That time when a Mississauga hockey legend had an unlikely hit Christmas song

Most people remember Johnny Bower for stopping pucks when he was an all-star goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

But only those of a certain age will recall when Bower went into a recording studio and produced a Christmas song that was spun on local radio stations with great frequency in 1965…and 1966…1967…and well into the 1970s.

Bower, a long-time Mississauga resident who died on Dec. 26, 2017 at age 93, was a reluctant pop star but when he was approached to cut a novelty record for charity in the fall of 1965 he could hardly say no.

“I did it because nobody else wanted to,” recalled Bower years later. “Up to that point, I would only sing in the shower. But when they said it was for charity I couldn’t refuse.”

Written by Orville Hoover and produced by Chip Young of the CBC, Bower was backed on the song by his son John and a bunch of neighbourhood kids appropriately named the Rinky Dinks.

The result was Honky The Christmas Goose, not what you would call an instant classic, but filled with enough good-natured charm from the well-loved Bower that it couldn’t not become a hit in hockey-mad Ontario.

Much like his pal Rudolph, the song tells the story of Honky who helps guide Santa on Christmas Eve. But instead of using a red nose to light the way, Honky relies on his honking — much like any goose would — to clear the way of traffic so the sleigh full of toys can get to its destination.

With advance sales of the 45-record reaching into the thousands and radio airplay starting in early December, Honky began its climb up the charts eventually reaching No. 29 on the CHUM hit parade selling more than 40,000 units and outpacing songs by the Beatles and Frank Sinatra. At the time it was the fastest selling home-grown single release in Canadian music history.

Bower, who did a number of promotional appearances around Toronto and surrounding areas to promote sales of the record, said he never could live down the song, especially in the Leafs’ dressing room where teammates would urge him to sing a few choruses every so often…mostly often.

“If you thought (Eddie) Shack and (Tim) Horton were tough on the ice, you should have heard what they were like when they wanted you to sing after a tough loss to Montreal,” said Bower to an audience of eager listeners many years ago.

Still, despite the popularity of Honky and its return to the charts the following Christmas, the recording marked the end of Bower’s musical career. Asked to make a full-length album, Bower declined and returned to do what he did best; minding the net for the Maple Leafs at arenas across North America.

Bower’s legendary hockey career lasted three decades ending in 1970 when he retired at the age of 46. Along the way, he captured four Stanley Cups with Toronto and twice won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976.

And while the song still finds its way to some Christmas playlists each year, for the Bower family the song is forever etched in their hearts.

Grandson John Bower, now director of marketing and communications for U SPORTS, said the song has been part of the family for nearly 60 years.

“Every year JB (Johnny Bower) would get up and lead us in the song,” the goaltender’s namesake said. “He loved how much joy it brought to friends, family and fans. The fact that it was a children’s song that people remembered through the end of his life made him very happy.  And we still sing it as a family, albeit by Zoom at Christmas now.”