Bobby Bauer

Bobby Bauer
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Right
Nickname(s)	Bobby
Height Weight	5 ft 07 in (1.70 m) 160 lb (73 kg)
Teams	Boston Bruins
Nationality	Canadian
Born	February 16, 1915(1915-02-16), Waterloo, ON, CA
Died	September 16, 1964(1964-09-16) (aged 49), Kitchener, ON, CA
Pro Career	1936 – 1952
Hall of Fame, 1996

Robert Theodore "Bobby" Bauer (born February 16, 1915, in Waterloo, Ontario - died September 16, 1964) was a Canadian professional right winger who played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins. Known for his skill and gentlemanly play, Bauer was a three time recipient of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

Early career

Bauer was born on February 16, 1915, in Waterloo, Ontario. He was the second of 11 children to Edgar and Alice Bauer; His elder brother Frank was later Mayor of Waterloo and he had nine younger siblings: Eugene, Jerome, Alice, David, Raymond, Mary, Rita, Therese and Margaret. Edgar was a Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester, Waterloo city councillor and executive in the Bauer family's automotive parts business.

The Bauer children learned to play hockey in a backyard rink, and Bobby grew up playing youth hockey in Kitchener–Waterloo before moving to Toronto in 1930 where he attended St. Michael's College School and played junior first with the St. Michael's Buzzers in 1930–31 followed by three years with the St. Michael's Majors. In 1933–34, Bauer recorded 15 points in 13 Memorial Cup playoff games to help the Majors capture the Dominion junior championship. Bauer played his final year of junior in 1934–35 with the Kitchener Greenshirts where he first played with Milt Schmidt and Woody Dumart, who was then a defenceman.

Playing career

"He was the brains of the line, always thinking, and a very clever playmaker." Woody Dumart

All three players were signed by the Boston Bruins,and Bauer was assigned to the Boston Cubs of the Canadian-American Hockey League (CAHL) for the 1935–36 season. He scored 15 goals for the Cubs in 48 games, then was promoted to the Providence Redsof the International-American Hockey League (IAHL) in 1936–37. It was with the Reds that Bauer as right wing, Schmidt at centre and Dumart, who moved up to left wing, were first placed together as a line. Owing to their shared German heritage, the trio were initially called the "Sauerkrauts" by Providence coach Albert Leduc, though the name was shortened and they were known as the "Kraut Line" for the majority of their careers. Following a season in which Bauer recorded 18 points in 44 games with the Reds, the Bruins recalled him to Boston for the team's final game of the regular season. He made his NHL debut on March 21, 1937, and scored his first goal in a 6–1 victory over the Chicago Black Hawks. The Kraut Line earned full-time spots in Boston beginning in 1937–38; Bauer recorded a team-leading 20 goals in his rookie season as the trio led the Bruins to the team's first of four consecutive Prince of Wales Trophy wins as the NHL's best team in the regular season. Following a 31-point regular season in 1938–39, Bauer added five points in 12 playoff games and was named to the NHL's second All-Star team. The Bruins eliminated the New York Rangers, then defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs four games to one to capture Boston's first Stanley Cupchampionship in ten years. In 1939–40, Schmidt led the NHL in points with 52 while Dumart and Bauer finished second and third respectively with 43 each. It was the first time in league history that three linemates finished in the top three spots in NHL scoring. Bauer was again named a second team All-Star, and with only two penalties in minutes (PIM), won the Lady Byng Trophy for the first time.

"Bobby was our team. He was my right arm." Milt Schmidt

A 39-point season in 1940–41 with only two PIM earned Bauer his third consecutive appearance on the All-Star team and a second Lady Byng Trophy. In the playoffs, the Bruins reached the 1941 Stanley Cup Finals where they defeated the Detroit Red Wings in four straight games. Bauer scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal midway through the second period of a 3–1 victory in the deciding game. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, all three members of the Kraut Line enlisted with the Canadian military by signing up for home defence. At the same time, anti-German sentiment led to efforts to change the trio's nickname. They were briefly called the "Buddy Line" and the "Kitchener Kids", though they were again referred to as the Kraut Line following the war.

The trio were called to active duty in January 1942, forcing them to leave the Bruins midway through the 1941–42 season. In their final game with the Bruins, the Kraut Line recorded eight points in a dominating victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Following the contest, players from both teams fêted the trio, hoisting them up on their shoulders and parading them around the ice. Bauer was overwhelmed by the moment: "The ovation, at the height of my youth, sort of grabbed me." Schmidt, Dumart and Bauer were the first NHL players to join the Royal Canadian Air Force, and while training in Ottawa, they joined the Ottawa RCAF Flyers of the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL). The trio helped the Flyers win the Allan Cup as Canadian senior champions. Bauer was sent to Halifax to continue his training and played with the Dartmouth RCAF team in 1942–43. Bauer, who served as a radio technician, was dispatched to the United Kingdom where he, Schmidt and Dumart were members of a bomber squadron. However, he was returned to Canada in 1944 after being ruled invalid due to a bout of sciatica caused by an old hockey injury. He played with a team in Toronto until the war's conclusion.

Returning to the Bruins for the 1945–46 NHL season, Bauer was reunited with his Kraut Line teammates. Unlike many players who had left for the war, he remained in peak form. However, after scoring 22 points that season, Bauer contemplated retirement. He chose to return for one additional season and was named the Bruins captain for 1946–47. Bauer had his best year in the NHL: he recorded a team-leading 30 goals and finished seventh overall in league scoring with 54 points. He was named to a fourth All-Star team and won the Lady Byng Trophy for the third time. Following the season, he announced his retirement.

