Cam Neely Draws Huge Crowd at Modell's in Medford

By the time Cam Neely arrived in Medford Tuesday, the line to meet him stretched from the front door at Modell's Sporting Goods nearly to the Stop N' Shop well around the corner.

Neely greeted fans at Modell's Sporting Goods starting about 6 p.m. Tuesday as part of a promotion for the newly-released DVD recapping the Bruins' Stanley Cup-winning season.

The line to meet the Bruins great began forming about 12 p.m. In the front of the line were Nick Lanteri of Lowell, Mike Penta and Anthony Scopa, both of Medford.

"I didn't want to miss a chance to meet Cam Neely," Penta said, wearing a white Bruin's jersey signed by dozens of players.

Not far behind in line were Tom Dacei and Julie Kinsman. When the Bruins won the cup the couple got matching tattoos of a bruin wearing a B's jersey hoisting the cup. They showed the tattoos to Neely when it was their turn to meet him.

Aside from tattoos, fans mostly showed Neely their gratitude with smiles, handshakes and many telling him "thank you."

Navy Petty Officers Mark Comeiro and Tony Barnardo, who both serve aboard the USS Constitution, waited in line for about 5 hours to meet Neely.

Barnardo passed along his information to Neely in the hope he could arrange to have the cup be brough aboard Old Ironsides.

When Cameron Pigeon, 8 - who is named after the left-winger - told Neely his name, he said, "That's a good name."

Then he told him his age.

"That's a good number, too," Neely said.