Book Feature Father Bauer And The Great Experiment: The Genesis of Canadian Olympic Hockey (by Greg Oliver)

[goliver845]

Hi everyone,

With international hockey on our minds and the World Juniors tournament underway, I've been asked to present about Father Bauer and the Great Experiment: The Genesis of Canadian Olympic Hockey, which came out in April 2017. Thanks for the opportunity.

Here's the synopsis that I came up with ECW Press:

Father David Bauer changed lives — at the rink, in the classroom, and at the pulpit. Bauer’s dream created the first truly national Canadian hockey team. In 1963, that unique group represented Canada abroad and were committed to both country and to Father Bauer. Whether shepherding the hockey program at St. Michael’s College in Toronto or the men’s national team out of the University of British Columbia, Bauer was both spiritual leader and trailblazer.

Through exhaustive research and countless interviews, author Greg Oliver explores a Canadian icon, the teams that he put on the ice, and the rocky, almost unfathomable years of the 1970s when Canada didn’t play international hockey. Finally, for the first time ever, the whole story of Father Bauer’s critical importance to Canada’s game is told in the rich detail it deserves, and a beloved icon is celebrated for his contributions to our nation’s sporting history.​

I've got a personal page on the book on my website, OliverBooks.ca as well, where you can order the book. It should be available wherever books are sold.

So, I'm open to questions about the book, but I'll start off with a little more personal detail.

I grew up in Kitchener, Ontario, and always knew about local icon Father Bauer, but not as much as I should. Somehow that was always bubbling in my head that there should be a proper biography on the man -- a priest yet! -- who set everything in motion for what we have now with Hockey Canada, with the best of the best selected to represent the country.

With many pro wrestling books under my belt, my editor at ECW Press, Michael Holmes, was game when we had lunch and I said I wanted to do something else ... and that ended up being hockey. First was Don't Call Me Goon (with Richard Kamchen) and then The Goaltenders' Union with Richard as well. The two Allan Stitt books on archives sort of came out of nowhere, but they complimented my work on Father Bauer in immeasurable ways.

Jim Gregory wrote the foreword for Father Bauer (well, if we are being honest, he gave me some direction, I wrote it, and he okayed it -- this happens more than you think, by the way, with forewords!). But he was a key part of Written in Blue & White, as I talked to all the living general managers of the Toronto Maple Leafs that pertained to the documents. So there was plenty of synergy like that, where I could ask about the Canadian Olympic program too.

Another example is Lou Nanne, former GM of the North Stars. Allan Stitt had a bunch of documents from the team, so some of them ended up in Blue Lines, Goal Lines & Bottom Lines (i.e. the non-Leafs document book), and Nanne helped with that. When I talked to Lou, I asked about Father Bauer and he went on a small rant about not getting a chance to play for Canada, so he ended up representing the United States, and, as you might know, he stayed involved with the American program.

(For the record, I was working on the Gilles Gratton autobiography too, and there were complimentary pieces with the Stitt documents as well. Gratoony the Loony came out in the fall of 2017, so I liked to joke that I wrote one book about a priest and the other about a devil.)

With anything, it's about who you know. The Canadian Olympic team originals from the Father Bauer years try to get together yearly for a reunion, and, after having talked to enough of them, they welcomed me at a reunion in Manitoulan Island, near Sudbury, Ontario. The book was pretty well done at that point, but between the photos I got there and tidbits, it just ended up being a stronger book.

To conclude ... of all the books that I have written, I felt at the time that it was the pinnacle of my work as a writer and researcher. I did it myself, it was lengthy and epic, historically important, and will live on as a documentation of an important person and time period long after I'm gone. (And I feel the same about my newest book, the self-published Who's The Man? Billy Van! about an overlooked Canadian comic genius.)

Phew, I didn't set out to write that much ... but I haven't been writing enough these days, and have been doing so much editing that it felt write / right!

Bring on the questions and thoughts about the book!

Click to read more...

 

[Theokritos]

Thanks for your presentation! So your roots in Kitchener were a crucial factor that made you write the book?

 

[goliver845]

Thanks for your presentation! So your roots in Kitchener were a crucial factor that made you write the book?

Absolutely. It was fascinating to look into his own family's heritage and how Bauer Industries (which made the padding in the seats of the developing auto industry) developed in Kitchener-Waterloo. (They are NOT Bauer skates, also from Kitchener, though to confuse the issue, Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Bauer married into THAT family, and worked there after his career.)

 

[JMCx4]

I gave Great Experiment 4 thumbs up ... the extra two were on behalf of Mrs. JMC.

 

[Theokritos]

a priest yet!

