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Tomorrow in Nashville, I will be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. I'm rarely speechless or overwhelmed, but I have to admit that I'm just a tad nervous -- in a good way -- about the night. I've been working for months on my speech, trying to convey exactly what I want to say. Where do I start it? How do I end it? How could I possibly and adequately thank everyone who is deserving of recognition for how they've influenced and assisted me?
I'm also an emotional personal by nature (as I wrote in a previous blog, this former hockey enforcer and referee cries also over movies like Toy Story 3). I's going to be hard to keep myself together. Everytime I think about my dad, Bill Stewart Jr., my grandfather and fellow U.S. Hockey Hall of famer, Bill Stewart, my officiating mentors and colleagues, my teammates and all of my friends who have passed on but will be will there in spirit along with my family, friends and colleagues who will be there, I feel the tears welling.
In general, the holiday season is my favorite time of year, but I always get emotional. It's been especially acute this year with all of the people who have been reaching out to me. I am a big movie buff, and one of my absolute favorites is "It's a Wonderful Life." One line in particular keeps swirling in my mind: No man is a failure who has friends.
I have failed at many things in my life, personally, professionally and otherwise. At times, I have felt misunderstood. Other times, I look back at my own part in issues. In good times and bad, though, I have an amazing circle of friends. I have two sons who are THE reason that I am still alive. I learned at the foot of the best in my profession, had the best role model imaginable in my late father. In all of those respects, I have led my own wonderful life.
Or maybe it's been nine lives. Kind of fitting, given my nickname from my playing days.
When I was playing 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.
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 the Stew Cat's locker. 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).
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 fight for 10. It's the Dorchester way.
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A Class of 2018 inductee to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, 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 director of hockey officiating for the ECAC.
Order Paul's new autobiography, entitled "Ya Wanna Go?" at YaWannaGo.com.
Blogger •Former NHL Referee • 
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