pictures and autographs as he went. A large crowd of young patients had gathered in wait, and Staal was only to happy to sign hats, shirts or anything else thrust in front of him, smiling as he greeted each patient. For those too ill to join him by the reception desk in the ward, Jordan took the Stanley Cup to them, thrilling them beyond words.

From 10:00 until noon, the Stanley Cup joined Jordan at the Fort William Gardens. Mayor Lynn Peterson greeted the Stanley Cup champion who had furthered Thunder Bay's renown as the birthplace of a number of champions. Jordan replied with words of thanks to his hometown, and then settled in to sign autographs and pose with hockey's historic trophy. Over 2,000 fans got a pictureof Jordan and the Cup, and as time was winding down, those who had yet to see the Cup got the opportunity as the Penguins' star walked the Cup through the crowd. "It's amazing," said Staal. "I never expected that many people at all. I guess it's a sign of how much Thunder Bay loves hockey!"

After finishing the public celebration at the Gardens, Jordan and his guests stopped at The Hoito for lunch. Thunder Bay has a large Finnish population, and The Hoito is a Finnish restaurant located on the ground floor of the historic Finnish Labour Temple. "The Hoito has the best pancakes you'll ever eat," Jordan boasted, and you know something? He was right!

Jordan and the Cup along with Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher