David Bauer (ice hockey)
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Father A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...
David William Bauer (November 2, 1924November 9, 1988) was a Canadian
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...
player and coach, educator and Catholic priest. He was offered a playing contract by the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
at age 15, but declined on the advice of his father to complete a proper education. The experience of not pursuing his dream of playing professional hockey was traumatic for Bauer, who then committed himself to look for more meaning in life and play a role in world peace. After he served as captain of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors for two seasons and won the 1944 Memorial Cup, he became ordained as a Catholic priest in the
Congregation of St. Basil , image = Basilian_Fathers.png , image_size = 150px , abbreviation = CSB , nickname = Basilians , formation = , founding_location = Annonay, France , founders = , type ...
and taught at
St. Michael's College School St. Michael's College School, (also known as St. Michael's, St. Mike's, and SMCS), is an independent, Catholic school for young men in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Administered by the Basilian Fathers, it is the largest school of its kind in Cana ...
. He coached multiple levels of hockey at St. Michael's, sat on the junior ice hockey council for the Ontario Hockey Association, lobbied for a shortened playing schedule for students athletes, and coached the St. Michael's Majors to victory in the
1961 Memorial Cup The 1961 Memorial Cup final was the 43rd junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA). The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Toronto St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Can ...
. Bauer was reassigned to St. Mark's College at the
University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thre ...
(UBC) in 1961, then coached the
UBC Thunderbirds The UBC Thunderbirds are the athletic teams that represent the University of British Columbia in the University Endowment Lands just outside the city limits of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In Canadian intercollegiate competition, the Thu ...
for two seasons and led them to the finals at the 1963 CIAU University Cup. The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association approved a proposal by Bauer to have a team of Canadian university students combined with
senior ice hockey Senior hockey refers to amateur or semi-professional ice hockey competition. There are no age restrictions for Senior players, who typically consist of those whose Junior eligibility has expired. Senior hockey leagues operate under the jurisd ...
players to represent Canada in
ice hockey at the Olympics Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games program in 1924, in France. The women's tournam ...
and at the
Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual ...
; which was a radical change from the existing practice of the reigning
Allan Cup The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men's ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. The current champions are the ...
champion team being selected. He established the Canada men's national ice hockey team program in September 1963, and sought players with athletic and academic morals committed to their studies and training. He prepared the players for the larger international ice hockey rink surface and differences from the North American
ice hockey rules Ice hockey rules define the parameters of the sport of ice hockey. The sport is governed by several organizations including the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the National Hockey League (NHL), Hockey Canada, USA Hockey and others. ...
, and intended to change Canada's reputation of being heavily penalized for rough play. Canada finished in fourth place based on goal differential at the
1964 Winter Olympics The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games (german: IX. Olympische Winterspiele) and commonly known as Innsbruck 1964 ( bar, Innschbruck 1964, label=Austro-Bavarian), was a winter multi-sport event which was celebr ...
, amidst accusations that
International Ice Hockey Federation The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF; french: Fédération internationale de hockey sur glace; german: Internationale Eishockey-Föderation) is a worldwide governing body for ice hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 83 ...
president Bunny Ahearne made a last-minute change to the tie-breaking rules to take away a medal from Canada. Bauer transitioned into managing the national team when the program relocated to Winnipeg in 1965, and assembled teams that won the bronze medal at the 1966 and 1967 World Championships, and the
1968 Winter Olympics The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games (french: Les Xes Jeux olympiques d'hiver), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 18 February 1968 in Grenoble, France. Thirty-seven countries participated. Frenchm ...
. He later managed the national team which finished in sixth place at the
1980 Winter Olympics The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially the XIII Olympic Winter Games and also known as Lake Placid 1980, were an international multi-sport event held from February 13 to 24, 1980, in Lake Placid, New York, United States. Lake Placid was elected ...
. When Canada withdrew from international play during the 1970s, Bauer instructed at hockey schools in Japan for two six-week periods each year, where his teachings on personal growth and discipline fit into the culture of Japan. He also coached the
Austria men's national ice hockey team The Austrian men's national hockey team is the national ice hockey team for Austria. The team is controlled by Österreichischer Eishockeyverband. As of 2022 the Austrian team is ranked 18th in the IIHF World Rankings. Austria has not won ...
during the
1973 Ice Hockey World Championships The 1973 Ice Hockey World Championships were the 40th Ice Hockey World Championships and the 51st European Championships of ice hockey. The tournament took place in the Soviet Union from 31 March to 15 April and the games were played at the Pal ...
. Throughout his career, he felt that hockey was a means to teach the game of life and way for boys to become men. He advocated for players receiving an education and was opposed to the growing professionalism in the amateur game. Bauer received many honours, which included induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, the Hockey Hall of Fame, the
IIHF Hall of Fame The IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame operated by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It was founded in 1997, and has resided at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto since 1998. Prior to 1997, the IIHF housed exhibits at the Interna ...
and the
Ontario Sports Hall of Fame The Ontario Sports Hall of Fame is an association dedicated to honouring athletes and personalities with outstanding achievement in sports in Ontario, Canada. The hall of fame was established in 1994 by Bruce Prentice, following his 15-year tenure ...
. He was made an officer of the
Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the cen ...
, and is the namesake of the Father Bauer Arena and the
Father David Bauer Olympic Arena The Father David Bauer Olympic Arena is an ice hockey arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It seats about 1,750 for hockey with a standing room capacity of over 2,000. It is named after David Bauer (ice hockey), Father David Bauer. Canada's defunct ...
, both of which are used by Canada for international hockey.


Early life and family

David William Bauer was born on November 2, 1924, in
Waterloo, Ontario Waterloo is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is one of three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo (formerly Waterloo County). Waterloo is situated about west-southwest of Toronto. Due to the close proximity of the ci ...
. His great-grandparents had emigrated from
Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
to Waterloo via
Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from Sou ...
.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 10 His father Sir Edgar J. Bauer was an automotive supplies manufacturer and a Knight Commander of the
Order of St. Sylvester Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Sylvester Pope and Martyr ( la, Ordo Sancti Silvestri Papae, it, Ordine di San Silvestro Papa), sometimes referred to as the Sylvestrine Order, or the Pontifical Order of Pope Saint Sylvester, is one of five o ...
.''McKinley, Michael (2014),'' p. 142 Edgar Bauer also served as president of Globe Furniture and the Waterloo Fire Insurance Company, and sat on the
Waterloo City Council Waterloo City Council is the governing body for the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The council consists of the Mayor of Waterloo and 7 ward councillors. Current Waterloo City Council *Mayor, Dorothy McCabe Dorothy McCabe (born c. 1969) is ...
and the public utilities commission. His mother Alice Bertha Hayes was active in the
Catholic Women's League of Canada The Catholic Women's League of Canada is a national service organization of women who are members of the Roman Catholic Church, and who work together to promote Catholic values and to carry out volunteer and charitable work. In 2016 the CWLA has a ...
and a member of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Guild. Bauer was the youngest of 11 children and had five brothers and five sisters. He attended St. Louis Separate School as a youth followed by three years at St. Jerome's College School. As a youth, Bauer played pond hockey in
Victoria Park Victoria Park may refer to: Places Australia * Victoria Park Nature Reserve, a protected area in Northern Rivers region, New South Wales * Victoria Park, Adelaide, a park and racecourse * Victoria Park, Brisbane, a public park and former golf ...
with friends who included Howie Meeker and
George Hainsworth George Henry Hainsworth (June 26, 1893 – October 9, 1950) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs in the National Hockey League, and the Saskatoon Crescents in the Weste ...
Jr. The Bauers later had an ice rink constructed at their house, including side boards, painted lines and floodlights. All of Bauer's brothers played ice hockey and won a league championship.
Bobby Bauer Robert Theodore Bauer (February 16, 1915 – September 16, 1964) was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins. He was a member of the famed " Kraut Line" ...
won two Stanley Cups playing for the
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
.''Young, Scott (1989),'' pp. 246–247 Bobby and Frank won the
1934 Memorial Cup The 1934 Memorial Cup final was the 16th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Toronto St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada ...
playing for the Toronto St. Michael's Majors. Eugene won a league championship with the
Kitchener Greenshirts The Kitchener Greenshirts name has been used by five separate ice hockey teams playing in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. These include one 'Senior A' level hockey team, two 'Junior A' level teams, and two 'Junior B' level teams. The name has also b ...
in 1935. Jerry and Ray won a league championship with the
Waterloo Siskins The Kitchener-Waterloo Siskins are a junior ice hockey team based in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Mid-Western division of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. History Founded in 1934, the Siskins are one of the longest runn ...
in 1940.


Student life and playing career

Bauer aspired to play in the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) and attended training camp for the Boston Bruins held in
Hershey, Pennsylvania Hershey is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is home to The Hershey Company, which was founded by candy magnate Milton S. Hershey. The community is lo ...
in October 1941. The highest level of hockey he had played at the time was as a centreman for his school team.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 35 He was offered a contract to play for the
Boston Olympics The Boston Olympics are a defunct ice hockey team which operated as a farm team for the Boston Bruins. They began play during the 1940–41 Eastern Amateur Hockey League season. The Olympics were often referred to by the shortened name the ‘Pics ...
, a
farm team In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
for the Bruins. His father insisted his son was too young for professional hockey, and that he should first complete a proper education. Bauer later stated that it was a traumatic experience for him not to pursue his dream of playing professional hockey, which had resulted in him looking for something more in life.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 37 Bauer returned to Waterloo for another year at St. Jerome's, then followed in the footsteps of his brothers Frank and Bobby when he enrolled at
St. Michael's College School St. Michael's College School, (also known as St. Michael's, St. Mike's, and SMCS), is an independent, Catholic school for young men in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Administered by the Basilian Fathers, it is the largest school of its kind in Cana ...
to play hockey. Bauer served as
team captain In team sport, captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field. In eithe ...
of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors for two seasons from 1942 to 1944. He excelled as a student, played as a
left winger A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
, and was considered a gentlemanly player and a role model by his teammates. During the summer between grades 11 and 12, Bauer returned home and was a pitcher in a senior baseball league in Waterloo. Bauer and the Majors were finalists for the
J. Ross Robertson Cup The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and ...
in 1943–44 season, but lost to the Oshawa Generals. Wartime replacement rules allowed the Generals to add up to four players from the Majors in the remainder of the playoffs. Bauer played for the Generals team which won the Eastern Canada championship and then won the 1944 Memorial Cup to become Canadian junior champions. Bauer scored four goals and five assists during the championship series for the Generals. Bauer received two
varsity letter A varsity letter (or monogram) is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its recipient was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met. Description ...
s for athletics at St. Michael's College School. He also played golf, tennis, baseball and was the quarterback on the for St. Michael's football team. The school had an undefeated football season in his senior year. Bauer played one final game for the Majors in the 1944–45 season, shortly before he enlisted in the
Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also res ...
on November 24, 1944, and assigned to Basic Training Unit 12 in Chatham, Ontario. All of his brothers completed military service during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
; Bobby and Ray were in the
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
, Jerry was in the
Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack submar ...
, and Frank, Eugene and Dave were in the Canadian Army. While serving with the army, Bauer played hockey for the
Royal Canadian Postal Corps The Royal Canadian Postal Corps (RCPC) was an administrative corps of the Canadian Army. The Canadian Postal Corps was redesignated The Royal Canadian Postal Corps on 20 June 1961. The badge of The Royal Canadian Postal Corps consists of a horn, ...
in the Ottawa National Defence Hockey League and then briefly with the Windsor Spitfires in the Windsor City Hockey League. He enrolled at the University of Toronto upon release from the Army. His playing career ended with the
University of Toronto Varsity Blues The Toronto Varsity Blues is the intercollegiate sports program at the University of Toronto. Its 43 athletic teams regularly participate in competitions held by Ontario University Athletics and U Sports. The Varsity Blues traces its founding to ...
during the 1945–46 season after he began studies for priesthood.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 46


Playing statistics

Regular season and playoffs statistics.


Entering the priesthood

Bauer went to Richmond Hill in 1946, and entered the novitiate for the
Congregation of St. Basil , image = Basilian_Fathers.png , image_size = 150px , abbreviation = CSB , nickname = Basilians , formation = , founding_location = Annonay, France , founders = , type ...
to study for the priesthood, then took his religious vows on September 12, 1947. He returned to the
University of St. Michael's College St Michael's College, officially the University of St. Michael's College, is a constituent college of the University of Toronto. It was founded in 1852 by the Congregation of St. Basil and retains its Catholic affiliation through its postgraduat ...
at the
University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 ...
to complete undergraduate studies and earned a
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
in philosophy in 1949. His influences as a student included philosopher Jacques Maritain and writer
Christopher Dawson Christopher Henry Dawson (12 October 188925 May 1970) was a British independent scholar, who wrote many books on cultural history and Christendom. Dawson has been called "the greatest English-speaking Catholic historian of the twentieth century ...
. Bauer earned his teaching certificate from the
Ontario College of Education The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT) is Canada's only all-graduate institute of teaching, learning and research, located in Toronto, Ontario. It is located directly above the St. George subway s ...
in 1951.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 48 In 1952, the Bauer family was a major contributor towards funding and establishing the Carmel of St. Joseph Monastery in St. Agatha near Waterloo.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 50 Bauer was ordained as a
Catholic priest The priesthood is the office of the ministers of religion, who have been commissioned ("ordained") with the Holy orders of the Catholic Church. Technically, bishops are a priestly order as well; however, in layman's terms ''priest'' refers only ...
on June 29, 1953, at St. Basil's Church in Toronto by Cardinal
James McGuigan James Charles McGuigan (November 26, 1894 – April 8, 1974) was a Canadian prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the longest-serving Archbishop of Toronto, serving for almost 37 years from 1934 to 1971. He became the first English-speaking c ...
. Bauer conducted his first mass as a priest at St. Jerome's Roman Catholic Church in Waterloo in 1953.


St. Michael's teacher and coach

Bauer taught at St. Michael's College School from 1953 to 1961, and sought for the education system to produce more wise leaders. The school was operated by the Basilian fathers. Their motto, "Teach me goodness, discipline and knowledge" was derived from
Psalm 119 Psalm 119 is the 119th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in the English of the King James Version: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord". The Book of Psalms is in the third section of the Hebrew Bible, the ' ...
. Bauer taught ethics, religion, theology and history, while coaching the hockey and football programs. In January 1957, he was named assistant principal of St. Michael's. Bauer sat on the junior ice hockey council for the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), and coached and managed teams at all levels of hockey offered by St. Michael's. He protected his players against the advances of professional teams that tried to sign junior-aged players to contracts, and felt that the players needed more time to develop.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 64 He and the Basilian fathers lobbied for a shortened schedule for the Toronto St. Michael's Majors in the OHA's top tier of junior hockey after the 1958–59 season, since they believed it was too long and detrimental to academic studies for their students.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 69
Bob Goldham Robert John "Golden Boy" Goldham (May 12, 1922 – September 6, 1991) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman and broadcaster. He played two seasons for the Toronto Marlboros earning the name "Golden Boy". He was later called the "Second Goalie" be ...
resigned as head coach of the Majors in 1960, and Bauer took over as head coach for the
1960–61 OHA season This is a list of OHA standings and season-by-season summaries of the Ontario Hockey Association's Junior A division from 1933 to 1972, and its Tier I division from 1972 to 1974. ;Legend * GP = games played * W = wins * L = losses * T = ties * P ...
in addition to his role as general manager. He stressed fundamentals of defensive play without the puck and taught players how to absorb contact without getting hurt. He occasionally had his players switch positions with one another to learn an appreciation of their teammate's contributions. The Majors finished in second place during the season, then defeated the Guelph Royals in the playoffs for the OHA championship. The Majors won the Eastern Canada final defeating the
Moncton Beavers Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers are ...
then travelled to
Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
to play in the
1961 Memorial Cup The 1961 Memorial Cup final was the 43rd junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA). The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Toronto St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Can ...
. The Majors defeated the
Edmonton Oil Kings The Edmonton Oil Kings are a major junior ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that play in the Western Hockey League. As of July 2008, they are owned by Daryl Katz's Oilers Entertainment Group, which also owns the Edmonton Oilers ...
in six games and won the school's fourth Memorial Cup. The Basilian fathers again discussed the length of the season and the amount of travel having an effect on academics. They were also concerned with increasing physical play and growing similarities with professional leagues. The Majors had played 98 games including the regular season and playoffs for the Memorial Cup. St. Michael's could no longer justify participation in the top tier of the OHA and chose to withdraw from the Ontario Hockey Association Junior A series. Bauer stated in a 1987 interview that, "We regretted very much leaving because we knew that this choolis a major recreational institution in this country". After the official announcement on June 6, 1961, Bauer placed his protégé Jim Gregory in charge of the team. The Majors operated for one more season and played a shortened 33-game schedule in the
Metro Junior A League The Metro Junior A League was a junior ice hockey league created in 1961 by Toronto Maple Leafs owner Stafford Smythe in an attempt to rival the OHA, and act as a farm system for his NHL team. The league operated for two seasons from 1961 to 196 ...
for the
1961–62 OHA season This is a list of OHA standings and season-by-season summaries of the Ontario Hockey Association's Junior A division from 1933 to 1972, and its Tier I division from 1972 to 1974. ;Legend * GP = games played * W = wins * L = losses * T = ties * P ...
. The team was transferred to
Neil McNeil High School Neil McNeil Catholic High School is an all-boys Roman Catholic secondary school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is named after Neil McNeil, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vancouver from 1910 to 1912 and Roman Catholic Archbishop of Toronto from ...
and became known as the Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons in 1962.


St. Mark's and the Thunderbirds

The Basilian fathers reassigned Bauer to St. Mark's College at the
University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thre ...
(UBC) in 1961. He taught ethics to nurses at the college, and served as the dean of residence and the chaplain at St. Paul's Hospital. Prior to Bauer's arrival at St. Mark's, he received a letter from the university's athletics department asking him to coach the
UBC Thunderbirds The UBC Thunderbirds are the athletic teams that represent the University of British Columbia in the University Endowment Lands just outside the city limits of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In Canadian intercollegiate competition, the Thu ...
which played in the Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association. He agreed to assist the coach for the 1961–62 season, but was initially reluctant to do more.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 74 Players on the Thunderbirds wanted to get rid of coach Al Stuart and Bauer agreed to take over in January 1962, after persistent requests by the players and meetings with the UBC athletic director.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 75 After it was announced the Bauer was coaching, more players wanted to join the team in addition to Bauer beginning a recruitment program across Canada. UBC physical education teacher
Bob Hindmarch Robert George Hindmarch (May 27, 1930 – February 20, 2021) was a Canadian educator, sports administrator and ice hockey coach. He was a multi-sport athlete at the University of British Columbia (UBC) as a student, and returned as a professor ...
became general manager of the Thunderbirds and made the financial and academic arrangements for the players to get to Vancouver. The university had no rink of its own at the time, and used Kerrisdale Arena or the North Shore Winter Club's curling rink for practice, with games played at the
Vancouver Forum The Forum (also known as the Exhibition Forum, Vancouver Forum and PNE Forum) is an indoor arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada located on the grounds of the Pacific National Exhibition. Sports, Ice Hockey and the Canucks The building ...
. Bauer taught a defense first mentality to his team which was not the most skilled, and cancelled practices as needed to allow his players to catch up academically. The Thunderbirds won two exhibition games, but were winless in league games during the season. In the 1962–63 season, 120 players came to training camp for the Thunderbirds. Bauer selected the best skaters for the team, and arranged for exhibition games versus
senior ice hockey Senior hockey refers to amateur or semi-professional ice hockey competition. There are no age restrictions for Senior players, who typically consist of those whose Junior eligibility has expired. Senior hockey leagues operate under the jurisd ...
teams in British Columbia. The Thunderbirds combined with players from the
Toronto Marlboros The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903. It operated junior ice hockey and senior ice hockey teams in the Ontario Hockey Association and later the Ontario Hockey League. The Marlboros ...
to play an exhibition game versus the
Soviet Union national ice hockey team The Soviet national ice hockey team was the national men's ice hockey team of the Soviet Union. From 1954, the team won at least one medal each year at either the Ice Hockey World Championships ...
, but lost by a 6–0 score. The Thunderbirds had an annual rivalry with the
Alberta Golden Bears The Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas are the sports teams that represent the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Alberta athletics teams have won a total of 93 national championships, including 79 U Sports sanctioned sports, making ...
for the Hamber Cup, which they had never won since the trophy was established in 1950. The Thunderbirds won their first Hamber cup in a two-game series including a 3–2 overtime loss and a 3–1 victory. Bauer led the Thunderbirds to eight wins, one loss and one tie in the regular season to win the Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Association title, and qualify for the national championship. The Thunderbirds reached the final game of the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union men's ice hockey championship tournament in
Kingston, Ontario Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located on the north-eastern end of Lake Ontario, at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Cataraqui River (south end of the Rideau Canal). The city is midway between To ...
. They lost the championship game for the CIAU University Cup by a 3–2 score to the
McMaster Marauders The McMaster Marauders are the athletic teams that represent McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Athletics at McMaster is currently managed by the university's student affairs, under their athletics & recreation department. The unive ...
, who scored the winning goal scored on a power play resulting from a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty. During the season, Bauer worked with Vancouver alderman Frank Fredrickson, to secure C$500,000 in funding necessary to build a new arena. The
Thunderbird Sports Centre The Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre (formerly UBC Winter Sports Centre, also known as UBC Thunderbird Arena) is a LEED Silver certified indoor arena in Greater Vancouver, on the campus of the University of British Columbia. Located in t ...
opened in September 1963.


International ice hockey


National team proposal

Bauer and his brother Ray attended the
1962 Ice Hockey World Championships The 1962 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 29th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Colorado Springs and Denver, United States from March 8 to March 18, 1962. This was the first World Championship hosted ...
in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which was the first time North America hosted the World Championships.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 80 The Bauer family had a history of international competition. Ray Bauer represented Canada at the
1949 Ice Hockey World Championships The 16th Ice Hockey World Championships and 27th European Hockey Championships was held from February 12 to 20, 1949, in Stockholm, Sweden. The event was the first World Championships during the presidency of Canadian W. G. Hardy. The Internation ...
as a member of the Sudbury Wolves, and Bobby Bauer coached the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen at the 1956 Winter Olympics and the 1960 Winter Olympics.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 1 The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) annually chose an amateur senior team to represent the country at international competitions, which was usually the reigning
Allan Cup The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men's ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. The current champions are the ...
champion team since it met the amateur eligibility requirements for the
ice hockey at the Olympic Games Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games program in 1924, in France. The women's tourname ...
and the
Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual ...
. When the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen represented Canada, Ray Bauer funded expenses for the team through the family business, since the Government of Canada declined to provide funding and the CAHA did not cover all of the travel expenses. The Bauers felt it was unfair for one city to pay most of the expenses to send a team to represent the whole country. Bauer spoke with American coaches during the World Championships, and learned of their detailed preparation plans for the 1964 Winter Olympics, whereas Canada did not yet know which team would represent the country. Bauer suggested it might be time for Canadian universities and colleges to represent the country since they met amateur eligibility requirements, and he felt there were young men who would be interested in a program which combined education and hockey.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 82 He felt that a core group of students could be reinforced with the best available Canadian senior players for international competition. He discussed the concept with CAHA president
Jack Roxburgh John Maxwell Roxburgh (February 14, 1901February 27, 1975) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator and politician. He organized minor ice hockey in his hometown of Simcoe, Ontario, co-founded the Ontario Juvenile Hockey Association in 1934, and ...
and secretary Gordon Juckes who were also in attendance at the World Championships, and was invited make a presentation at the next CAHA annual meeting in May 1962. Bauer's proposal was unanimously endorsed in principle at the general meeting, then given final approval at the CAHA executive meeting in August 1962, with partial funding provided towards board and tuition. The
Canadian Olympic Association The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC; french: Comité olympique canadien) is a private, non-profit organization that represents Canada at the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is also a member of the Pan American Sports Organization ( ...
gave its approval to the proposal in October 1962.''Young, Scott (1989),'' p. 247 The proposal was opposed by professional leagues including the NHL who would be competing for the same players.
University of Alberta The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a Public university, public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexande ...
physical education director Maury Van Vliet, criticized the idea in a letter to the newspapers, and felt that the CAHA was letting Bauer assemble an all-star team at "a university that does not own a rink, located in an area that has never produced a hockey player, with a team that has never beaten anyone". When the CAHA approved the plan with only 20 minutes of discussion, journalist
Trent Frayne Trent Gardiner Frayne (September 13, 1918 – February 11, 2012) was a Canadian sportswriter whose career stretched over 60 years. Pierre Berton described Frayne as “likely Canada's greatest sportswriter ever." Early life "Billy" Frayne, as he ...
stated that "Father Bauer is the greatest lobbyist in the history of hockey". Journalist Scott Young wrote that it was the best hockey news in Canada in years and should be given a chance.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 3 Journalist Jim Coleman reported that consensus at the time was "for Canada to embark on a radical new course", even if it included establishing a team of university students to represent Canada at international hockey events.


National team development

Bauer and UBC officials met with the CAHA in January 1963 and reached a financial agreement for the new team. Bauer began the national team program in September 1963. He recruited Bob Hindmarch to be the team's general manager and assistant coach, and Dennis Selder took over coaching duties of the UBC Thunderbirds. Bauer sought players with athletic and academic morals committed to their studies and training. He prepared the players for the larger international ice hockey rink surface, and differences from the North American
ice hockey rules Ice hockey rules define the parameters of the sport of ice hockey. The sport is governed by several organizations including the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the National Hockey League (NHL), Hockey Canada, USA Hockey and others. ...
where body checking was limited to a team's defensive zone. He intended to change Canada's reputation in Europe of being heavily penalized for rough play and frequently criticized for
hooliganism Hooliganism is disruptive or unlawful behavior such as rioting, bullying and vandalism, usually in connection with crowds at sporting events. Etymology There are several theories regarding the origin of the word ''hooliganism,'' which is a d ...
on ice.''McKinley, Michael (2014),'' p. 146 Bauer kept a regular schedule for the team which attended classes in the day time, practiced late in the afternoon, and studied later in the evening. Most of the team lived on the Point Grey campus of the University of British Columbia in a house which had previously been a
transmitter station A transmitter station or transmission facility is an installation used for transmitting radio frequency signals for wireless communication, broadcasting, microwave link, mobile telephone or other purposes. Choice of location The location may b ...
during World War II. The close-knit atmosphere promoting team bonding, as did a group effort to fix and renovate the house. Bauer recruited a German housekeeper named Ma Byers from a local restaurant in Vancouver to cook and act as a mother figure to the players. Bauer searched for funding from Canadian businesses, and received donations from
Max Bell George Maxwell Bell (October 13, 1912 – July 19, 1972) was a Canadian newspaper publisher, race horse owner and philanthropist. He was best known as the co-founder of FP Publications, Canada's largest newspaper syndicate in the 1960s. He built h ...
, Charles Hay and James A. Richardson. The team was assisted by Canadian Pacific Railway president
Ian Sinclair Ian McCahon Sinclair (born 10 June 1929) is a former Australian politician who served as leader of the National Party from 1984 to 1989. He was a government minister under six prime ministers, and later Speaker of the House of Representative ...
, who arranged for free or discounted transportation for the team. Bauer's mother and brothers contributed funds through the family business, and the Government of Canada's Fitness Council later contributed after Montreal journalist Andy O'Brien wrote about the players being starving scholar athletes. Bauer also arranged for the national team players to give back to the community in exchange for better funding from politicians. Bauer's national team played its first game wearing Canadian jerseys on November 12, 1963, in an exhibition win versus the
Melville Millionaires The Melville Millionaires are a Canadian junior "A" ice hockey based in Melville, Saskatchewan. They are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). They play their home games in the Horizon Credit Union Centre which has a seating ...
. The national team went on to play 33 exhibition games across Canada in preparation for the Olympics.


1964 Winter Olympic Games

Ice hockey at the 1964 Winter Olympics The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, was the tenth Olympic Championship, also serving as the 31st World Championships and the 42nd European Championships. The games were held at the Olympiahalle I ...
was played from January 27 to February 9 at Innsbruck, Austria. Canada won its qualification game by a 14–1 score over
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
to be seeded in Group A. Bauer's team followed with an 8–0 win over Switzerland, a 4–2 win over
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, a 6–2 win over
Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, and an 8–6 win over the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.''McKinley, Michael (2014),'' p. 147 During the game versus Sweden, opposing player
Carl-Göran Öberg Carl-Göran "Lill-Stöveln" Öberg (born 24 December 1938) is a retired ice hockey player who won silver medals at the 1964 Winter Olympics and 1963 and 1967 world championships. He was nicknamed Lill-Stöveln (Little Stöveln) after his elder b ...
broke his stick and tossed it aside. The broken end of the stick went towards the Canadian players' bench, where it struck Bauer in the face and opened a bleeding wound. Bauer demanded for his players to remain on the bench and not retaliate, since he did not want to take penalties late in the game. Canada went on to win by a 3–1 score, and Bauer forgave Öberg for the incident. On the next day, Bauer invited Öberg to sit with him while watching the Soviet Union play
Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...
. Canada lost the final two games of the Olympics by a 3–1 score to Czechoslovakia, and by a 3–2 to the Soviet Union after Canada held a 2–1 advantage in the second period. Based on his understanding of the tie-breaking procedure, Bauer's philosophy was to simply win the games against the weaker countries instead of running up the score.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 120 Canada, Czechoslovakia and Sweden finished with identical records of five wins and two losses. Canada thought they had won the bronze medal based on the goal differential in the three games among the tied countries. When they attended the presentation of the Olympic medals, they were disappointed to learn they had finished in fourth place based on goal differential of all seven games played. The players and CAHA president Art Potter accused that
International Ice Hockey Federation The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF; french: Fédération internationale de hockey sur glace; german: Internationale Eishockey-Föderation) is a worldwide governing body for ice hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 83 ...
(IIHF) president Bunny Ahearne, made a last-minute decision to change the rules and take away a medal from Canada.''McKinley, Michael (2014),'' p. 148 Bauer was one of only three Canadians who attended the medal ceremony, where he was awarded a gold medal for his example of good
sportsmanship Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport, or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake. This is with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one's competitors. A "sore loser" refers to o ...
in the stick-throwing incident. Later that night, the players gathered in Bauer's room where
Marshall Johnston Lawrence Marshall Johnston (born June 6, 1941) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach and executive. He played as a Winger (ice hockey), right winger for the Minnesota North Stars and California Golden Seals of th ...
summarized the team's feeling that, "The shepherd and his flock have been fleeced". The national team played an exhibition tour in Europe after the Olympics then had an audience with
Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in Augus ...
in the
Vatican City Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—' * german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ') * pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—' * pt, Cidade do Vati ...
on February 15, 1964. When Bauer returned to Canada, he met with the CAHA to discuss the negative academic impact of the national team. He felt that the players had been capable students who were aware of the academic sacrifices in advance, but that representing Canada had been more important to them than their studies. Despite that seven of the players had dropped out of their courses and nine others completed less than half of their courses, Bauer felt it possible to find other methods to prevent academic impacts for the students on the national team. At the CAHA general meeting in May 1964, Ahearne clarified that the decision to place Canada fourth in the standings was supported by the IIHF statutes and that no rules were changed. Former CAHA president and past IIHF president Robert Lebel agreed that the correct decision was made despite the accusations. At the same meeting, Bauer was given approval to continue the national team program and transitioned from coaching into a managing and advisory role.


