Bobby Baun
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Bobby Baun was born on the 9th of September, 1936 in Lanigan, Saskatchewan, Canada) He was a professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League from 1956-57 to 1972-73.
- Position: Defence
- Shoots: Right
- Height: 5 ft 9 in
- Weight: 182 lb
[edit] Playing career
Bobby Baun began his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1956-57 season. While he played a total of fourteen seasons, over two different stints, with Toronto, he also played for the Oakland Seals and Detroit Red Wings. Baun was never much of an offensive threat as a defenceman as his highest goal total was eight in one season. However, he will forever be remembered for scoring the overtime winner in game six against the Detroit Red Wings in the 1964 playoffs on the 23rd of April. Earlier in that same game, he had had his ankle broken. He then returned from his injury in overtime to score the game winner. The Leafs won the next game, game seven, 4-0 for their third consecutive Stanley Cup.
He was one of the hardest and cleanest hitters of his time, and Bobby Hull commented that trying to skate by Baun was like trying to skate through an obstacle course.
He was a holdout for the 1965-66 season and Carl Brewer's temporary retirement was due in part to Baun's holdout. Baun eventually got a raise, but Punch Imlach never forgot it. A series of injuries dimmed Imlach's enthusiasm for his defenceman. In 1966-67, Baun suffered a broken toe. Imlach replaced him with Larry Hillman and Baun saw little ice time after that.
He departure to Oakland didn't surprise many, but the Seals demise into last place did. Baun was traded to Detroit, where he played two seasons, after which he asked to return to Toronto and got his wish. The Leafs benefitted from his good defensive play, in fact, allowing Jacques Plante, Toronto netminder, to record a 1.88 goals against average in 1970-71. He was just as effective the next season. But in 1972-73, in his fifth game, he suffered a neck injury that terminated his NHL career. The Leafs lost a large number of their defence with injuries and sagged to sixth in the East Division and out of the playoffs.
Baun attempted a comeback with the Toronto Toros of the World Hockey Association, but found that he just didn't have his legs anymore in their training camp and retired. Bobby has one grandson (Kyle Baun) in St. Michaels College School, a school famous for its supurb hockey players who looks to be just like his grandfather on the ice.
| Preceded by: new creation | Oakland Seals captains 1967-68 | Succeeded by: Ted Hampson |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
Hockey Stars of 1969 by Stan Fischler
Face-off 1973-74 by Martin Lader and Tim Moriarty