Bobby Bauer scores, Game 5 of the 1946 Finals, April 9, 1946.

In 1952, Bauer went on to serve as general manager, coach, and president of the senior Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen of the Ontario Hockey Association. As a coach he led the club to two OHA championships and two Allan Cup titles. The second feat in 1954-55 resulted in the Dutchmen being selected to represent Canada at the 1956 Olympics in Cortina, Italy, where they earned the bronze medal. Returning to Canada, Bauer briefly retired from coaching, only to be talked into guiding the Dutchmen at the 1960 Olympics Games in Squaw Valley, California, where they received the silver.

He was the elder brother of David Bauer, a Basilian priest, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1989. Bobby Bauer would follow his brother into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 1996.

He died in September, 1964, age 49.

Awards and Achievements

• Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (1940, 1941, 1947)
• Stanley Cup 1939 and 1941
• Allen Cup 1942
• Second All-Star Team Right Wing (1939, 1940, 1941, 1947)
• NHL all star game 1947
• Hockey hall of fame 1996
• Named top 100 bruins players in 2023

Stats

Season	Team	Lge	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	+/-	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1935-36	Boston Bruins	NHL	1	0	0	0	0		--	--	--	--	--
1935-36	Boston Cubs	CAHL	--	15	13	28	8
1936-37	Boston Bruins	NHL	1	1	0	1	0		1	0	0	0	0
1936-37	Providence Reds	IAHL	41	14	8	22	4
1937-38	Boston Bruins	NHL	48	20	14	34	9		3	0	0	0	2
1938-39	Boston Bruins 🏆	NHL	48	13	18	31	4		12	3	2	5	0
1939-40	Boston Bruins	NHL	48	17	26	43	2		6	1	0	1	2
1940-41	Boston Bruins 🏆	NHL	48	17	22	39	2		11	2	2	4	0
1941-42	Boston Bruins	NHL	36	13	22	35	11		--	--	--	--	--
1945-46	Boston Bruins	NHL	39	11	10	21	4		10	4	3	7	2
1946-47	Boston Bruins	NHL	58	30	24	54	4		5	1	1	2	0
1949-50	Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen	OHASr	Statistics Unavailable
1951-52	Boston Bruins	NHL	1	1	1	2	0		--	--	--	--	--
1951-52	Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen	OHASr	36	8	9	17	0
	NHL Totals		328	123	137	260	36		48	11	8	19	6

Gallery

The Bruins first and second lines, November 1937.

Kraut Line as successor to the "Dynamite Line", November 1937.

Bobby Bauer scores the Bruins second goal, February 15, 1938.

Bruins 1937-38 top scorers - Bobby Bauer, Bill Cowley, Charlie Sands.

Bobby Bauer scores the winner from Eddie Shore, November 20, 1938.

Bobby Bauer and Woody Dumart battle Detroit, January 22, 1939.

The Kraut Line secured first place for the Bruins, March 7, 1939.

Bobby Bauer's tying goal, Game 5 of the 1939 Semi-finals, March 30, 1939.

Bruins first goal in Game 1 of the 1939 Stanley Cup Finals.

Art Ross kids with Woody Dumart and Bobby Bauer after Game 1 of the 1939 Stanley Cup Finals.

Cartoon of Bobby Bauer after Game 1 of the 1939 Stanley Cup Finals.

The Kraut Line in action in a 1939 Stanley Cup Finals game in Boston, assisted by #12 Flash Hollett.

Frank Brimsek makes a save in a 1939 Stanley Cup Finals game in Boston while #2 Eddie Shore, #10 Bauer look on.

Bobby Bauer scores on the Americans, February 23, 1941.

Kraut Line honoured, February 25, 1941.

Kraut Line battles the Rangers, February 25, 1941.

Johnny Mowers stops Bauer with #19 Connie Brown in Game 2 of the 1941 Stanley Cup Finals, April 8, 1941.

Bobby Bauer scores the Cup winner at 8:43 of the second period, Game 4 on April 12, 1941.

The Kraut Line and #18 Jack Shewchuk in action against the Rangers, November 15, 1941.

Bobby Bauer lauded by the Habs, February 10, 1942.

Jack Crawford congratulates the Kraut Line, February 10, 1942.

Bauer, Schmidt and Dumart

Rangers goalie Chuck Rayner clears the puck while Bruins Bobby Bauer and #4 Herb Cain pursue, January 6, 1946.

Bobby Bauer watches as Joe Carveth scores, March 15, 1947.

Video

A minute worth of video of Game 4 of the 1941 Stanley Cup Finals which the Bruins won 3-1, sweeping Detroit and winning the Cup. This was the first sweep in a 7 game series in NHL history. The Cup winning goal by Bobby Bauer which put the Bruins ahead 2-1 at 8:43 of the second period and the Bruins third goal by Eddie Wiseman are shown. The game end with the players shaking hands concludes the video.

The Bostonians defeats the Red Wings at the Stanley Cup in the Olympia stadium, D...HD Stock Footage

References

Bobby Bauer's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by Clint Smith	Winner of the Lady Byng Trophy 1940, 1941	Succeeded by Syl Apps
Preceded by Toe Blake	Winner of the Lady Byng Trophy 1947	Succeeded by Buddy O'Connor
Preceded by Bill Cowley	Boston Bruins Captains 1945-46	Succeeded by Jack Crawford