On first sight, that's quite a stunning aspect indeed. How did it happen that David Bauer devoted himself to both, priesthood and hockey? Catholic community centers and schools with their own rinks and teams used to play a considerable role in Canadian junior hockey for a long time, is that correct?

 

[goliver845]

I gave Great Experiment 4 thumbs up ... the extra two were on behalf of Mrs. JMC.

Is she a hockey fan? I feel the story, in its bigger picture, can resonate beyond hockey, but the core of it had to be those hockey games overseas, where the Canadians were screwed over again and again.

 

[goliver845]

On first sight, that's quite a stunning aspect indeed. How did it happen that David Bauer devoted himself to both, priesthood and hockey? Catholic community centers and schools with their own rinks and teams used to play a considerable role in Canadian junior hockey for a long time, is that correct?

His older brothers had gone to St. Michael's in Toronto, an all-boys high school, so David did too. He found a calling teaching, and in the priesthood. But hockey was always there, from a kid, and again, his siblings played a role in that. David played at St. Mike's and even was a call-up during the wartime rules to play with Oshawa in the Memorial Cup. Teaching = coaching and, well, it grew from there.

 

[JMCx4]

Is she a hockey fan? I feel the story, in its bigger picture, can resonate beyond hockey, but the core of it had to be those hockey games overseas, where the Canadians were screwed over again and again.

My wife & I are both hockey fans. We are also Roman Catholic, so the storyline had TWO devotions for us to appreciate. But as Americans, we have little compassion for Canadians.

 

[goliver845]

My wife & I are both hockey fans. We are also Roman Catholic, so the storyline had TWO devotions for us to appreciate. But as Americans, we have little compassion for Canadians.

As I wrote in the acknowledgements, I'm not an especially religious guy. I went to the United Church of Canada growing up, but that was mainly about socialness. So I tried to be a little extra sensitive to anything religious in the book.

The story of them meeting the Pope, though, is epic; I only wish we could have gotten a photo!

 

[Theokritos]

Greg, what was the idea behind the Canadian national team that Bauer came up with? What was the advantage over sending a club team to Europe?

 

[goliver845]

Greg, what was the idea behind the Canadian national team that Bauer came up with? What was the advantage over sending a club team to Europe?

Remember that it was the days of amateur hockey ("shamateur" for the rest of the world, where the Czechs, Soviets and Swedes kept their teams together through their jobs in the army or whatever). Club teams, like the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen, which Father Bauer's brother, Ray, fundraised and ran, and Bobby coached, had to raise their own money to go to the Olympics or World Championships.

Father Bauer's plan, if nothing else, was an attempt to bring together the various levels of hockey and the provincial units, to try to work together. Eventually, that resulted in Hockey Canada, but it took years, and Canada dropping out of international play for everyone to get on the same page.

Did he get the best players to go? No. He got what he could. These were players who were willing to put aside a payday to play for their country and, generally, pursue an education. (Some had "real" jobs initially, and most moved on to regular work, while some turned pro and couldn't play for the Nats any longer.)

 

[Theokritos]

Remember that it was the days of amateur hockey ("shamateur" for the rest of the world, where the Czechs, Soviets and Swedes kept their teams together through their jobs in the army or whatever). Club teams, like the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen, which Father Bauer's brother, Ray, fundraised and ran, and Bobby coached, had to raise their own money to go to the Olympics or World Championships.

Father Bauer's plan, if nothing else, was an attempt to bring together the various levels of hockey and the provincial units, to try to work together. Eventually, that resulted in Hockey Canada, but it took years, and Canada dropping out of international play for everyone to get on the same page.

Did he get the best players to go? No. He got what he could. These were players who were willing to put aside a payday to play for their country and, generally, pursue an education. (Some had "real" jobs initially, and most moved on to regular work, while some turned pro and couldn't play for the Nats any longer.)

The shamateur aspect is certainly a crucial one. In North America, professionalism prevailed very early on, which led to a relatively clean split between professional hockey (Stanley Cup) and amateur hockey (Allan Cup). In Europe, the development of hockey came much later and when the stage was reached where hockey turned professional, it already had a stake in the Olympics that the federations didn't want to let go of. Which indeed led to a state of sham-amateurism and put Canada at an unfair disadvantage: the Europeans brought all their best players because they were amateurs on paper while the Canadians couldn't because their best were professionals.

Of course, the creation of a Canadian national team couldn't change anything about that crucial fact. But if I understand the concept right, what was done was to gather an amateur all-star team to represent Canada (as opposed to an individual club team) and that all-star team basically spend the entire season preparing for the Olympics/World Championship. Still, I wonder if the performances of the Canadian national team were an actual improvement over the performances of the top amateur clubs representing Canada before 1964.

