Johnny Bower, or as he was born, Johnny Kiszkan, arrived on November 8th 1924 in Prince Albert Saskatchewan. Unlike most NHL players, he took the long road to the show. Most would play in the minor leagues for a year or two, maybe three, but the "China Wall' as he became known as, road the bus in the minors for 13 years! But when he finally made it, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed him as their #1 goalie in 1958 at the age of 34 years. It was their that he played for his entire NHL career for the next 11 years winning 4 Stanley Cups and 2 Vezina Trophies. He was also picked for 5 all-star games. But it's know wonder that he was so dedicated. At the age of 15, he lied about his age so he could serve his country in WWII. His career a a goalie was a great one as he was known to often dive head-first towards the puck to make a save, all without a mask!! He played 552 games, winning 251 and maintained a GAA of 2.52. Johnny Bower was inducted into the HHOF in 1976
