Per Grand Rapids Business Magazine’s Abby Poirier, former Red Wings defenseman and current Chicago Blackhawks ambassador/El Bandito Yankee Tequila creator Chris Chelios will be making something of a tour of West Michigan this week:
Chris Chelios will be signing autographs at LMCU Ballpark as part of the West Michigan Whitecaps’ Made in Michigan Wednesdays series.
Chelios, a member of the NHL Hall of Fame, will meet fans and sign autographs from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, at LMCU Ballpark, 4500 W. River Drive NE in Comstock Park.
Chelios played 26 seasons in the NHL, including 10 with the Detroit Red Wings. He also played with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks and Atlanta Thrashers. Chelios played 1,651 NHL games before retiring, the most for any NHL defenseman, and was a three-time Norris Trophy winner for best defenseman. He also is a three-time Stanley Cup winner, including two wins with the Red Wings in 2002 and 2008.
He played in the Olympics in 2002 and led the U.S. to a silver medal that year. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.
Chelios is coming to the ballpark courtesy of his personal tequila brand, El Bandido Yankee, part of the Made in Michigan Wednesdays series, which brings Michigan players or Michigan-born athletes to LMCU Ballpark to meet West Michigan fans.
The first 500 fans (21 and older) at the event will receive a mini-hockey stick courtesy of Sip Shine and El Bandido Yankee Tequila.
The next night, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported earlier this month that Chelios will make an appearance and sign autographs at the Traverse City Pit Spitters’ game (per one Brendan Quealy):
The Traverse City Pit Spitters announced Thursday that NHL Hall of Famer Chris Chelios will appear at the Pit Spitters Hockey Night on Thursday, July 28.
Chelios played 26 seasons in the NHL, including 10 with the Detroit Red Wings. He also played with the Montreal Canadians, Chicago Blackhawks and Atlanta Thrashers in his storied career.
Chelios played in 1,651 NHL games, which is the fifth on that all-time list and the most for any NHL defenseman. During that time, he was a three-time Norris Trophy winner for best defenseman and an 11-time all-star and three-time Stanley Cup winner, including two with the Red Wings (2002, 2008). In the 2002 season, Chelios played in the Olympics and led the United States to a silver medal.
His amazing career culminated at his Hall of Fame induction in 2013.
On July 28, Chelios will be throwing a ceremonial first pitch and signing autographs for fans from 6-8 p.m.
The game starts at 7:05 p.m. and the gates will open at 6 p.m. The first 1,000 fans in the gate will receive a Pit Spitters hockey puck courtesy of Sip Shine.
