Tough, but great, gig

By Dell
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

On Nov. 8, 2010, I stayed at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto. This is the main hotel used by people attending the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) induction ceremony.

The induction ceremony started at 7:30 p.m. Buses began leaving the hotel, taking people to the HHOF, around 5 p.m. From about 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. there were many ex-players, executives, Hall of Famers and guests in the hotel lobby.

Some people I saw were Billy Smith, Bryan Trottier (pic # 1131), Dale Hawerchuk, Rod Langway (pic 1196), Scotty Bowman, Luc Robitaille, Red Kelly, Marcel Dionne, Vladislav Tretiak, Chris Chelios, Peter Stastny (pic # 1200), Michel Goulet, Ted Lindsay, Johnny Bower, Ray Ferraro and Pat Quinn to name a few. I recognized many other faces who I could not put names to. The 2010 inductees were also there: Dino Ciccarelli, Angela James, Cammi Granato and Jim Devellano.

Security presence in the hotel lobby varies from year to year. Some years, security is tight and other years it is loose. I think it just depends on the guards on duty that night.

This year's group were especially vigilant in enforcing the "no autographs/no photos" policy. If the guards saw a Sharpie or a camera or saw you approaching a player, they would follow you, tell you about the policy, threaten to make you leave the hotel and discourage the player from signing. There was also security staff on the steps leading from the lobby down to street level where the buses and about 10 hounds were.

The security staff basically followed induction attendees right to the bus and tried to discourage the hounds from getting anything signed. Note that the 2010 inductees did not take the street level buses. They took limos that came right up to the lobby doors.

I had a ticket (shown above) to the induction ceremony, so I boarded the bus around 7. At this point, I noticed security staff talking to the hounds on the street. They were telling the hounds that they should leave because there was nobody important left in the lobby. I had just left the lobby and knew that there were still several Hall of Famers in there.

Like I said, security was doing everything they could to prevent hounding. After a short drive, we were dropped off in front of the HHOF. The entire sidewalk had a red carpet, fencing and security staff. In the past, this area was open and hounds could stand on the sidewalk and try to get autographs as people walked into the building. Not this time. The only place to get autographs was if you happened to be standing on the sidewalk right where the bus door opened. About 15 hounds were present and I doubt if they got many sigs.

Upon entering the HHOF building, which is called Brookfield Place, there is a large foyer that leads to the downward escalators that take you to the HHOF entrance. Normally, this foyer is open and hounds can stand there and try to get sigs as people make their way to the escalators. This year, the entire foyer had fences, walls and many security staff. It was, essentially, inaccessible to hounds.

I made my way down to the HHOF entrance (shown above). It was packed with people, such as attendees like me, media, ex-players, family, friends and Hall of Famers) enjoying the free food and beverages prior to the start of the induction. There were dozens of silent auction items like autographed pictures, autographed jerseys, airline tickets and hockey tickets. Inside the HHOF, there was also a band playing. I think they were members of a 1980s Canadian band called Glass Tiger.

When the induction ceremony, started there were choices to be made. Some people went and sat in the auditorium that you see if you watch the TV telecast. People like Gary Bettman, Steve Yzerman and other VIPs had reserved seats up close to the stage. Others sat at the back of the auditorium in a general, unassigned seating area. Some people stayed in the HHOF exhibit area and watched the induction on one of the many TVs that were set up. I watched most of it on a TV that was set up in the Great Hall (shown above), the room that houses all the NHL trophies and the Stanley Cup.

After the ceremony, the new inductees and other Hall of Famers in attendance, such as Ciccarelli (above), came back into the HHOF exhibit area onto a small stage and gave short speeches for those who didn't sit in the auditorium. After the speeches, they left for private parties around town or stayed to mingle.

Some people left the HHOF right after the ceremony while others stayed and again took in the free food and drink. During this time, I had my picture taken with about 10 Hall of Famers (many of whom I named above). I left the HHOF around 11 p.m. picking up my gift bag on the way out to the bus. The gift bag contained a HHOF induction program, induction poster and a calendar. Some posters were autographed and some weren't. Mine wasn't.

Back at the hotel, there was essentially no security presence. I stayed in the lobby until about 1 a.m. seeing several Hall of Famers return from their nights out. Unfortunately, I already had their sigs in my collection so I did not get anything signed.

Though it was tough on the night of the event, it doesn't mean there aren't other opportunities. You can always try in the days before or after the induction. remember, too, that the HHOF induction ceremony is normally the second Monday in November.

In the days before the event, there are usually HHOF-related activities taking place around Toronto that Hall of Famers participate in, such as book signings, autograph appearances and the Legends of Hockey game. You may want to visit the hotel lobby on one of these days to see who is there. Don't forget to visit the hotel lobby the morning after the induction ceremony to try to catch some sigs as people grab breakfast or check out.