Though hockey fans might shake their heads at the circumstances, people of a certain age might be more familiar with hockey legend Gordie Howe (who passed away Friday at the age of 88) from his Detroit Red Wings jersey being worn by Cameron Frye (played by Alan Ruck) in the 1986 film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

So how exactly did a movie taking place in 1980s Chicago feature a high school kid wearing the jersey of a player who retired in 1971 and whose athletic prime was in the 1950s and 1960s?

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As For The Win’s Charlotte Wilder reminds us, director John Hughes was born in Michigan and grew up as a huge fan of the Red Wings. Hughes’ son James wrote about his father’s love for Howe and the Red Wings for Grantland in 2013:

“Was this maybe another instance of him smuggling a Detroit reference into a Chicago narrative? Anyone familiar with Cameron Frye’s outerwear can attest. After the release of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, my father’s brief correspondence with Gordie Howe — a childhood hero who, much to his relief, appreciated the plug — was a personal milestone. In a sense, they swapped jerseys.”

The Howe jersey can be seen throughout Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, as Cameron wears it during the day in question. But it may be most prominently featured in this scene, where you can see the name and number on the back.

As someone who grew up in Michigan and spent his life there, I always thought it was incredibly cool to have Detroit’s hockey team and one of its most legendary athletes immortalized in one of my favorite films. Though I admit to always being puzzled as to why a Chicago kid would wear a Red Wings jersey.

Regardless, it’s always been a fine tribute and one worth remembering on a day sports fans are paying tribute to arguably the greatest hockey player who ever lived.

[For The Win]

About Ian Casselberry

Ian is a writer, editor, and podcaster. You can find his work at Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He's written for Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation.