPIC
How about that new Simpsons Episode Sunday night (it was cool to get backstory on Comic Book Guy – Jeffrey “Jeff” Albertson!)
Woodrow Wilson wasn’t perfect; but he led America through World War I, as well as crafted the Versailles Treaty’s “Fourteen Points” (the last of which is the “League of Nations” to ensure World Peace); and he still has more respect than the 🗑️ 🔥 we had for 4 years (sorry, I tried not to be too political!)
Bart Simpson wasn’t punished enough for what he did to Edna Krabappel (I know it’s only an animated TV Series, but it’s the little things Bart does that lead to Homer Simpson doing his “why you little …..”)
Woodrow Wilson has lately been better known for some extremely racist views (his name is being taken down from schhols and residence halls). He screened Birth of a Nation at hte White House and made a concerted – and largely successful – effort to rid federal civil service ranks of non-whites
Also suffered a serious stroke in the latter half of his 2nd term – his wife Edith is believed to have pretty much run the Executive branch for most of 1920.
Woodrow Wilson was/is the name of my High School…. lol
Cool. Thanks for sharing.
It is one thing to historically be regarded as the best player on a singular sports team, but Gordie Howe was the figurehead of all of Hockey for over 50+ years and given the appropriate nickname “Mr. Hockey”. His playing career spanned two generations of Hockey, and he was able to play side by side with his sons.
Thanks for bringing up that he played with his sons. Forgot to mention that. A fairly unique situation in pro sports with a few notable names coming to mind like the Howe’s, the Griffeys, and maybe in a couple year the James (if Lebron stays healthy).