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Last year during the winter holidays, I was honored when NPR turned my story about the Christmas I received my first pair of skates into a special holiday-themed edition of their "Only a Game" program series. The story subsequently moved nine-year-old Matthew Sherman to team up with local student illustrator Chloe Mako to create a children's book, entitled "A Magical Christmas for Paul Stewart."
I was very touched by the NPR program and the book that Matthew and Chloe created, especially the fact that they are donating a portion of all of their book sales to the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation so that inner-city kids will have the opportunity to learn to skate and play hockey. My childhood skates served me well for years and years, and hope those worn by the Snider Hockey kids will as well.
Due to the success of last year's program, NPR did another "Only a Game" program related to my memories of my father, Bill Stewart Jr. This year's program is entitled
A Hockey Referee Meets Mr. Spock.
On a surface level, the story is about a chance meeting I had at airport with famous actor Leonard Nimoy, who was a student of my father's at English High School in Boston years before he went on to acting face. My dad and I used to enjoy watching Star Trek together, and he would inevitably remind me that Mr. Nimoy was an English High kid made good.
By the time I met Mr. Nimoy at the airport, my dad was in very poor health and did not have much longer to live. After telling him who my dad was, Mr. Nimoy told me of his fondness for my dad as a teacher and asked if he could write my dad a little note for me to deliver. On a business card, he wrote, "Coach Stewart, it was always a pleasure."
The note brought a smile to my father's face at a time when he was in chronic pain and knew he had limited time left. I have always been grateful to Mr. Nimoy (who himself passed away
three years ago). In all honesty, however, Mr. Nimoy may have been one of the most famous people whom my father taught at English High but his experience was typical. My father was a wonderful teacher and coach and I've lost count of how many of his former students over the years have told me of their esteem for him.
My father taught high school because it provided him an opportunity to coach various sports and to help young people along their paths in school and life. As a coach, while wins and losses certainly mattered, the focus was on developing skills and character. In short, my dad taught to coach and coached to teach. He was the same way as a parent; the best teacher and role model any child could ever want.
Apart from the NPR program, the Leonard Nimoy story is one of many about my dad that appear in chapter 2 (and elsewhere) in my new book, "Ya Wanna Go?". As a side note, as part of Cyber Monday nationwide, we are providing a one-day 20 percent discount off all book orders placed via my official website,
YaWannaGo.com. The coupon code is LETSGO (all caps).
Even if you are not interested in the book itself, I think anyone who ever had a special teacher at school whom you fondly recall to this very day would be able to relate to the NPR show about how Leonard Nimoy never forgot my dad even through the distance of time and his life path that took him to Hollywood fame.
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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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