- - - - .

as far as 1,700 miles to Idaho. He averages about eight re: finishing jobs a month.

Love Strikes Again! A1 fell in love again, for good, when he met Von, the

girl he describes as "the sweetest thing God ever created." and on May 29,1970, Yon and A1 Stewart were married.

The Stewarts Become Born-Again Christians. After a somewhat stormy mamid life* h u s e of drink-

ing, A1 and Von were on the brink of dh-, and Al's shuffleboard refinishing businms was dwindling because of lack of attehtion.

Al3ihat changed in November of 1972, when the Stew- arts fqwd God, gave up alco$ol, and k a m e born-again Christids, ''Thanks to God, who saved our marriage and our business," said Al.

Shumeboarders Open Their Hearts to the Stewarts

ri August 26,1989 the sbuffleboaraem held a touma- Wnefit at the Covered Wagon in Anaheim, and the

Peanut House in Bsflflower for A1 and Von Stewart, and uresented them with a check for $8.770 to help with the

Medical Problems Beset A1 and Von In April 1989 A1 was loading a shuffleboard when he

had an accident, broke a nvmk orforf&s ribs, and then pneumonia set in. While in the hospital he was worrying about a shuffleboard that needed to delivered and set up, and a group of his friends, including Jay Kimble, Joa- nie Swensan, Billy Chiles, Andy Smeda; and Joe Muniz, with Jay Mng; Al's truck, wmt to A&M, loaded the shuffleboard, d;ove it to Escondido and then set it up. A1 has never for~otten their kindness in doing this.

The next month, on Mother's Day, Voihad a heart at- tack, and had open heart surgery with a triple bypass.

These two events combined to burden the Stewarts with staggering medical bills.

exuenses from Al's accident and Von's t r i~ le bv~ass sur- g&. The Stewarts have a copy of this ch&k framed in their home today, and enjoy seeing this outpouring of love from all their friends..

A1 and Von Honored by Shuffleboard Federation

At the Pacific Coast Shuffleboard Association's Extrava- ganza in Las Vegas in 1989, A1 and Von were recognized for their years of distinguished service to shuffleboard with a plaque from The Shuffleboard Federation, Inc.

Al's Shuffleboards Get Into Movies, and a TV Commercial.

In 1994, when Warner Brothers movie studio was shoot- . -7-1 ing Police Academy Two, Al rented one of his shuffle- boards, which he delivered and set up in a warehouse in

= .,I downtown Los Aneeles. to be used as a moo in a bar scene.

Another of Al'sihuffleboards s m d h &I O'Douls com- mercial. Al and Von we= invited to watch the filming. and -- enjoyed it very much.

A1 Talks About Shuffleboard in Particular and Lffe iq G w ~ r a l

"Shuffleboard has certainly changed since 1949, w h e ~ every shuffleboarder was a hustler, and out only for money, not just for the fun of the game. It was a dog eat dog busi- ness. Now, the shuffleboarders are like one big family. The tournaments are like family reunions, with a11 the hugging and handshaking. It has become much more sportsmanlike.

"My philosophy is, if youke good to people, they'll be good to you. You get back just what you give out!"

Al's Induction Into the California Shuffleboard Hall of Fame.

Today, February 14$1998 is a red Ietter day for Al, who will b e h h c t d i n t o the California Shuffleboard Hall of Fame, surrounded by long-time friends and well-wishers.

5 1

W6rds from Al's Rriiends . . . Al Stewart-four words-Honesty, Integrity, Dedication and Loyalty. - P a u l Weber

There is no man more des&ng of induMon into the California ShufBeboardHall df F b . HIS conttibutions have made shuffleboard in C a l @ g g i a ~ ~ < _ ,,,, ,,

% {,,.?Y t , ~ 1~ * r $ q -John J..Fisher . ..... *,wo i;-.