National team from 1965 to 1969

Bauer travelled with the team regularly on international tours during the late 1960s. He attracted a following as a priest in Europe, and conducted mass at various locations including motels with a portable altar, a chapel within the Embassy of France in Moscow, churches in
Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...
and houses of his friends. While in Austria he conducted mass on several occasions at the
Mariatrost Basilica The Baroque Mariatrost Basilica on top of the Purberg hill in Mariatrost, a district of Graz, is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites of Styria in Austria. The pilgrimage church stands prominently on top of the Purberg hill (469 m) in the ...
, a noted pilgrimage site in Graz. The CAHA merged the national team into the
Winnipeg Maroons The Winnipeg Maroons were a minor League baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, which played in the Northern League from 1902–1942. Their home field from 1906 to 1922 was Happyland Park, which had a seating capacity Seating ...
in 1965, and relocated the program to a new home base in
Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749, ...
. The Maroons were one of the best senior ice hockey teams in Canada at the time, and their coach Gord Simpson continued in the same role for the national team. Players on the team attending UBC were transferred to the
University of Manitoba The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.1965 Ice Hockey World Championships The 1965 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Hakametsä (district), Hakametsä, Tampere, Finland, 3–15 March. Eight teams took part, each playing each other once. The Soviets became world champions for the fifth time, winning all of th ...
. Canada finished in fourth place with four wins in seven games. He was satisfied with the result since the team had only been together for three weeks, but he felt it would be difficult for Canada to win the World Championships within the next five years. Bauer conferred with CAHA president
Lionel Fleury Lionel Fleury (December 25, 1912July 12, 1997) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator who served as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1964 to 1966. Under his leadership, the Canada men's national ice hockey team trans ...
, and discussed the merits of skipping the next World Championships to regroup and give the players more time to develop as a team. After the CAHA made an unsuccessful bid to host the Ice Hockey World Championships as part of the
Canadian Centennial The Canadian Centennial was a yearlong celebration held in 1967 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. Celebrations in Canada occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1, 1967. Commemorative coins ...
celebrations in 1967, Bauer hoped that the rejection of the bid would inspire more support from the Government of Canada and the Canadian public to restore national pride in hockey. In April 1966, Bauer said, "Our biggest problem is the task of making Canadian out of all of us. We have to start someplace and we have to help our own Canadian athletes". Bauer recruited
Jackie McLeod Robert John McLeod (April 30, 1930 – December 8, 2022) was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach. He played professionally for the New York Rangers for parts of six seasons from 1949 to 1954, and played eight seasons of senior hockey betwee ...
to become the next coach of the national team since they had a similar style of being good listeners to players. At the
1966 Ice Hockey World Championships The 1966 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 33rd edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Hala Tivoli, Ljubljana, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia from 3 to 14 March 1966. For the fourth straight year, the Soviet U ...
, Bauer expressed his frustrations about officiating at international events after a loss to Czechoslovakia by a 2–1 score, which saw two Canadian goals disallowed. The players wanted to withdraw from the World Championships prior to the final game versus the Soviet Union. Bauer talked the players into continuing after staying up all night, but Canada lost the final game and earned the bronze medal. The Canadian Hockey Foundation was established in 1966 to oversee the national team. Since the foundation was not directly connected to the CAHA, it allowed the national team more flexibility in choosing players since it could bypass the professional-amateur agreement between the CAHA and the NHL. Bauer stated that the foundation had its limits, since it was not granted tax-exempt status to accept donations.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 204 The CAHA hosted a Canadian Centennial tournament in 1967 and invited the national teams from the United States, Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. The event was also an attempt to show that Winnipeg would be a suitable host location for the World Championships. The national team Bauer assembled for the event won all three games played and defeated the Soviet Union by a 5–4 score in the final game. At the
1967 Ice Hockey World Championships The 1967 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 34th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Vienna, Austria from March 18 to March 29, 1967. The Soviet Union won the tournament for the fifth straight year, Swede ...
, Bauer's team won four of seven games played, but lost to the Soviet Union by a 2–1 score and finished with the bronze medal. The CAHA established a second national team to increase the available pool of players at the next Olympics in 1968. Bauer recruited Jack Bownass to coach the second team which was based in Ottawa. Bauer considered both teams equal and disliked attempts by the media to label them as an "A-team" in Winnipeg and a "B-team" in Ottawa. In
ice hockey at the 1968 Winter Olympics The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1968 Winter Olympics held in Grenoble, France, was the 11th Olympic Championship, also serving as the 35th World Championships and the 46th European Championships. This was the last Olympic tournament to ...
, Canada won five of seven games played and earned the bronze medal. Canada went into the final game versus the Soviet Union with a chance to win gold, but lost by a 5–0 score and Bauer described it as the best game he had seen the Soviets play. Hockey Canada was incorporated in 1968, and the took over management of the national team from the Canadian Hockey Foundation in 1969. Bauer was appointed a member of the board of directors, which decided at its first meeting to make the eligibility of professionals at the World Championships its priority for improving the national team. Hockey Canada successfully secured funding from the Government of Canada for the national team to travel to the
1969 Ice Hockey World Championships The 1969 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 36th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships, which also doubled as the 47th European ice hockey championships. For the first time the Pool A, B and C tournaments were hosted by different natio ...
in Sweden. Bauer's team was inexperienced internationally, and lost twice each to the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Sweden, and place fourth overall.


National team goes on hiatus

Bauer was against the use of professionals at the World Championships. His participation in the national team ended in 1969, when Canada was granted permission by the IIHF to use a limited number of professionals while hosting the
1970 Ice Hockey World Championships The 1970 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 37th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. 21 nations participated in three different divisions or pools: :Pool A in Stockholm, Sweden, 14–30 March 1970 :Pool B in Bucharest, Romania, 24 ...
. On January 4, 1970, Canada withdrew from international play and hosting the World Championships due to disagreements with the IIHF and the
International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...
over the use of professionals and eligibility of players for the Olympics. The national team was disbanded shortly thereafter. Bauer remained involved with hockey while serving on the directorate of Canada's National Health & Fitness Council, and continued in an advisory role to hockey coaches and players at UBC. He offered advice to Tom Watt on selecting a Canadian team for the
1972 Winter Universiade The 1972 Winter Universiade, the VII Winter Universiade, took place in Lake Placid, New York, United States. References *https://books.google.com/books/about/Lake_Placid_Universiade.html?id=lTRGygAACAAJ 1972 Within the context of ...
, but chose not to coach or manage since Canada had not yet returned to international play. Bauer wrote an article published in the ''
Toronto Sun The ''Toronto Sun'' is an English-language tabloid format, tabloid newspaper published daily in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The newspaper is one of several ''Sun'' tabloids published by Postmedia Network. The newspaper's offices is located at Pos ...
'' on September 2, 1972, giving reasons why he expected total victory in the 1972 Summit Series featuring Canada's top professional players. He felt that Canada's talent was undeniable, and that the younger Soviet team would use their conditioning and defensive play to limit scoring. He also stated of the Soviets that, "I think they've realized they've reached a certain plateau and they could improve only by playing our professionals". He was interviewed on television by
Bill Good Bill Good Jr. (born 1945) is a Canadian television personality and host of talk radio shows, all in the province of British Columbia. After 21 years with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, first doing radio before moving to Television news, ...
during game three on the series, and stated that the losses were indicative of domestic hockey issues in Canada, and that we could learn from the Soviets instead of underrating their abilities. Bauer hoped that the series would promote unity in Canada and better international relationships.