 

[goliver845]

Absolutely. Those Father Bauer teams poured their heart and soul into the program, maybe more than any other team in history, and they became exactly that, a true team.

The Summit Series factors into the book too, and just about all of Father Bauer's "boys" talked about telling the NHLers who were going to play the Soviets about what to expect, and their advice was ignored.

One of my favourite memories of working on it was a Summit Series event in Toronto in September 2016 that I got last-minute tickets to, and my son and I went down. During the event, Quinn Oliver stood up and asked Ken Dryden (who had not returned my call/email) about how the Russians were different in 1969, when he played for the Nats, compared to 1972. The T-shirt vendor later saw Quinn and gave him a Summit Series T for asking a question. And I was able to add a line from Dryden to the book.

Now, can you name everyone in the photo? (That's an advance reading copy of the Father Bauer book in my hands.)

 

[Theokritos]

Absolutely. Those Father Bauer teams poured their heart and soul into the program, maybe more than any other team in history, and they became exactly that, a true team.

I don't doubt that, but the results don't really show an improvement over the previous Canadian club entries:

60: 2nd
61: 1st
62: 2nd
63: 4th
64: 4th
65: 4th
66: 3th
67: 3th
68: 3th
69: 4th

That said, we don't know where the Canadian clubs would have ranked if there was no Canadian national team. The Europeans were improving substantially over the 1960s, so it's entirely possible Canadian club teams would have fared worse than they did before and worse than the Canadian national team did. I'm not trying to badmouth the Canadian national team, it was certainly an interesting idea and an admirable attempt, even though the circumstances (see amateurism/shamateurism resp. available talent) didn't allow Canada to finish better than 3rd. In particular, their performances in 1964 and 1967 were impressive.

Greg, what exactly was provided for the players of the Canadian national team? The core of the team consisted of University students and they basically split their time between studying and hockey, is that right? Did they get a scholarship or how did the team operate?

 

[goliver845]

You are quite right that the Europeans kept improving and the Canadians struggled to keep up during that time. It would have been eventually impossible to send club teams, as expansion in professional hockey was starting in the 1960s, and the Nats lost some players too when the NHL doubled in size for the 1967-68 season.

But it doesn't take a scientist to see that the Canadian teams were hosed by referees and the behind the scenes powers again and again. I detail it again and again, and had fairness been constant, the Nats would have at least a couple more medals.

Greg, what exactly was provided for the players of the Canadian national team? The core of the team consisted of University students and they basically split their time between studying and hockey, is that right? Did they get a scholarship or how did the team operate?

It was embarrassingly little. Many of them told of being slipped $10 by Father Bauer or others just to get through the week.

The first team was given a beaten down house on the University of British Columbia campus, but they had to fix it up themselves. Somehow, they found a budget for a cook/cleaner for all these boys living together. Most were good students, so there was some scholarship money, but the school wasn't a sponsor. I suspect the education institutions -- later, they were all stationed at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg -- were, if anything, more forgiving than generous. Credits were allowed to be transferred and allowances were made for the time away for games. They all told stories of studying for exams while competing in Europe. (The Soviets didn't have to do that!)

The rest was cap in hand by Father Bauer and Jackie McLeod, trying to secure money from sponsors. Father Bauer made some deal with Air Canada at some point which would have been the biggest expense.

Again, fast forward to even the 1980 Olympic team that Father Bauer was a part of, and there was money, but hardly overflowing coffers. By then, Hockey Canada had been established, and they got trailers from the oil fields for the players to stay outside the Corral in Calgary.

 

[Theokritos]

You are quite right that the Europeans kept improving and the Canadians struggled to keep up during that time. It would have been eventually impossible to send club teams, as expansion in professional hockey was starting in the 1960s, and the Nats lost some players too when the NHL doubled in size for the 1967-68 season.

That's a great point.

But it doesn't take a scientist to see that the Canadian teams were hosed by referees and the behind the scenes powers again and again. I detail it again and again, and had fairness been constant, the Nats would have at least a couple more medals.

I'm looking forward to reading the book.

It was embarrassingly little. Many of them told of being slipped $10 by Father Bauer or others just to get through the week.

The first team was given a beaten down house on the University of British Columbia campus, but they had to fix it up themselves. Somehow, they found a budget for a cook/cleaner for all these boys living together. Most were good students, so there was some scholarship money, but the school wasn't a sponsor. I suspect the education institutions -- later, they were all stationed at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg -- were, if anything, more forgiving than generous. Credits were allowed to be transferred and allowances were made for the time away for games.

