Meeting Players

[wngfan]

I've met hundreds of player over the years and gotten autos from them, inluding Howe, Maurice Richard, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and other greats!

But the best was at the Expo last month in Toronto

We had gone out to dinner with a couple friends after the show and went back to our hotel. My wife and I are sitting in the bar having a couple drinks. I'm sitting there watching a football game on the tube and my wife says "hey that guy that just walked in has on a HOF jacket on" I looked over and its Glenn Hall, who I just had sign a puck and pic at the show. I went up to the bar and bought him and his son a round of drinks. They got up to leave shortly afterwards but came over to thank us for the drinks. His son sees I'm a Wings fan and put out his hand showing me the SC Ring that the Illitches bought Glenn in 2008 because they never were given rings back in his day. It was amazing to see it up close!!

Anyways, after they leave, the wife goes up to the room and I go check a couple things on the hotels computer. I start heading up to the room and just as I get to the elevator, Steve Carlson walks out. I get up to my room and tell the wife that I was going back down to the bar and see whats going on, plus I was really enjoying a few Alexander Keiths! I get back down to the bar and all 3 of the Hanson brothers are sitting there in the bar. So I sat there and watched the Nucks/Leafs game with the Hansons.

I didnt buy a single card at the Expo, but the night sure made up for that!!

[wpgstarsfan]

A couple years ago I was coaching a Midget AAA team out of Winnipeg, we had the opportunity to attend the big NIKE/Bauer Tournament in Chicago. On our night off we took the boys to a Blackhawks-Stars game. Knowing Toews was from Winnipeg also (as well as a number of other players) as a coaching staff we figured we would try and see if we could set up a meeting after the game. It was almost comical as we were playing our game in the afternoon and the cell phone rang in the middle of the 2nd period, and it was none other than Jonathon himself. Well that puts yyou in an interesting position. The players (and parents) are sitting there looking at us, wondering what the heck we are doing on our phones in the middle of a game. And we didnt want to ruin the suprise and tell them who we were talking to. Needless to say they all figured it out after the game when we got to take thme down by the dressing room and meet all the guys. It was really something neat to see a team of 16/17 yearolds (ironically all dressed in Winnipeg Hawks Jerseys) and me in my Dallas Stars jersey, get to meet a team of guys in their early 20's. All of the players were great, taking the time to meet with the boys and wish us luck in the rest of the tournament. I know i'll never forget how they treated us, and Im sure that something the boys will always remember.

[MasonRaymond0320]

Sweet stories!

Really neat experiences!

Keep em coming

Merry Christmas!