Billy Harris 1961-62 Parkhurst #15

For Billy Harris, 1960-61 was one of his best seasons in the National Hockey League. It was his sixth year with the Toronto Maple Leafs and he was sixth on the team with 39 points over 66 games. His point total came from 12 goals and 27 assists. In Toronto's short playoff run, he added one goal in five games.

The following year, 1961-62, his numbers were down, sort of. His goal total actually increased to 15 but Harris had only ten helpers for a total of 25 points over 67 regular season games. In the Stanley Cup championship run, Billy added three points over 12 games.

Billy Harris – Junior and Minor Pro

Harris played major junior hockey with the Toronto Marlboros from 1950-51 to 1954-55. However, over his first two years, he played in just a total of five games while playing mostly Junior 'B' hockey with the Weston Dukes. Over 167 regular season games with the Marlies, Billy scored 82 and assisted on 101 for 183 points.

Billy played in 35 playoff games for the Marlies, adding sixteen goals and 41 points. In his final season, the Marlboros reached the Memorial Cup finals and won the championship with a four games to one victory over the host Regina Pats. Harris was teammed with Bob Baun and Bob Pulford on that Turk Broda coached squad.

Harris jumped right to the NHL following junior. However, in his second season, 1956-57, he was dropped down to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League midseason. He played in 43 regular season AHL games with the Amerks and two Calder Cup playoff games. For the Maple Leafs, he appeared in just 23 games.

After moving back up to the NHL, Billy was again returned to the AHL in the later parts of the 1964-65 season. When 48 games saw him produce just one goal with Toronto, he was sent down to the Rochester Americans again.

Harris had a burr under his saddle after being sent down. He played in eleven regular season games for Rochester and contributed 14 points. In the playoffs, he led the Amerks with 17 points over ten games. Rochester won the Calder Cup championship over the Hershey Bears.

Two years later, Billy was on another Calder Cup champion. This time, it was the 1966-67 Pittsburgh Hornets taking out the Quebec Aces in the finals. It would be the swansong for the Hornets with the Penguins entering the NHL for the 1967-68 season. Harris finished eighth in the AHL that season with 34 goals.

Billy Harris – NHL

Harris played in 769 regular season National Hockey League games between 1955-56 and 1968-69 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Oakland Seals and Pittsburgh Penguins. Over that time, he scored 126 and added 219 assists for 345 points.

In 62 playoff games, Billy added a modest 18 points. He played for two Stanley Cup champions, the 1961-62 and 1963-64 Toronto Maple Leafs. Previous to that, he reached the finals with Toronto in 1958-59 before losing out to the dynastic Montreal Canadiens. That year, he was second on the team in scoring.

Bob Baun 1961-62 Parkhurst #11

There’s some story about a broken leg. Besides that, Bobby Baun was one of the most reliable defensemen in Toronto Maple Leafs history. He was a two time Memorial Cup champion with the Toronto Marlboros and a four time Stanley Cup champion with the Maple Leafs. He also had a forgettable side as a member of the inaugural Oakland Seals and head coach of the hapless and underachieving Toronto Toros of the World Hockey Associations.

Bob Baun – 1961-62 Parkhurst #11

The number 11 card of Bob Baun in the 1961-62 Parkhurst set is valued as a common card. The card celebrates the 1960-61 NHL season when Baun played all 70 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the regular season, scoring one goal and assisting on 14 while recording 15 points. The Bob Baun rookie card is much more valuable. The Baun RC appears as number 45 in the 1957-58 Parkhurst set and is valued at five times that of a common card.

Bob Baun – Playing Career

Baun played junior in the OHA from 1952-53 to 1955-56 with the Toronto Marlboros. In his final two years, the team won the Robertson Cup as OHA champions. Also, in both those years the Marlboros were crowned Memorial Cup champions with victories over the Regina Pats in both seasons.

Bob played in the NHL from 1956-57 to 1972-73 with the Maple Leafs, Oakland Seals and Detroit Red Wings. His career ended where it started with a second stint with the Maple Leafs. Over his NHL career, Baun played 964 regular season games, scoring 37 goals and assisting on 187 for 224 points. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, Bob played an additional 96 games, adding 15 points.

His only minor league action came in the 1956-57 season with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League. Playing just 46 of the Amerks 64 regular season games, Baun placed ninth in the AHL with 117 PIM.

Baun was part of four Stanley Cup champions with the Maple Leafs. He won with Toronto in three consecutive seasons from 1961-62 to 1963-64. He was also part of the 1966-67 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. Bob also went to the finals twice unsuccessfully. In 1958-59 and 1959-60, the Maple Leafs lost to the dynastic Montreal Canadiens.

He was never among the leaders in scoring categories but did find himself in the top ten for penalty minutes in the NHL. In 1963-64, he placed tenth with 113 PIM. The following year, he placed fourth with 160 PIM, behind Carl Brewer, Ted Lindsay and Pierre Pilote.

Bob was picked up by the Oakland Seals in the third round of the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft, 18^th overall. He stayed with the Seals just one season before being traded to the Detroit Red Wings on May 27, 1968. He was sent to the Red Wings with Ron Harris in exchange for Gary Jarrett, Doug Roberts, Howie Young and Chris Worthy.

Bob Baun – Head Coach 

Baun’s coaching career was limited to the 1975-76 season. He took on the role of head coach with the Toronto Toros of the World Hockey Association. With stars like Frank Mahovlich and Paul Henderson, it was surprising that the Toros were last overall among teams that completed the full season. They even finished with less points than the Minnesota Fighting Saints, a team that folded after 59 games.

In 1976-77, the Toros moved to Alabama and became the Birmingham Bulls. Baun was not with the team. Instead, Gilles Leger started the year behind the bench and was replaced by Pat Kelly early on.