Al, it's been a pleasure kn0wing.y~~. over the x, ars,-Du are a hue friend, and you are very, very spedal m r h ~ e 8 d t l t r ~ . ' '

-Jay Kimble

Compand to Al, Pve only been involved with shuffleboard a short time, but I've helped move my share of boards. Olle thing I guarantee you, when it comes to moving and setting up shuffleboards, A1, "You're the man!"

--Paul Ellion

One of the gteatqt contributors to shuffleboard in California has been AIStewiut. He gives his time tirelessly to promote the game.

9,. r' --Rich Warren

. , I .,. 3,. ,

1 When the name A1 Stewart is mentioned to most of us, it means SHUFFLEBOARD.

-Jim Anderson I I ,I Al, it's a pleasure to know you. You're honest, kind and giving

You have done so much for our game, both as a person and a I distributor.

I I

I: You're a p&'gqy, Al!

;I: . 4 . P.S. But I can still beat you at shuffleboard!

: , A1 Stewart meqs &als with a handshake, and never lets you d o h . Hfs d % s h&$o@ There is no better than this.

a e Q @ f ~&&h@6?id Sieve Budrys of the Dixie Belle

:i'

m the- baokbne of shuffleboard fmaiany years. Words alone cannot express ourlwe for Al and all that he's done.

-Jeanie-Swenson

Al is the most devoted, hardest working shuffleboard fm-ptayer that I know. If there is work to be done or help needed concerning our game, A1 is the one that people tm to and can count on.

I t is.w experience to see Al adjust a bod . Miteh theit-and you have a board th

Al's know1edge and exp&~e.e.in W i fleboar& is legend. We @@-te

~. .. ., .. , . . zona, -Bob Lavis,

Pl&Wfhih@&&rd -i: ., ~: Co., Phoenix, AZ .. ~!*- ! .. .

~ <, A, thanks for the .~)*eat:&COSoypit$Z8~&. + a. r; -.. +, , YO^= . ~ a true Hall of Earner! .. = , , .:z.~.y : .~

-J&, Mffiinn

If anybody dewme8 in&ction into t~califognia Shuffleboprd Hall of . Fame; ~ it j s o,mgood friend, A1 S ~ w m

. ~. a e m ~ tlspww $@bnan Chwk.N~rn's

Jim dUis We wm amazed that A1 moved boards and set them up wit4 no help. He would adjust the board by throwing a few weightonever usinga @wightedge, level, or any other device-a true craftsman.

. . 4 b .md A ~ n w Er~nskiII ~.

At; you never shy away from apzoblem atrd al-dcap lend a when needed. You're alway$.there with your expertise and ad*@; ;E not for dd~e&peop&.-like yo&, the World of fl&%fd3vodd nagbe thtlvin.g tday. Congratulations on an honor well earned. You're the greatest!

--Dave Brennan

7~

A1 has earned the distinction of being the first inductee into the California State Shuffleboard Hall of Fame. Without Al's in- fluence, there wouldn't be the number of shuffleboad~lavers and establishments there are today in our state.

-Karl Spickelmier

Al Stewart issynonymous with California Shuffleboard No one in .he state has done more to promote, preserve and main- tain the integrity of the game more than AL His loyalty to our spofiis, unquestioned and admired. We,:m&cky @@we a man so d@i.~.zlted. Hi~inducti~n~to %,State H# ,,:':&qe:y6s, hr- ~, evitabIe, and I'm proud to lend my suppat. 3 :a&$,. MI,

S t e v e Perry

Where would the world of shuffleboard be without A1 Stewart? Al's generosity, honesty and integrity, box$ personal and in business are an inspiration to us all. Thank you, Al for your countless invaluable contributions to the world of shuffleboard.

--Louise Freer

Al, you re one of shuflleboazd's true pioneers. Your experienc and knowledge of boards can never replaced, Thankyou for your support to the wonderful sport of shuMebogd and con- gratulations on being the first inductee into the CSHF.