Coaching in Japan and Austria

While attending the 1968 Winter Olympic Games, Bauer was approached by
Yoshiaki Tsutsumi is a Japanese businessman. During the Japanese economic bubble, ''Forbes'' listed Tsutsumi as the wealthiest person in the world during 1987–94 due to his extensive real estate investments through the Seibu Corporation, which he controlled. ...
, chairman of the
Japan Ice Hockey Federation The Japan Ice Hockey Federation ( ja, 日本アイスホッケー連盟) is the governing body of ice hockey in Japan. Japan was the first Asian nation to join the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). National teams * Men * Men U20 * Men U ...
and owner of the Seibu Tetsudo hockey club to assist with its hockey programs. Bauer first travelled to Japan in October 1968 for a month-long series of hockey clinics across the country.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 185 He continued travels to Japan and instructed at hockey schools for two six-week periods each year. His teachings on personal growth and being disciplined on the ice were welcomed within the
culture of Japan The culture of Japan has changed greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric Jōmon period, to its contemporary modern culture, which absorbs influences from Asia and other regions of the world. Historical overview The ances ...
. Bauer was never paid for his services, but had his travel and expenses covered by the
Seibu Group is a Japanese holding company that primarily owns Seibu Railway, Prince Hotels, and Seibu Bus and its subsidiaries, which are collectively known as the . In total, fifty-three companies across the world are affiliated with the Seibu Group. The c ...
. Japanese players reciprocated Bauer's efforts by embarking on hockey tours of Canada including stops at UBC. Bauer occasionally coached the Seibu team in league play, but was unable to lead them to a league championship. He declined an offer from Tsutsumi to permanently move to Japan, but continued to work in Japan until 1978. He remained friends with the Japan Ice Hockey Federation and helped to suggest coaches and players from Canada to travel to Japan. Bauer was invited by the Austrian Ice Hockey Association to coach the
Austria men's national ice hockey team The Austrian men's national hockey team is the national ice hockey team for Austria. The team is controlled by Österreichischer Eishockeyverband. As of 2022 the Austrian team is ranked 18th in the IIHF World Rankings. Austria has not won ...
in Group B during the
1973 Ice Hockey World Championships The 1973 Ice Hockey World Championships were the 40th Ice Hockey World Championships and the 51st European Championships of ice hockey. The tournament took place in the Soviet Union from 31 March to 15 April and the games were played at the Pal ...
hosted in Graz. The team finished in fifth place with two wins and five losses and avoided relegation to Group C.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 189


1980 Winter Olympic Games

The CAHA agreed to return to international play as of the
1977 Ice Hockey World Championships The 1977 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Vienna, Austria from 21 April to 8 May. Eight teams took part, first playing each other once, then the four best teams advancing to a new round. The tournament was also the 55th ice hockey E ...
when professionals were allowed to participate. In October 1977, at a House of Commons and Senate committee studying Canada's role in international hockey, Bauer urged for a plan to be put into place for
ice hockey at the 1980 Winter Olympics The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, United States, was the 14th Olympic Championship. Twelve teams competed in the tournament, which was held from February 12 to 24, 1980. The United States won its secon ...
to avoid setting up the country and players for embarrassment. Hockey Canada named Bauer to be the managing director of the Olympic team that was still restricted to amateurs. Bauer arranged a training camp six months in length to build teamwork and systems with 150 junior and college players attending. He felt that a lot of work was needed to improve the talent level to win at the Olympics, and struggled to retain talent in competition with professional teams signing amateur players to contracts.
Clare Drake Clare James Drake (October 9, 1928 – May 13, 2018) was a Canadian ice hockey coach. He was the most successful coach in Canadian Interuniversity Sport men's hockey history. In 28 years as the head coach of the University of Alberta men's ice h ...
, Tom Watt and Lorne Davis were named to coach the national team. Bauer chose to let the coaches do the coaching, but assigned them reading material on subjects he wanted instilled into the players. After the Olympics, Bauer gave an interview with ''
The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'' and made no excuses for the sixth-place finish, but felt that the establishment of a permanent a national team had been completed.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 245


Later life and death

Bauer was invited to assist the
China men's national ice hockey team The Chinese national ice hockey team is the national men's ice hockey team of the People's Republic of China. The team is controlled by the Chinese Ice Hockey Association and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Tourname ...
in advance of them hosting Group C during the 1981 Ice Hockey World Championships. A relationship for clinics run by UBC instructors had been developed by Bob Hindmarch, but Bauer was unable to travel since he was infected with shingles at the time and recommended another coach instead. Bauer was appointed vice-president of Hockey Canada in 1981, and chairman of the national team program for the
1984 Winter Olympics The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games (Serbo-Croatian and Slovene: ''XIV. Zimske olimpijske igre''; Cyrillic: XIV Зимске олимпијске игре; mk, XIV Зимски олимписки игр ...
. He continued teaching at St. Mark's and assisting with the UBC Thunderbirds hockey team. He wanted to keep the same national team together from the 1980 Winter Olympics and raised $400,000 towards the next Olympics. His involvement with the national team gradually decreased until he was in an advisory role with Hockey Canada by 1984. Bauer spent his last months resting at the family cottage in
Bayfield, Ontario Bayfield is a community in the municipality of Bluewater, Huron County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a 2016 population of 1,112. Bluewater Municipality includes Bayfield, Bruce field, Dashwood, Hensall, Varna, and Zurich This municipal ...
, after he had pancreatic surgery in July 1988. He died at the hospital in
Goderich, Ontario Goderich ( or ) is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario and is the county seat of Huron County. The town was founded by John Galt and William "Tiger" Dunlop of the Canada Company in 1827. First laid out in 1828, the town is named after ...
from pancreatic cancer on November 9, 1988. He was remembered with services at St. Basil's Church in Toronto, and St. Louis Church in Waterloo, and was interred in the family plot in Mount Hope Cemetery in Waterloo.


Coaching philosophy

Bauer was an advocate for players remaining in amateur hockey to receive an education, as opposed to the growing professionalism in the being detrimental to opportunities from learning. He felt that hockey was a means to teach the game of life and way for boys to become men, and modelled the national team after his experiences at St. Michael's. Bauer said that, "We try to give our players a well-rounded education, not merely ice skills but mental and moral conditioning as well". He stated that, "If you can improve the boy as a person he will improve as a hockey player". As a member of the Basilian Order, Bauer believed that education and the whole person were important and that an individual's relationship with God was only a portion of the whole. Bauer frowned upon the use of foul language or fisticuffs, and wanted his players to be gentlemanly. He stressed discipline, teamwork and fair play. According to national team manager Rick Noonan, Bauer was gentle in his ways and "would consult and involve everybody" on the team.


