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The Name’s Bower. Johnny Bower. (Not Bowers!)

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1954-55 parkhurst johnny bower rookie hockey card 65
1954-55 Parkhurst #65 – Johnny Bower rookie card.

Parkhurst had an on-going issue with the great Johnny Bower in the 1950’s. Not once, but twice they mis-spelled his name on his hockey card. In 1954-55, it was Johnny Bowers on his rookie card and in 1958-59, it was the same spelling mistake on the hockey card. Both are classified as UER or uncorrected errors.

Just the facts:

  • Bower’s name was twice mis-spelled by Parkhurst
  • Johnny won four Stanley Cups in the NHL and 3 Calder Cups in the AHL
  • Bower was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976
  • Bower was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2006
  • Johnny’s 1954-55 Parkhurst rookie card is valued at $400Parkhurst

 

The Johnny Bower rookie card was part of the 100 card 1954-55 Parkhurst set as hockey card number 65. Bower was a member of the New York Rangers at the time. The card, with the extra ‘s’ in the name, is valued at $400 by Beckett Hockey Monthly. The complete set is valued at $4000 with a common card going for $25.

The Johnny Bower hockey card from the 1958-59 Parkhurst set bears the same mistake as the 1954-55 hockey card. Number 46 in the series is valued at $150 with the complete 50 card set valued at $1800. By this time, Johnny had moved on to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 Great prices on Johnny Bower hockey cards right now at eBay!

Johnny Bower is as equally a legend in the American Hockey League as he is in the NHL. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976 and was a member of the first class inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2006.

His National Hockey League accolades include two Vezina Trophies and four Stanley Cups. All Stanley Cup victories occurred as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1960’s.

1958-59 parkhurst 46 johnny bower hockey card
1958-59 Parkhurst #46 – Johnny Bower of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In the American Hockey League, Bower was the Hap Holmes Memorial Award winner on three occasions. The Hap Holmes is given out to the team with the lowest goals against average. In the day, one goalie still played the majority of a team’s games. Bower was AHL most valuable player on three occasions, as well, earning the Les Cunningham Award. With the Cleveland Barons, Johnny led the team to three Calder Cup championships.

Johnny was also an award winner in the old Western Hockey League. He was honoured with the Outstanding Goalkeeper Award in 1954-55 as a member of the Vancouver Canucks.

In total, Bower played 552 regular season NHL games with the Rangers and Maple Leafs. He recorded 37 shutouts and had a career 2.51 goals against average. He played an additional 74 Stanley Cup playoff games, all with Toronto.

 

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