Paul Stewart: Rambunctious Fans and Rogue Zamboni Drivers

Awesome stuff as usual, Stewy! This blog is gold!

As a hockey official and WHA historian, this blog is must-read stuff. Can't wait for the book to come out. Any ETA on that Stewy? Hopefully plenty of WHA stories in there. Honestly can't possibly see myself putting that thing down until I've read it cover to cover at least twice.

As a hockey official and WHA historian, this blog is must-read stuff. Can't wait for the book to come out. Any ETA on that Stewy? Hopefully plenty of WHA stories in there. Honestly can't possibly see myself putting that thing down until I've read it cover to cover at least twice.
- Doubles

Thanks for your interest. We are currently talking with a couple of national publishers and one regional one.

Stewy

Nice stories Paul thanks for sharin'

Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, Devorski, .... please do a blog on Devorski.



Something about rhyming with Budging Ratholes.

This is the most unprofessional thing I have seen and it is hurtful to the game in light of the boxsheet. Something is not right here.

I have more than a few memories like those as well Stewy especially from my days around the AHL and while I was with the Philadelphia Firebirds in the always fun NAHL with our particularly colorful coach Gregg Pilling. One night in January, 1977, while we were in Lewiston, ME, for a game with the Maine Nordiques, as a promotion that club decided to present Pil with a special award just before the game started because his always entertaining antics behind the Firebirds bench and those of our players on the ice guaranteed the Nords a full house at the Central Maine Youth Center whenever we visited.

Lining up with the Nordiques for the special presentation was the club's mascot, the snowman "Bonhomme" named after the Carnaval de Quebec mascot from Quebec City, the home of the club's WHA Quebec Nordiques parent team. When the time came to present Pil with his "special award", the club's owner, William Rocheleau -- who was also the NAHL President and a former Mayor of Lewiston -- came out on the ice to make the presentation while the PA announcer called out Pilling's name but he was nowhere to be seen. As Mr. Rocheleau stood there puzzled on the ice and the crowd began to murmur, the announcer called Pil's name several more times to no effect until finally Bonhomme left the line up of Nordique players, skated over to Rocheleau, made a snow shower hockey stop, and removed the head of his costume with a flourish to reveal himself as being the Firebirds' coach and the evening's honoree, Gregg Pilling, to the great amusement and cheers of the crowd, the players, officials, and especially Bill Rocheleau!

Ah those were the days!!!

Solid story! Thanks!

Great read! I'll be back more often.

Here is a picture of Gregg Pilling, the extremely colorful Philadelphia Firebirds' coach I mentioned above, as a 19-year old winger with the 1962-63 Memorial Cup champion Edmonton Oil Kings. Two of his teammates on that team were Glen Sather, now the long time GM of the New York Rangers, and Pat Quinn, currently Chairman of the Board of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and of the three Pil was considered to be the truly "wild" one!!

As a Sabres fan we really hated you Stew. Great stories regardless, keep it up. makes for great reading enjoyed by all. Great perspective of the game from the other side.