David William Bauer (November 2, 1924 – November 9, 1988) was a Canadian ice hockey player and coach, educator and Catholic priest. He was a member of the Basilians, and established a program to develop players for the Canada men's national ice hockey team.
He was offered a playing contract by the Boston Bruins at age 15, but declined on the advice of his father to complete a proper education. The experience of not pursuing his dream of playing professional hockey was traumatic for Bauer, who then committed himself to look for more meaning in life and play a role in world peace. After he served as captain of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors for two seasons and won the 1944 Memorial Cup, he became ordained as a Catholic priest in the Congregation of St. Basil and taught at St. Michael's College School. He coached multiple levels of hockey at St. Michael's, sat on the junior ice hockey council for the Ontario Hockey Association, lobbied for a shortened playing schedule for students athletes, and coached the St. Michael's Majors to victory in the 1961 Memorial Cup. Bauer was reassigned to St. Mark's College at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1961, then coached the UBC Thunderbirds for two seasons and led them to the finals at the 1963 CIAU University Cup.
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association approved a proposal by Bauer to have a team of Canadian university students combined with senior ice hockey players to represent Canada in ice hockey at the Olympics and at the Ice Hockey World Championships; which was a radical change from the existing practice of the reigning Allan Cup champion team being selected. He established the Canada men's national ice hockey team program in September 1963, seeking players with athletic and academic morals committed to their studies and training. He prepared the players for the larger international ice hockey rink surface and differences from the North American ice hockey rules, and intended to change Canada's reputation of being heavily penalized for rough play. Canada finished in fourth place based on goal differential at the 1964 Winter Olympics, amidst accusations that International Ice Hockey Federation president Bunny Ahearne made a last-minute change to the tie-breaking rules to take away a medal from Canada. Bauer transitioned into managing the national team when the program relocated to Winnipeg in 1965, and assembled teams that won the bronze medal at the 1966 and 1967 World Championships, and the 1968 Winter Olympics. He later managed the national team which finished in sixth place at the 1980 Winter Olympics.
When Canada withdrew from international play during the 1970s, Bauer instructed at hockey schools in Japan for two six-week periods each year, where his teachings on personal growth and discipline fit into the culture of Japan. He also coached the Austria men's national ice hockey team during the 1973 Ice Hockey World Championships. Throughout his career, he felt that hockey was a means to teach the game of life and way for boys to become men. He advocated for players receiving an education and was opposed to the growing professionalism in the amateur game. Bauer received many honours, which included induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, the Hockey Hall of Fame, the IIHF Hall of Fame and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. He was made an officer of the Order of Canada, and is the namesake of the Father Bauer Arena and the Father David Bauer Olympic Arena, both of which are used by Canada for international hockey.
David William Bauer was born on November 2, 1924, in Waterloo, Ontario. His great-grandparents had emigrated from Bavaria to Waterloo via Buffalo, New York. His father Sir Edgar J. Bauer was an automotive supplies manufacturer and a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Sylvester. Edgar Bauer also served as president of Globe Furniture and the Waterloo Fire Insurance Company, and sat on the Waterloo City Council and the public utilities commission. His mother Alice Bertha Hayes was active in the Catholic Women's League of Canada and a member of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Guild.
Bauer was the youngest of 11 children and had five brothers and five sisters. He attended St. Louis Separate School as a youth followed by three years at St. Jerome's College School. As a youth, Bauer played pond hockey in Victoria Park with friends who included Howie Meeker and George Hainsworth Jr. The Bauers later had an ice rink constructed at their house, including side boards, painted lines and floodlights.
All of Bauer's brothers played ice hockey and won a league championship. Bobby Bauer won two Stanley Cups playing for the Boston Bruins. Bobby and Frank won the 1934 Memorial Cup playing for the Toronto St. Michael's Majors. Eugene won a league championship with the Kitchener Greenshirts in 1935. Jerry and Ray won a league championship with the Waterloo Siskins in 1940.
Student life and playing career
Bauer aspired to play in the National Hockey League (NHL) and attended training camp for the Boston Bruins held in Hershey, Pennsylvania in October 1941. The highest level of hockey he had played at the time was as a centreman for his school team. He was offered a contract to play for the Boston Olympics, a farm team for the Bruins. His father insisted his son was too young for professional hockey, and that he should first complete a proper education. Bauer later stated that it was a traumatic experience for him not to pursue his dream of playing professional hockey, which had resulted in him looking for something more in life.
"In a sense the founding of the national team dates back to when I was 15 years of age. It was then that my father told me that I would be a professional hockey player before I got an education — over his dead body. During those years he also impressed upon me the fact that one day I would have to account to God for the talents He had given me, and that there was a priority in terms of the development of our talents that included not just my own self-fulfillment but also the playing of a role in the development of world peace".
Bauer returned to Waterloo for another year at St. Jerome's, then followed in the footsteps of his brothers Frank and Bobby when he enrolled at St. Michael's College School to play hockey. Bauer served as team captain of the Toronto St. Michael's Majors for two seasons from 1942 to 1944. He excelled as a student, played as a left winger, and was considered a gentlemanly player and a role model by his teammates. During the summer between grades 11 and 12, Bauer returned home and was a pitcher in a senior baseball league in Waterloo.
"Dave Bauer was a class act all the way. He could've been a good one. He had more determination than Bobby [Bauer]. I played against Bobby, he was finesse. Dave was more grinding, He had all kinds of talent, and when it came to determination, no one was better. He would've made it to the NHL easily if he had wanted to".
Bauer and the Majors were finalists for the J. Ross Robertson Cup in 1943–44 season, but lost to the Oshawa Generals. Wartime replacement rules allowed the Generals to add up to four players from the Majors in the remainder of the playoffs. Bauer played for the Generals team which won the Eastern Canada championship and then won the 1944 Memorial Cup to become Canadian junior champions. Bauer scored four goals and five assists during the championship series for the Generals.
Bauer received two varsity letters for athletics at St. Michael's College School. He also played golf, tennis, baseball and was the quarterback on the for St. Michael's football team. The school had an undefeated football season in his senior year.
Bauer played one final game for the Majors in the 1944–45 season, shortly before he enlisted in the Canadian Army on November 24, 1944, and assigned to Basic Training Unit 12 in Chatham, Ontario. All of his brothers completed military service during World War II; Bobby and Ray were in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Jerry was in the Royal Canadian Navy, and Frank, Eugene and Dave were in the Canadian Army. While serving with the army, Bauer played hockey for the Royal Canadian Postal Corps in the Ottawa National Defence Hockey League and then briefly with the Windsor Spitfires in the Windsor City Hockey League. He enrolled at the University of Toronto upon release from the Army. His playing career ended with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues during the 1945–46 season after he began studies for priesthood.