'sways w&" heTe when . j i d & , * & d ' w d ,sw.ma talk with anyone, tomhke you laughtwhen you'ie sad, and most of a@%e beyour fiiend. Al's values, responsibilities and priorities are aliin order, and how many of us can say this about our- sdves. If I could be reincarnated, ia my next life, I want to come back and havea father just like Al.

--Fiedde & Lois Thumafi

The people who own At Stewart boards have something in common-a tremendou~aznount o f .mwt for boh the crafts- manship that went ititatheir equipmeni and for the man who stands behind us. For his tiiendship audsuppqt.pitrticularly in the early. yeas when we were sau:ggling,,we' shall always be grateful.

The Sweboard Federationt Ina .

- -

. ROBERTM. HUNT 380 cedar River way CA 9 5 m

January 29,1998

Caliiomia Shuffleboard Hall of Fame : P.O. Box $143

Bellflower, CA 90706

It has been my pleasure to have known A1 Stewart for over thirty years. I have known hi as a player, sponsor, supporter and distributor of shuffleboard supplies and equipment.

In addition to having performed well in all of his endeavors, he has always been a very personable gentlemen. He always goes out of his way to say hello at various tournaments and always makes me feel that he is on my side, even when I'm playing one of his best f r iends1 think he wants everybody to win.

I have enjoyed playing on boards he puts together. His commitment to producing a great board is evident in the workmanship and unique character of each individual board. I .look forward to playing on them for many years to come.

Congratulations to A1 for being the first i nduck into the California Shuffleboard Hall of Fame. It's a welldesewed honor to one who has done so much for the game. I wish him continued good luck and success in the future.

Sincerely,

Bob Hunt -

C P.S.: As a member of the Board of Ditors of the National Shuffleboard Hall of Famg+$m clearly laokiig forward to supporting his,future nomination a& induction into the National Shuffleboard Hall of Fane as tlre players across & s ~ country acknowledge his fnany years of dedication to the game of Shuffleboard.

A 3h'bute to A1 Stewart F r m George & Donaa Wilber

m e Baard mfi

With much enthuslosm and heart@It emotions, we endorw the nomination of A4 Stewart to the ShaapSawrdHald @Fame. I Ourfirst contact with A1 was during ourfimt, stgig~lingyear ofpublica#on. In S$ptember of l984,/upt ~ h , e ~ w e : m s y o ~ ~ ~ ~ i @ & ~ ~ ~ I c c ; ~ ~ $ ~ w h e r@oumBsBSto smd.oul our.nyt &s.u~..&re ,$.q.e:p;gcrldiin-irll~@r@:~rfor hvo.

I furipage ads! N?l onlynly,@U~~,&tpg.~~~t.o~~~~s@l~ it$~,@t?d as a "show of faiih" th@ some@dy a intponiz~~t as Ai-Stiwpt t#a~&&+.#~~iu'4~io1Yh~ of suppoa Thai followim December. Okei a tiledhone i~t2iv&iir~if~~~~~&o~ded'~ us wUh the

I That was I4years ago hnd duringthatperiod o/time, our friendship with, and respect fofi the Sfewaris haw gmwn andgmwn. Manytheq over lengihy phone calls. A1 "talked" George through the refinishing of boards wher he was Jirsl dqfing in thatbuxiness. T b e ~ e w p f ~ ~ i o ~ lin,es WIM we have been 118 their area c the world, they have opened their home and hearts torus.

Most of all, tlimughouCthe~di~cull years, Wec0uId:~IIthepower of theirpmyers seeing us thmugh. We wewnoRalone i1rour:.ms~~ct/~nAl'5 wd&.Many times,. we hwe received lettars tlrai,said: '!Al.doaszmqet1tqn sitnply.rsJniPh baards. He

A1 and Yon arc role moiiklsfbpus. Bod willing, and yitI~.s@work on ourpart, II

will share a spedaIphce ti Shufleboard Heaven with$@&.

PLA YFAlR SHUFFLEBOARD CO, INC. Phoenix, AZ

I would like to congratulate A1 Stewart on his induction into the California Shuffleboard Hall of Fame.

