Follow Paul on Twitter: @paulstewart22
Back when I played in the World Hockey Association for the Cincinatti Stingers, we had a game in Birmingham where I dropped the gloves with Gilles Bilodeau. The bad news? He caught me flush with a punch. The good news? I didn't move an inch. Didn't even blink.
Afterwards, my teammate Pat "Whitey" Stapleton said, "Hey, Stew! You gave that guy the cat eye!" Soon, Hughie Harris took to calling me "Stew Cat", and the nickname stuck ever since. Some teammates, like Robbie Ftorek, further shortened it simply to "Cat."
When I played for the Stingers, the guys had a lot of fun with the nickname. When I would do well in a fight or -- gasp -- get a point in a game (I had six of 'em that season, including a goal in a game against New England where I had two fights with Jack Carlson), my teammates used to leave coffee creamers and a bowl in my locker in reference to my nickname. Without a doubt, that 1977-78 season was my favorite one as a player.
Hanging in Cincinnati was fun. The Stingers were outdrawing some NHL teams, and we had a good group of guys with whom I still count many lifelong friends. I got to know and become friends with a lot of famous and not-so-famous folks, including members of the Cincinnati Reds (the then-beloved Pete Rose among them).
Tomorrow, Stew Cat turns 62 years. I was born on March 21, 1953. My birth year is sometimes listed as 1955, for
reasons I explained in a previous blog.
Sometimes, I really do feel like the cat with the proverbial nine lives. I burn through them, get written off and yet land on my feet to fight another day. Career changes, dealing with cancer, dealing with the post-John McCauley NHL officiating bosses who tried to undermine people under them and were more interested in patronage and politicking than the good of the game. If it weren't for my family, friends and my fighter's nature, I wouldn't be here today.
I will be around as long as my Maker wants me to be and then I will be called when my time is up. Whenever that time comes, I hope I have done my part to prepare my sons to be the fine men that I know they'll be, and to do right by them as well as by the memories of my father and grandfather. As for me, I may be on life number nine, but I will sure as hell try for 10.
Today, I'll be at my favorite place on earth -- the hockey rink.
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Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.
Today, Stewart is the chairman of the officiating and discipline committee for the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and serves as director of hockey officiating for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).
The longtime referee heads Officiating by Stewart, a consulting, training and evaluation service for officials, while also maintaining a busy schedule as a public speaker, fund raiser and master-of-ceremonies for a host of private, corporate and public events. As a non-hockey venture, he is the owner of Lest We Forget.
Stewart is currently working with a co-author on an autobiography.
Blogger •Former NHL Referee • 
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