| | TORONTO -- BCE Place, the complex that houses the Hockey Hall of Fame, was
one huge cocktail party Monday night for the induction of Andy van
Hellemond, Ian "Scotty" Morrison and, of course, Wayne Gretzky. Some 3,000 people sipped champagne, hoping for a view of The Great One, or any of the dozens of hockey luminaries in attendance for the ceremony.
|  | | Wayne Gretzky, left, Scotty Morrison, center, and Andy van Hellemond show off their new Hockey Hall of Fame rings Monday. |
Out front, the scene resembled the Academy Awards, except in this case,
everyone knew the winners. Search lights, limousines, red carpets, dozens of
television cameras, plenty of tuxedos and hundreds of star gazers.
For Canadians, it was a night to honor a national hero. For everyone else,
it was the final stage in the career of the world's greatest hockey
ambassador. And the game's best player. Ever.
But for all the hoopla, fewer than 200 people received the privilege
of entering Bell Great Hall for the ceremony. Everyone else had to settle
for television. So, if you can't get in, where would be the best place to
watch it? There was the huge video screen outside the Hall of Fame. Home was
a possibility, as was a sports bar. All decent options.
Few sports bars would have been a better choice than Wayne Gretzky's
restaurant on Blue Jays Way, just a few blocks away from the Hall.
Monday night was probably the best night of the year to get a choice table
in the dining room at Gretzky's. With no televisions in there, only
the truly hungry -- or ignorant or indifferent -- ate during the ceremony.
The bar area, however, was an entirely different situation. With the
exception of the small group biding their time until the martini bar opened next door, the place was full of rabid hockey fans there for one reason: To say they watched Gretzky inducted while sitting in the middle of his
restaurant. Some had the delusional idea that Wayne would stop by afterward,
but most were rooted in reality and were riveted to the broadcast.
No shot of watching Monday Night Football at this place.
People booed when the music portion of the show came on, except for when the
"Hockey Song" was played live. Why is it that every sports tribute show
needs live music? The highlight of the song came when the bar crowd sang the
chorus, and then Stompin' Tom Connors, Canada's version of Hank Williams,
Jr., forgot the song's next verse.
Saddled up to the bar was a long row of Gretzky jerseys, chronicling just
about every phase of his career. Interestingly, no St. Louis Blues sweaters
with No. 99 on it were in attendance. His stay there likely was too short to get
enough shipped north of the border. One guy had a 99 jersey with "Dave
Schultz" on the back. Talk about paradoxes. Gretzky had 2,856 points, and
Schultz had 2,294 penalty minutes.
Each segment of the show ended in cheers, even for career referee van
Hellemond. Clearly, everyone cheered 69-year-old Morrison, who was in full
Scottish regalia, kilt and all. (When Morrison announced his evening outfit
during an earlier press conference, Gretzky grabbed the microphone and said,
"Thank God I'm Polish.")
Obviously the loudest cheers were for Gretzky, but not before the eeriest
silence was dedicated to The Great One. Before he gave his induction
acceptance speech, a tribute film -- which will be on display at the Hall --
was shown, marching the viewer through each step of Gretzky's hockey life.
Even the martini drinkers-to-be watched intently as the home movies and
goal highlights humbled anyone who ever picked up a hockey stick -- or
watched a hockey game.
In the end, Gretzky's speech was anticlimactic. He thanked absolutely
everyone and toed the line, even emotionally. It didn't matter. Everyone in
Bell Great Hall stood up in applause, and so did everyone in the bar. | |
ALSO SEE
Great One joins hockey greats in Hall of Fame
Gretzky takes quick trip down memory lane
Lucky fans go one-on-one with the Great One
Stats Class: How great was The Great One?
To Canada, Gretzky more than a hockey star
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Wayne Gretzky gives thanks.
wav: 626 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
 |
