Going Into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame: My Happiest Day -- Overwhelmed at 91
On Sunday night, Stan Fischler was inducted into the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame. It was an honor of a lifetime.
At age 91, I'm used to All-Bran, looking five times before crossing the boulevard and never telling the same joke ten times in the same day.
But on Sunday night in beautiful Downtown Troy, New York, I was knocked for a loop to end all Ferris Wheels. (Coney's Wonder Wheel included.)
Why? You may ask; I shall tell you.
I walked the New York State Hockey Hall of Fame walk with a few of my heroes. And I do mean HEROES.
Right there alongside me was John Tonelli, by far the most underrated Islander -- and NHLer -- of all time.
"You've been very nice to me," said Johnny T.
"Not nice enough," I shot back, "because without your pass to Bobby Ny in 1980, there never would have been an Islanders dynasty."
Then there was Barry Melrose. I reminded him that we once had a heated argument 25 years ago.
"I came over to tell you for the first time," I said, "that you were right in the argument."
Melrose: "I accept."
Craig Conroy, the newly minted general manager of the Calgary Flames (an inductee as well), was taken aback when I told him I came bearing a congratulatory gift.
"Now that you're in your new gig," I said, "you'll need a savvy Eastern scout. I hereby present you to former Tampa scout, David Kolb, smartest hockey guy I know." (Shhhhh. Craig actually seemed interested; might even be a neat match there.)
I was moved by fellow inductee Dave Taylor and his speech. The former L.A. Kings ace-turned-executive told about his early days, growing up in Northern Ontario.
"My dad worked in the mines," said Dave, "and believe me, it was tough, but it taught me the value of hard work."
Ditto for Pal Tonelli, who grew up in Canada's Steel City, Hamilton, Ontario.
"Like Dave," said J.T. "I learned from my parents, and it eventually was a trait I took with me to the NHL.;"
I remembered inductee Pierre Luc-LeBlond as a rugged New Jersey Devil. We kidded about the old days and Lucky Pierre turning into a stand-up comic.
Then I warned the one-time enforcer. "Never, ever, be funnier than Fischler!"
Many honors were doled out to the following;
Bryan Blomquist, Chriss Fess, Jody Gage, Danny Gare, Ron Kuhl, Jessica Link, Mark Pavelich, Steve Riggs, Buzz Schneider, and Colette Youlen.
Special thanks to host Rene LeRoux for making this all possible.
I kid you not; it was one of the best days-nights of my 91 years!