The Stewart Family

In hockey there are families of distinction; The Patricks, the Smythes, the Irvins, Conachers, Hewitts, Howes, Hulls, Plagers and Sutters are some that come to mind.

Another is the Stewarts.

Paul Stewart joins us. He is a former player with the World Hockey Association and the Quebec Nordiques of the National Hockey League. Stewart played with Mark Messier in Cincinnati for the Cincinnati Stingers and he was responsible for getting Messier his first beer.

His last season of professional hockey was 1979–80 with the Quebec Nordiques. After his playing days were finished, he had a lengthy career as an NHL referee. Stewart is currently Men’s League Supervisor of Officials for ECAC Hockey.

Paul Stewart comes from a hockey family as well. Most notable, Bill Stewart (September 20, 1984-February 14, 1964) was an American coach and sports official who was an hockey referee and coach, and also an umpire in baseball’s Major League. In his first season as head coach of the Chicago Black Hawks, he led the team to a Stanley Cup in 1938. Born in Firchburg, Massachusetts, he was the first American-trained head coach to win the Stanley Cup. He was also an umpire in the National League from 1933 to 1954, and officiated in four World Series (1937, 1943, 1948, 1953) and four All-Star Games (1936, 1940, 1948, 1954), calling balls and strikes for the last contest. He also was the home plate umpire for Johnny Vander Meer’s second consecutive no-hitter in 1938 and was the crew chief for the 1951 three-game pennant playoff between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Paul Stewart chats with us about his careers, his family and his battle (successful to date) against Cancer.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access Decmber, 2008)