- Father Bauer and the Great Experiment, by Greg Oliver (ECW Press)
Author Greg Oliver has produced a well-balanced and thoughtful account of the life and teachings of this extraordinarily influential man of hockey.
Father David Bauer was a remarkable player, coach, historian and above all else, a diplomat for Canada in the world of international hockey. Hockey legend Ted Lindsay, who played with David Bauer on the Oshawa Generals 1944 Memorial Cup Championship team, publicly stated that had he chosen pro hockey rather than the priesthood, Bauer would have likely been an all-star in the NHL.
As a coach his influence over future NHLers coming out of teams such as the Junior St. Mike’s Majors, the UBC Thunderbirds and the 1964 Olympic team that represented Canada at Innsbruck, Austria was especially profound.
Canadians have generally been thought of globally as conservative, polite, humble, etc., etc., but hockey may be the big exception. Don’t tell us we are not Numero Uno in the sport of hockey because we will bite back like a crazed Doberman/pit bull cross.
Father Bauer’s great experiment was to somehow channel these fighting instincts into a style of play combining passion and sportsmanship. The author chronicles how the priest coach constantly strived to instill the right balance of hockey and education in his players.
Father Bauer was once famously asked by a reporter what he was most worried about regarding an upcoming game with the Soviet Union. Bauer replied: “Actually what I am really most worried about is the crisis in Cuba and the war in Vietnam.”
In the early stages of the Canadian National Team development Oliver describes the local alliance between the North Shore Winter Club and Father Bauer. In fact, the NSWC was the setting for key victories of the pre-Olympic UBC Thunderbird team over their much vaunted rivals from the Prairies. This led to a Western Canada Conference Championship and eventual induction of the 1962-63 varsity squad into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame. In addition, several of the National Team players who benefitted greatly from Father Bauer’s tutelage and guidance went on to be certified UBC Hockey School instructors at Hollyburn Country Club as well as the North Vancouver rec commission.
Finally, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the Great Experiment to satisfy everyone who follows our national sport, and one could fault the author somewhat for not being a bit more critical of the NHL for their lack of support in the enterprise.
Father David Bauer was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1989, just one year after his passing at the age of 64.
Greg Oliver’s book is most timely given the current controversy surrounding the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympic Games and is, indeed, a breath of fresh air in these troubled times. It will help to fill a large gap in the literature of Canadian international hockey to date.
