• Born 8 November 1924, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
• Played 25 professional seasons from 1945 to 1970
• Inducted into the HHOF 1976

Although Johnny Bower's nickname was "the China Wall," it might better have been "Perseverance," for although he had a Hall of Fame career in the NHL, it certainly didn't adhere to the traditional notion of what a life in pro hockey should be about.

Bower grew up in rural Saskatchewan, the only boy in a family of nine children. He was dirt poor and never had the proper equipment. He made his goalie pads from an old mattress; he made pucks, "cow pies," from horse manure; his dad would look for suitably crooked tree branches to shave into sticks; a friend gave him his first pair of skates because his father couldn't afford to buy him a pair; and still he refined his game to become one of the best goalies of all time. In 1940, when he was 15 years old, Bower lied about his age for the first time, though not the last, in order to enlist in the army. He was sent to a training camp in British Columbia and was eventually called up by the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders and shipped to England. Four years later, he became sick during his service and was discharged in 1944, at which time he resumed his junior career with Prince Albert.

From there he began a career in the American Hockey League, which is where most goalies start out. The difference was that Bower played for Providence and Cleveland for an incredible eight full seasons before playing a single NHL game. In 1953-54, he played the entire season for the Rangers, but then spent most of the next four seasons right back in the minors, having lost the starting job in New York to Gump Worsley. During his 14 years in the minors, he won the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL's best player three times and the Hap Holmes Award for top goaltender another three times.

Bower's big break came in the summer of 1958 when the Leafs, for whatever reason, claimed him from Cleveland at the Intra-League Draft. Bower was at first reluctant to join the Leafs, even though they had finished in last place the previous season, telling them he could be of no help to the team. It was only after being threatened with suspension that he showed up for training camp that fall, and within days he had established himself as the team's number one goalie at age 34. He was to play a total of 12 years with the Leafs.

Bower, like his other five Original Six brethren, became famous for his fearless play. Maskless, he never shied away from an attacking player and in fact patented the most dangerous move a goalie can make - the poke-check. Diving head-first into the skates of an attacking player at full speed, Bower would routinely flick the puck off that player's stick and out of harm's way. One time he got a skate in his cheek, knocking a tooth out through his cheek. He suffered innumerable cuts to his mouth and lips and lost virtually every tooth in his mouth from sticks and pucks, but almost to his last game, he never wore a mask. And under the confident eye of coach Punch Imlach, Bower got better and better. He led the Leafs into the playoffs his first season with a miracle comeback ending to the schedule, and then lost two finals in a row before winning three consecutive Stanley Cup championships - 1962 to 1964.

At this time, Bower's career seemed precarious. Imlach noticed that Bower was having trouble with long shots and ordered his keeper to undergo an eye exam. Sure enough, he was short-sighted. But Bower refused to retire and kept right on going, teaming with Terry Sawchuk to win the memorable 1967 Cup with Toronto's Over-the-Hill Gang of players, led by the 43-year-old Bower himself.

After he retired in 1970 as the oldest goalie ever to play in the NHL, Bower remained with the Leafs for many years as a scout and then goalie coach, putting the pads on and helping Leaf goalies in practice. At one injury-riddled time during the 1979-1980 season, he came within a whisker, at age 56, of dressing as the team's backup. A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Bower is one of only a select few to have his number honored by the Leafs.

Interview with a Legend by Ken Newans

Hall of Fame Goaltender, Johnny Bower, joined the Oldtimers’ Hockey Tour, featuring the Legendary Hockey Heroes as a coach. It turned out to be a popular choice for fans and players.

Bower was a four-time Stanley Cup winner with Toronto, and he also won two Vezina Trophies and was runner up four times. Johnny has an amazing record - he played pro for 25 years, recorded 89 shutouts, had an incredible goals against record of 2.52 and played in 1197 games unofficially, more than any other netminder in pro history.

Johnny Bower is an amazing person. He played pro until he was 48. By the way, he still doesn’t wear a mask!

 

Q: It was 1945 when you finished playing Junior Hockey in Prince Albert. How did you get from there to Cleveland of the American League?

Bower: My old teammate Bob Solinger had signed there the year before and he recommended me. Cleveland Scout Hub Wilson from Saskatoon then tried to sign me, but I was working on the railway and didn’t want to give it up. Then they offered me $50.00 to sign and I was overwhelmed; none of my family had ever seen that much money. I agreed to the deal, and took the money home and offered my Dad $40.00. He turned it down because he was certain I must have stolen it. However, my eight sisters didn’t turn it down and I think they ended up with it all. I had eight wonderful years in Cleveland.

 

Q: Your off-season home became Waskesiu National Park. How did that evolve?

Well, a friend, a former NHL’er and American League star Johnny Chad, was the head pro at the golf course and offered me an assistant pro job. I told him I didn’t know anything about golf and he said don’t worry about it, I’ll teach you. So that became my off-season home and for three years I was part owner of the Hotel, but I sold it. I still love that golf course.

 

Q: You did marry a Saskatchewan girl, did you not?

