Johnny Bower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johnny Bower
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| Born |
John William Kiszkan
November 8, 1924 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada
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| Died | December 26, 2017 (aged 93) Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
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| Military career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance | Canada | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service/ |
Canadian Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years of service | 1940–1943 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | Gunner | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unit | First Canadian Army II Canadian Corps
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| Battles/wars | World War II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John William Bower (born John William Kiszkan; November 8, 1924 – December 26, 2017) was a famous Canadian ice hockey goaltender. People often called him "The China Wall" because he was so good at stopping pucks. He won four Stanley Cups with the Toronto Maple Leafs. On January 1, 2017, he was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" of all time.
Contents
Playing Career
Early Life and Army Service
Johnny Bower was born John William Kiszkan in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. His family was from Ukraine. He learned to play hockey all by himself. He used a tree branch as a stick. For goalie pads, he made them from old mattresses.
When he was just 15, Johnny joined the Canadian Army during World War II. He told them he was older than he really was. From 1940 to 1943, he was a gunner in England. He had to leave the army because of problems with his hands.
Starting in Professional Hockey
After the war, Johnny played junior hockey in Prince Albert. In 1945, he became a professional player. He spent eleven seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL). He played mostly for the Cleveland Barons.
In 1953, at age 29, Johnny joined the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the New York Rangers. He became their main goalie and played in all 70 games that season. He won 29 games. After that season, he went back to the minor leagues for four more years. He played for the Providence Reds, Vancouver Canucks, and the Cleveland Barons. The Rangers called him up briefly in 1954 and 1956.
Becoming a Maple Leafs Legend
In 1958, the Toronto Maple Leafs picked Johnny Bower. Their coach, Punch Imlach, convinced him to try the NHL again. Imlach thought Johnny was "the most remarkable — and maybe the best — athlete in the world."
In the 1960-61 season, Johnny won his first Vezina Trophy. This award goes to the goalie who lets in the fewest goals. The best part of his NHL career was when the Maple Leafs won three Stanley Cups in a row. They won in 1962, 1963, and 1964. Johnny said winning the Stanley Cup was his dream. He felt numb with excitement.
Johnny had poor eyesight, but he was still a top goalie. He was known for his tough and determined playing style. He helped the Leafs win another Stanley Cup in 1967.
On April 6, 1969, Johnny Bower made history. At 44 years old, he became the oldest goalie to play in a Stanley Cup playoff game. He played his last game on December 10, 1969. He was the oldest full-time player ever in an NHL game at that time.
Johnny announced his retirement on March 19, 1970. He was 45 years old. He played eleven full seasons with the Leafs. He never told his true age for a long time. Coach Punch Imlach once joked about his age. Johnny later shared his birth date as November 8, 1924. He still holds the AHL record for most career wins, with 250.
Life After Hockey
Hall of Fame and Public Recognition
After retiring, Johnny Bower continued to work for the Maple Leafs. He was a scout and a goalie coach. He was an assistant coach for the Leafs from 1976 to 1978. He officially retired in 1990. But he kept making public appearances for the team for the rest of his life.
Johnny was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976. He also joined the AHL Hall of Fame in 2006. In 1998, The Hockey News ranked him #87 on their list of the 100 Greatest NHL Players. He was also inducted into the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame in 1994. In 1999, he joined the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.
Johnny was married to Nancy. They had a son, two daughters, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. He lived in Mississauga, Ontario.
In 2004, Johnny Bower was featured on a postage stamp. He was one of six NHL All-Stars honored. In 2005, the Royal Canadian Mint put Johnny on a special fifty-cent coin. It was part of a set called "Legends of the Toronto Maple Leafs." In 2007, he received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.
On May 24, 2014, a street was renamed in his honor. Patika Avenue in Weston, where he lived, became Johnny Bower Boulevard.
His Final Years
Johnny Bower passed away on December 26, 2017, at age 93. He died from pneumonia. Many hockey teams honored him after his death. The Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, and Arizona Coyotes held tributes. Even the Toronto Raptors basketball team honored him.
On January 3, the Maple Leafs held a public celebration of Johnny's life. Thousands of people attended, including former and current NHL players. The event was shown on TV across Canada. Toronto Mayor John Tory declared January 3 to be Johnny Bower Day. For the rest of the 2017 season, the Maple Leafs wore special patches on their jerseys to honor him.
His Unique Style
Johnny Bower was the first goalie to use the poke check. This is an aggressive move where the goalie uses their stick to poke the puck away from an attacking player. Sometimes, he would even leave his crease (the area in front of the net) to do it. Many goalies at all levels of hockey now use this move.
Awards and Achievements
- Three-time Hap Holmes Memorial Award: 1952, 1957, 1958
- Two-time Vezina Trophy winner in 1960–61, 1964–65
- Four-time Stanley Cup winner: 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1966–67
- Selected to NHL First All-Star Team in 1961
- Played in 1961 NHL All-Star Game
- Three-time Les Cunningham Award winner: 1956, 1957, 1958
- Three-time Calder Cup winner: 1948, 1951, 1953
- The Hockey News' list of the Top 100 NHL Players of All Time: #87
- Hockey Hall of Fame inductee (class of 1976)
- AHL Hall of Fame inductee (class of 2006)
- Star on Canada's Walk of Fame
- Number 1 retired by the Cleveland Monsters (for his career with the Cleveland Barons)
- Number 1 retired by the Toronto Maple Leafs (alongside Turk Broda)
- Named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history (2017)
Images for kids
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Johnny Bower playing in goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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Johnny Bower signing autographs in 2013.
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The Vezina Trophy, which Johnny Bower won twice.
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An exhibit for Bower at the Hockey Hall of Fame. Bower was inducted into the Hall in 1976.
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Bower's star on Canada's Walk of Fame.