Impact on players

Bauer had an impact on players for the Canadian national team.
Glenn Anderson Glenn Chris Anderson (born October 2, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues. Ander ...
stated that, "Bauer's influence on me knows no bounds. Although he knew the game inside and out, he was more concerned with the human spirit. He had such an inner strength. And it rubbed off on me. I was blessed to have met him, while he walked among us. Bauer taught us more than a game, but how to have faith in ourselves to be the best".
Brian Conacher Brian Kennedy Conacher (born August 31, 1941) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, coach, executive and broadcaster. Conacher played 155 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings ...
said, "I know that had I not played for Father Bauer, I would never have made it to the NHL. He taught me the discipline and the skills that were lacking. Father Bauer was very involved in the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of all his players. He truly was like a father to this whole group of guys. He was a very inspirational kind of coach. He left an indelible mark on every young man that he came in contact with".


Honours and awards

Bauer was among the inaugural appointees of the
Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the cen ...
when it was established in 1967. He was appointed an officer of the Order of Canada on July 6, 1967, for his contribution to ice hockey and the Canadian national team. The formal investiture was made by the
Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, ...
on November 24, 1967. Bauer was inducted into both the
Waterloo County Waterloo County was a county in the Canadian province of Ontario from 1853 until 1973. It was the direct predecessor of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. Situated on a subset of land within the Haldimand Tract, the traditional territory of ...
Hall of Fame, and the Waterloo County Sports Hall of Fame in 1972. He was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame as a builder for ice hockey in 1973. Bauer was posthumously inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the builder category in 1989, the Olympic Hall of Fame in 1992, the UBC Sports Hall of Fame in the builder category in 1996, the
IIHF Hall of Fame The IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame operated by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It was founded in 1997, and has resided at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto since 1998. Prior to 1997, the IIHF housed exhibits at the Interna ...
in the builder category in 1997, the
BC Hockey The British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association, more commonly known as BC Hockey, is a non-profit organization and member branch of Hockey Canada in charge of governing amateur hockey at all levels in British Columbia and Yukon Territory. It comp ...
Hall of Fame in 2009, and the
Ontario Sports Hall of Fame The Ontario Sports Hall of Fame is an association dedicated to honouring athletes and personalities with outstanding achievement in sports in Ontario, Canada. The hall of fame was established in 1994 by Bruce Prentice, following his 15-year tenure ...
in 2012.


Legacy

The Canadian Press The Canadian Press (CP; french: La Presse canadienne, ) is a Canadian national news agency headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Established in 1917 as a vehicle for the time's Canadian newspapers to exchange news and information, The Canadian Pre ...
described Bauer as, "The kindly Roman Catholic priest who brought a reluctant Canadian hockey fraternity into the modern age of international play with his concept of a national team". Canada's national team was called "the most nobly conceived of all Canadian hockey enterprises" in the book ''Hockey Is Our Game'' by Jim Coleman. Bauer was "an inspirational coach, a caring educator, a master motivator" and "devoted to the concept that education and hockey could mix", according to Kevin Shea of The Hockey Hall of Fame. Brian Conacher stated that, "Father Bauer, in many respects, was a visionary, a pioneer in recognizing how good European hockey had become. It became evident that the Canadian style — rough and tumble, we'll beat them in the alley if we can’t beat them on the rink type of attitude — was passé". Rick Noonan stated, "The fact that father was a Basilian priest, he used to worry about that a lot, that people would misinterpret that he was trying to turn everyone into a Catholic. But really, he was very ecumenical. Should a player take the Lord's name in vain in the heat of the moment during a game, he would find a gentle hand on his shoulder: "Now, now, I do the praying around here". Tom Watt who was an assistant coach for the national team stated, "Father Bauer is a great Canadian, but I could never get it straight — sometimes when you thought you were talking about hockey, the priest came out of him and sometimes when you thought you were talking to a priest the hockey came out of him". Bauer is the namesake of two hockey arenas, including the Father Bauer Arena which opened in 1963 at the University of British Columbia, and the
Father David Bauer Olympic Arena The Father David Bauer Olympic Arena is an ice hockey arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It seats about 1,750 for hockey with a standing room capacity of over 2,000. It is named after David Bauer (ice hockey), Father David Bauer. Canada's defunct ...
in Calgary which was named for him in 1986 and served as a training facility for the Canadian national team. He is also the namesake of a street named Father Bauer Drive in Waterloo. Scholarships awarded by St. Michael's College School and the University of British Columbia are named for Bauer. Funds from the sale of the Bauer's family cottage were donated to endow the Quest Program to assist in communicating faith by electronic means at the
Athol Murray College of Notre Dame Athol Murray College of Notre Dame is a private, co-educational boarding high school located in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, Canada. It was founded by the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis in 1920 as St. Augustine school when they established Notre Dame ...
in
Wilcox, Saskatchewan Wilcox ( 2016 population: ) is a village in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan within the Rural Municipality of Bratt's Lake No. 129 and Census Division No. 6. It is approximately 41 kilometres (25 mi) south of the City of Regina. Wi ...
. The foundation of the national team was featured in a
Heritage Minutes ''The Heritage Minutes'' is a series of sixty-second short films, each illustrating an important moment in Canadian history. The ''Minutes'' integrate Canadian history, folklore and myths into dramatic storylines. Like the Canada Vignettes of t ...
clip, and Bauer was subject of the biographical book ''Father Bauer and The Great Experiment'' by Greg Oliver.


Bibliography

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bauer, David 1924 births 1988 deaths 20th-century Canadian educators 20th-century Canadian Roman Catholic priests Austria men's national ice hockey team coaches Canada men's national ice hockey team coaches Canadian Amateur Hockey Association personnel Canadian Army personnel of World War II Canadian ice hockey coaches Canadian ice hockey forwards Canadian people of German descent Canadian sports builders Canadian sports executives and administrators Congregation of St. Basil Deaths from cancer in Ontario Deaths from pancreatic cancer Hockey Canada personnel Hockey Hall of Fame inductees Ice hockey people from Ontario IIHF Hall of Fame inductees Memorial Cup winners Officers of the Order of Canada Oshawa Generals players Sportspeople from Waterloo, Ontario Toronto St. Michael's Majors coaches Toronto St. Michael's Majors players Toronto Varsity Blues ice hockey players University of British Columbia faculty University of St. Michael's College alumni