Born: 9 Sep 1936, Lanigan SK (d. 2023)
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Regular Season & Playoff Coaching Record (key)
| Regular Season | Playoffs |
| year | team | finish | finish | |||||||||
| 1975-76 | Toronto | DNF | ||||||||||
• Succeeded by Gilles Leger on February 15, 1976.
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Excerpts from Pro Hockey, WHA 1975-76 (by Dan Proudfoot)
...Enter Bob Baun, one man who may be able to take the Toro puzzle and make something of it. Bassett and his colleagues considered numerous candidates but finally decided on Baun, the former Toronto Maple Leaf defenceman, as coach. Baun, 39, captured the affections of Toronto sports fans a decade ago when he led the Leafs to a Stanley Cup after breaking a bone in his leg. He returned from the Gardens clinic to score the winning goal, and worried about the injury later. Any doubt concerning Baun's future as a coach is tied up with the question of his tolerating the ho-hum attitude of the Toro talent. How can a guy who played with a broken bone relate to guys who won't try if they're in a bad mood? But such thinking doesn't allow for the fact that Baun is a very intelligent, accomodating fellow, the type who can understand a diverse range of personalities. "The only way I knew how to play this game was physically and this team won't be feather-dusters," Baun said. "My idea of hockey is to let the other team know you're in the rink." Baun's largest problems may be with the impatient owners who were so free with their money in 1974, but now are quick to criticize, feeling they're not getting the results for their gigantic payroll. The suddenly-tight budget resulted in the loss of two young, brilliant players in the off-season, with Pat Hickey and Wayne Dillon leaving for more money from the New York Rangers. Still, team president Bassett maintained enough enthusiasm for rookies to recruit Mark Napier, a high scorer from the Toronto Marlboro juniors. A strong pitch was made for veteran defenceman Pat Stapleton, too, and Baun knew that if his boss were successful in recruiting him, coaching chores would become much, much easier. Not all was disappointing with the Toros in 1974-75. Lou Nistico, Jeff Jacques and Peter Marrin had impressive rookie years after moving up from Mohawk Valley Comets and Brian Conacher's coaching. Paul Henderson played well until injured. And the team did finish second in the Canadian division. Baun's problem, though, is that no one ... will really be satisfied until Toros are at least competitive with the best team in the leagues, and preferably winning against them. |
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Excerpts from Zander Hollander Complete Hockey Handbook, 1975-76 (by Reyn Davis)
Former hard-rock defenseman, a veteran of 17 NHL campaigns, fourteen of which were in the familiar colors of the Toronto Maple Leafs ... Toros sought Baun because they wanted his toughness and fierce pride behind the bench ... Had retired to a 250-acre farm two seasons ago ... Says his attitudes toward coaching were fashioned by observing Toe Blake, Punch Imlach and former teammates such as the late Tim Horton, Bert Olmstead and Dickie Moore ... Toro's job is his first as a coach ... Succeeds Billy Harris, who liked his hockey clean and cute, and player Bobby Leduc, who was strictly one of the boys ... Steeply proud of the professional game and pledged to maintaining its status as best in the eyes of the world. |
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