I sure did, Nancy Brame from Saskatoon, and I met her on the first tee of that golf club. It took me almost a year to convince her Dad to let her marry me, but thankfully I was persistent. We just celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary. We have three wonderful children and six grandchildren. My marriage was the best decision of my life.

 

Q: The Pro Hockey records showed you played 41 games in your rookie year with Cleveland and one with arch rival Providence. How did that happen?

Cleveland played Providence in the final game of the year; the Reds’ goalie was hurt and I wasn’t scheduled to play. So I asked if I could plug for the Providence Reds, rather than sit on the bench, and the game didn’t mean anything anyway.

 

Q: An old teammate told me you were very careful with your money. He even suggested you hadn’t cashed your Stanley Cup cheques until just recently. Could you explain an unusual bonus payment you received after leading Cleveland to the 1950-51 A.H.L. Championship?

The Barons G.M. was “gentleman Jim Henday” and he contacted all the players to come to his office immediately and bring our wives. He complimented us for our great play and announced we were going to get $1,000 a player for our great play. A great ovation followed but then a deathly silence as he stated he was giving the money to the wives who, he suggested, had earned a great spending spree. I protested to Nancy but she refused to sympathize, and joined the wives in an assault on all dress shops in Cleveland. I was luckier than the rest of the guys because she did pay for gas and oil for our drive back to Waskesiu.

 

Q: Johnny, what was your highest salary?

After 13 years I was stuck at $24,000 and I got $100 for a shutout. If I led the league in goals against, I got another $1000. I hadn’t had a raise in eight years despite winning Stanley Cups, Vezina Trophies and Allstar selections. My friend, captain George Armstrong, urged me to go and ask for a $10,000 raise. It took a lot of courage but I approached Punch Imlach. He told me the budget couldn’t handle such a raise. I kept asking and he kept rejecting my demands. Finally he told me; “You’re wasting your time with me, go see King Clancy.” Vice President Clancy listened but then told me; “Ten thousand dollars is out of the question, what about $5,000?” I took it! So $29,000 plus bonuses was my maximum.

 

Q: What coaches were the most helpful?

Bun Cook, a great NHL scorer when he took over in Cleveland, was the first coach to ever give me even one suggestion. He taught me about angles. However it was Punch Imlach, when we were together in Toronto, who would spend a lot of time with me in practice working on angles and suggestions to keep your eye on the puck; challenge the shooter; stay on your feet and protect the short side. He called the short side the American League side; let one in there and it was back to riding buses in the American League. Chuck Rayner, the great New York Ranger goalie, taught me the poke check which I became famous for.

 

Q: Who was the best defenceman in front of you?

I had lots of good ones, Horton, Pronovost, Al Arbour, Baun and Brewer but Allan Stanley was the best. Stanley could play the angles, had a marvelous poke check - Gordie Howe would never skate on Stanley’s side if he could avoid it.

 

Q: Who was the player most difficult to stop?

There is no doubt the “Rocket”. He never shot from the same spot, never shot with the same speed and he would strike panic into our entire team when he crossed our blueline. Imlach refused to even talk about him in our meetings because we had so little success defending him.

 

Q: Could you recall for us some rather zany memories from your long career?

There were many, but when we played in Providence they had a tobacco chewing goal judge that would shower you with juice during the game. You would end up with spittle in your hair, and all over your sweater. I protested to the Providence management and they told me "what the hell you worrying about, he does that to everybody."

Remember the arena had wire, not glass, in those days.

I can recall being benched in Toronto and Sawchuk was playing great, game after game. I wondered if I would ever get back in. In practice I told Shack let go a howitzer at his head, might shake his nerve. Well, Shack raced down the wing, let a shot go…Sawchuck caught it but broke his little finger. I played every game for the next ten weeks.

I was scouting for Mr. Ballard and just back from a long western trip. I was in the office filling out my reports when Ballard walked in and started wondering if scouts were even necessary. He was upset that Lanny McDonald and Tiger Williams, two of my kids, weren’t scoring more. I told him they’re kids you have to give them more time. Ballard exploded, “Time, I have given them too much time and you too much time, you’re fired, clean out your desk and get the hell out of here!” I was shocked! George Armstrong walked in as I was cleaning out my desk. Armstrong asked what I was doing and I explained I had been fired. George laughed, “Johnny, don’t be so damn dumb, he fires everybody. Put your stuff back in your desk and lets get our reports completed.” Next day Ballard came and cheerfully asked, “How are the wife and kids?” The firing was never mentioned again and I scouted for another twelve years.

 

Q: How have you enjoyed the Oldtimers' Hockey Tour?

I love it! The crowds are great and so receptive. To coach players like Lafleur, Dionne, “Big M”, Lanny, Sittler, Shuttie, Park, Lapointe, despite 25 years in pro hockey, it’s a great thrill. Everything about the tour is high class.

 

Q: How else have you kept involved in hockey?

I run a goalie school at the Glen Abbey Arena in Oakville. It lasts three weeks with three two-hour sessions daily. My daughter Cindy also works with me and runs the power skating section. Cindy runs power skating seminars for the Philadelphia Flyers farm system. She is great!