Getting our Phil

By Scott II
Hockey Hounds Universe correspondent

Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito was the guest speaker at the Wallaceburg Sports Hall of Fame Induction Dinner in southwestern Ontario on Jan. 29. There were about 350 people in attendance. At 6 p.m., Phil did a 30-minute, sit-down autograph session before dinner. I was right near the front of the line.

I asked him to sign these two hockey cards for me. He stated that he was glad that I brought my own black Sharpie. The dinner organizers gave him only one brown Sharpie to sign autographs and Phil said "Who wants brown autographs?"

I offered him my black Sharpie to keep, he thanked me and kept it. I pulled my blue Sharpie out of my pocket and gave it to him, too.

Around 7:30 p.m., Phil was done eating supper and was still sitting up at the head table. I've had his autobiography Thunder and Lightning since 2003 and wanted to get it signed. I took the book up to the head table and asked him to sign it. He said "Hey, you have my book".

He then proceeded to show the pictures in the book to other people at the head table for a good 10 minutes. He was explaining pics of his wife, kids etc. He apologized for making me wait, but said that he likes looking at the old pictures in the book. The wait gave me time to grab my camera and snap a pic of him signing the book.

He gave the book back to me with a huge, beautiful sig, asked me if I liked the book and thanked me for bringing it. By now, a line had formed up at the head table and he was busy signing again.

I had to leave early so I did not hear his speech later on in the evening.

For the few hours I was there, he was a willing signer and signed multiples for anyone who asked. Some people were getting five items at a time signed. Everything was being signed (i.e. programs, sticks, jerseys, pucks, cards etc). His sig was perfect, letter for letter almost every time.

Dinner banquets like this are great for getting autographs. The guest speakers normally get nice appearance fees and signing autographs is usually part of the appearance contract.

Editor's note: For another take on Phil Esposito, check out Moody's report from Hound Central 5.0.