Very interesting, thanks for those insights.

They all told stories of studying for exams while competing in Europe. (The Soviets didn't have to do that!)

A few Soviet players actually did. Starshinov and the Mayorov brothers attended the Moscow State Aviation Technological University while already playing for the Soviet national team and later Vladimir Shadrin studied at the Gubkin State University of Oil and Gas while doing the same. But those were exceptions and unlike the Canadian players they also received a salary from their hockey club Spartak Moscow.

 

[goliver845]

A few Soviet players actually did. Starshinov and the Mayorov brothers attended the Moscow State Aviation Technological University while already playing for the Soviet national team and later Vladimir Shadrin studied at the Gubkin State University of Oil and Gas while doing the same. But those were exceptions and unlike the Canadian players they also received a salary from their hockey club Spartak Moscow.

We often wrongly stereotype the Soviet hockey players as mindless automaton, eh?

 

[Theokritos]

We often wrongly stereotype the Soviet hockey players as mindless automaton, eh?

It sure happens. There are cases (more from the later time, I think) where it does look somehwat more true: Krutov and a whole bunch of Soviet players who went to the West and failed because they had spent their entire hockey lives under a system where they were constantly told what to do and basically all they ever did was to follow orders. But of course, even then you had players of a different ilk, see Larionov & Fetisov.

On the flipside, Canadian players from the 1960s sometimes get portrayed as tactically primitive brutes, which is equally superficial.

 

[goliver845]

On the flipside, Canadian players from the 1960s sometimes get portrayed as tactically primitive brutes, which is equally superficial.

And Father Bauer set out to really change that perspective / perception of Canadian players, and for the most part, succeeded.

 

[Theokritos]

And Father Bauer set out to really change that perspective / perception of Canadian players, and for the most part, succeeded.

The Canadian national team certainly left a more favourable impression in Europe than some earlier Canadian clubs did, not to mention the professionals later on. It should be noted though that the playing qualities and skills of the Canadians were not in doubt as far as e.g. the Soviets were concerned, even when they weren't happy with the physical style. For example, see the glowing terms that Soviet assistant coach Vladimir Yegorov used when he described the Canadian amateurs back in 1958 (Observations on the Canadians by Soviet coach Vladimir Yegorov).

 

[goliver845]

Every club team played their style anyway. But players like goalie Seth Martin made a big impression...

Now, Theokritos, is anyone else going to chat here besides you and me? LOL

 

[BadgerBruce]

Hi Greg — I’ve appreciated your work, from hockey to wrestling, for more years than I can count. My elderly father refuses to return Blue Lines, Goal Lines & Bottom Lines, and usually he just “borrows” my books, races through them, and gives them back within a week. He ain’t parting with that one!

Anyway, does the Father David Bauer book deal at all with players who were reinstated amateurs, such as Carl Brewer? I’ve always been curious about how Bauer (and the national team program) viewed such players essentially pit-stopping with the Nats.

Thoughts?

 

[goliver845]

Hi Greg — I’ve appreciated your work, from hockey to wrestling, for more years than I can count. My elderly father refuses to return Blue Lines, Goal Lines & Bottom Lines, and usually he just “borrows” my books, races through them, and gives them back within a week. He ain’t parting with that one!

Thank you. That is great to hear. Sorry about your father. Appreciate that he loves books. I gifted my dad the terrific Nine Lessons I Learned from My Father that Murray Howe wrote about Gordie, wrote a nice inscription, and he just gave it back to me later. (My father-in-law got one too, but didn't return it.)

Anyway, does the Father David Bauer book deal at all with players who were reinstated amateurs, such as Carl Brewer? I’ve always been curious about how Bauer (and the national team program) viewed such players essentially pit-stopping with the Nats.

Of course. I was able to talk to Sue Foster, Brewer's widow, about his time with the Nats. You can tell the time with the Nats mattered to him because he went to a couple of the reunions. Yeah, it was playing with the rules, but all the countries did it, twisting rules to to get whatever player they needed to get amateur status; in Canada, it had a rich history with all the club teams challenging for the Allan Cup.

 

[Theokritos]

Greg, Father Bauer initially also served as head coach of the Canadian national team but later stepped aside for Jackie McLeod. I think he remained assistant coach though. Is that correct?

 

[goliver845]

Greg, Father Bauer initially also served as head coach of the Canadian national team but later stepped aside for Jackie McLeod. I think he remained assistant coach though. Is that correct?

Father Bauer was an everything kind of person -- he mainly let Jackie do the coaching, but would be in the stands making notes, helped arrange the players, the schedule, the funding, and all that.