Johnny Bower’s enduring legacy
Nancy Bower marvels at husband Johnny’s continuing legacy with hockey fans of all ages
Nancy Bower learned long ago there’s no such thing as a quick trip from the house if her husband comes along.
After almost 70 years of marriage, she knows Johnny attracts a crowd, whether he’s just mailing a letter, buying a quart of milk or engaged in his favourite morning pastime, checking for any litter across the street in Meadowvale’s Johnny Bower Park.
The 92-year-old Leaf goaltending legend, four-time Stanley Cup winner and Hockey Hall Of Famer should get his public due and that’s why Nancy has the patience of a saint when a wellwisher stops him and crowds form. Her approving smile as Johnny shakes hands, signs pucks, sticks, sweaters and listens to fans gush about the glory days shows she doesn’t really mind running a bit late.
Nancy shared some stories of a life spent next to the Leaf icon, still trying to keep pace with the hectic schedule of a man only eight years younger than the centennial franchise. Last week they were part of a tour of “Ultimate Leafs Fan” Mike Wilson’s team-themed basement museum where Johnny, naturally, had time for everybody.
“He was recognized at a dinner in Vaughan last month (for Canadian safety personnel suffering PTSD),” Nancy said. “Ken Shaw of CFTO was the MC and when he introduced John ... well, I’ve heard a lot of cheers for him, but this one brought tears to my eyes.
“My goodness, they wouldn’t sit down for a couple of minutes and we’re both saying come on guys, sit! I just watch and think ‘wow.’ It’s quite a tribute when you still see that happen.”
A greying generation of fans witnessed Bower at his best, a career that took him to 1970, while women might recall how he waved his blocker whenever named a game star in tribute to mothers and grandmothers watching on TV. He also recorded a bestselling kids’ Christmas song.
Yet he never really separated from the Leafs family as many of the greats did in the turbulent 1970s and ’80s. He scouted for years and as he eased into retirement became a regular Gardens/ ACC visitor and taking the team ambassador job that Nancy laughs “he was born for.”
The most repeated highlight in the video age at the ACC is Bower, sans mask in a mad crease scramble, stopping two point blank shots with his face. The oohs and ahhs that elicits from fans are often the cue to introduce Bower somewhere in the stands, doffing his Leafs ball cap and always getting a roar from the crowd.
“I don’t go to games anymore, because it’s too hard for me to get around, but I watch for him on TV,” Nancy said. “There are so many commercials today, but I still want to see if they show him.”
In his book, The China Wall, with Bob Duff, Bower said he and Nancy met on a golf course north of his hometown in Prince Albert, Sask., in 1948. Bower was working as assistant pro there the summer after his Cleveland Barons won the Calder Cup and he was sent out to the first tee to warn a group of giddy young women to stop swinging their clubs so wildly. Nancy, he recalls, was the most angry at being lectured, but they bumped into each other in town that evening and went to a movie.
After a long minor league trail, which included a stop in Providence, R.I., where they befriended the parents of future Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello, they settled in Toronto, with a son, two daughters and six grandchildren. Now there’s a flock of millennial munchkins coming to their door hoping to meet the legend.
“The kids on our street pass the word at school,” Nancy says. “Johnny gives them an autographed picture and they get pretty excited.”
If you pay a social call, Nancy assures there’s never a coat off its hanger, a newspaper strewn on the couch or a stray sock on the floor.
“He’s a goalie who likes to keep his crease clean,” laughed Nancy of her husband’s fastidiousness. “He wants things tidy. He’s very particular around the house — ‘pick up this, pick up that.’
“We do have quite a rumpus room in the basement. Pictures, pictures, pictures and his trophies. Two pairs of goal pads. But it’s all laid out and organized. I’m sure our kids have divided what they’d like to have.”
Bower always had a special rapport with youngsters, even a couple of 10-year-olds he caught littering his beloved playground.
“They were throwing pop cans around,” Nancy said. “He went right over and spoke to them quietly and said ‘you know this is a nice little park. Do you want it to look like a dump? Now please pick up those cans and put them in the barrel.’ They did it very nicely. It was so cute, but I said you probably scared the life out of them.”
He’s since made a deal with some of the local kids, autographs in exchange for helping with the park’s upkeep.
“Now I have the cleanest park going,” Johnny said. “I enjoy teaching kids the proper way to do things. It’s a big factor in my life. I had nothing growing up, but my Dad always told me ‘it doesn’t cost you nothin’ for a smile.’ Be nice to people, help them out and they’ll help you.”
Some of Bower’s gear is in the Hall, some was acquired by collectors such as Wilson, but Bower says the item most dear to him is his first of four miniature Cups from the 1962 Leafs.
“That was my childhood dream come true. My wife always reminds me I didn’t want to go Toronto at one time, I said ‘Nancy, I’m 33 years old, I’m happy in Cleveland.’ But she kept saying this is your big chance. So I went on one condition, if they sent me down, I could come back to Cleveland. We wound up staying for four Cups.”
Since then, Bower has staunchly defended the Leafs, through two last-place overall finishes in the past 50 years. He famously keeps a bottle of champagne in the fridge awaiting their next title.
“He watches their games on TV and doesn’t get tired, he’s there until the very end,” Nancy insists. “Then he watches the guys talk about the game afterwards.
“It’s been hard on him for a long time (keeping the faith), but the kids on this team, they are playing really well and we are really hopeful this time.”
I enjoy teaching kids the proper way to do things. I had nothing growing up, but my dad always told me ‘it doesn’t cost you nothin’ for a smile.’ Be nice to people, help them out and they’ll help you.