Johnny Bower “The China Wall”
On my walk through Glen Oaks Memorial Gardens in Oakville, Ontario, I discovered the urn niche of “The China Wall” — Johnny Bower.
Born John William Kiszkan to parents of Ukrainian descent, he was raised on a farm in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Bower taught himself how to play hockey, using a branch as a stick and crafting goalie pads from old mattresses. It’s easy to imagine this is where he began to hone his famous poke check.
At just 15 years old, he lied about his age to enlist in the Canadian Army during World War II. He served from 1940 to 1943, mostly stationed in England and trained as a gunner.
Nicknamed The China Wall, Bower became a standout goaltender with the Cleveland Barons of the AHL, leading them to three Calder Cup championships. It wasn’t until the 1953–54 season—at the age of 29—that he finally got his shot at the NHL with the New York Rangers.
The China Wall with Cleveland Barons.
His career truly blossomed after he was claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1958 Inter-League Draft. With the Leafs, he became a two-time Vezina Trophy winner and four-time Stanley Cup champion. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976.
Remarkably, on March 19, 1970—just four months after his 45th birthday—Johnny Bower officially retired from hockey.
We sadly lost “everybody’s friend” on December 26, 2017. He was 93. His urn rests beside his beloved wife, Nancy.
One of his most memorable quotes about facing Bobby Hull:
“The first thing I would do when I saw Bobby coming down at me was to say a little prayer—if I had time. I’m sure I wasn’t the only goalie who did that.”
1924-2017