Al's knowledge and expertise in finishing and setting shuffleboards is legend. We all appreciate Al Stewart's boards in Arizona.

Al Stewart was and is always willing to share his knowl- edge and experience on any question I put to him. For this I am grateful.

Many Happy Returns, A1 and Von. Sincerely, Bob Lewis

The Shuffleboard Federation, Inc. Northville, MI

Anyone who is familiar with A1 Stewart's ad in The Board Talk may recall that it states, "For Experience, Integrity and Care - You Can't Beat A1 Stewart." This is no mere advertising slogan, it's who A1 Stewart is.

Being in the shuffleboard business, one of the things we do whenever we pick up a new customer is to ask them about their shuffleboard table. Over the years, we have found Al's boards in places like Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming and of course all over the West Coast. The people who own these A1 Stewart boards have something else in common, a tremendous amount of respect for both the craftsmanship that went into their equipment and the man who stands behind it.

On a personal note, Al was one of the first people to give us a chance when we first entered the supply business. It is a relationship that has blossomed over the years. For his friendship and support, particularly in the early years when we were struggling, we shall always be grateful.

Congratulations on being the first member of the California Shuffleboard Hall of Fame.

Phil Skover & John McDermott 11

g . ~ .. ~ +x % < ~.

What would mq world of s&@$&?afl be wi&@iit~lstew*~ , . , ,

. T I -4,.

the. effort, and s p a t wes igvelnred in aetb!ng glup the I dozen-plus boards. It's a lot of wo&l

All the effort and hard is ,often not

Ctangrabrla@iOs&pl and thank you for your &mtless invaluable Ec8n@&tWns to the world of.shufflaboard.

When we first started playing shuffleboard in California, we met one of the true gentlemkn of shuffleboard. Whether he was installmg bojmls or adjusting ha, or all the ofher things he did to stay b e all the time, be dways.haddnre to shake hands, say "Hello," or answer aIf of our dumb questions.

We never knew him when he played shufflehad, but all of the tournaments withwhich we were ipvolv&Las Vegas. Tem- ecula, Dixie Belle,just to oame a few, could never\hw been successful without hits, He WQM hgrder and mad^ it look easi- er, and did it faster than d oi%s put&gethez We are probably responsible for more of his fingem being smashed than he is.

Without this man's work anddedication, shuffleboard, espe- cially tournaments, as we enjoy it now, would not be.

If anybody deserves inductionipto the CaIifwnia Shuffle- board Hall of Fame, it is ow& fiiebd, A1 Stewad .-

Thanks, A1;for r ::. * . .,

celleat q ~ c e also. . Back in the early 70s d i n I had jast left San@:&$@;W$&

$20.00 and stopped off at the Rep&vous .ypxing bole.on col- orado B~ulevard and td&l to .make'w some; d my losses on the boards. New owners l@ .%g over andtheplaCre ~ r a s empty. The owner was bebind the fne they W ~ E S making some ohanger and . g e t t i n g . ~ ~ , t b r s . : ~ . m I him how much-for.thashuffleboard. % I i s , w m t w - "YOU got $154.00,'" I ,almost fabtedf gab hi4n.$.lQ&!Q d m and told him I'd be back in a dayw hi &&XI&. $rat:hi@ and we were there the next day to iake-&eIp,.bzwi out.

You see. Al hrdly ever nealed~he&butithebiw used to be a house which wascon~erted i n t k ' k , sb we both had to dipsydoodle the bo&&&gxl!&o hdlways a n d ' & ; d ~ w . - ,

Great job. Al. Thanks for everything, Al, through all the years. Ted Z.

One stoihe told was afp&g up a the owner complain tbP it ~ t o o ' s t r a i edge over the other playk.+he owner gave it a jerk which skewed'thaplaying

to The New Oak in La Habra. The fiew Oak belonged to Anna's son and A1 did his m a 1 swib iob of getting it moved in and set UD. He