"As the story goes" or "as legend has it" are two phrases closely associated with Bob Baun's career. These phrases pertain to a single game in which Bob scored the winning goal against the Detroit Red Wings while nursing a broken foot. It was in the sixth game of the Stanley Cup Finals about halfway through the third period when Bobby took a shot on the foot from Detroit's Gordie Howe. After being removed from the ice on a stretcher, Baun had his foot looked at by the Olympia medical staff who couldn't immediately find anthing drastically wrong. Baun thought it was broken so he had the foot taped and took a couple of pain killers.

The Leafs and Redwings returned to the ice for the first overtime period, tied 3-3. Baun took a pass at the blue line and fired a shot at the Detroit net, hitting Bill Gadsby's skate and deflecting past Terry Sawchuk. In an instant a Toronto legend was born. The Leafs won the Stanley Cup two days later.

Bobby's career began with the Toronto Marlboro's of the OHA Jr League in the 1952-53 season where he played 16 games and tallied 1 goal and 1 assist. Bobby wasn't known as a scoring defenseman, but as his career progressed he became a formidable opponent at the blue line and in front of his net. Bob remained with the Marlies until the 1956-57 season, and during that time he played on two Memorial Cup Championship teams. Bob's first NHL season was split between the Leafs and the Rochester American's.

Bobby stayed with the Leafs until the 1967-68 season, winning 4 Stanley Cups before he was traded to the Oakland Seals in the first expansion draft. After spending a season with Oakland he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 1968-69. Bobby wasn't long for Detroit and in 1970-71 barely into the season he was traded back to Toronto through a multi team trade.

Bobby's career was ended by a hard check from Mickey Redmond where was knocked to the ice landing on his neck and damaging his spinal cord. The doctors advised him that another injury would most likely put him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. So after 5 games into the 1972-73 season Bobby retired.

Bob's team mate, Tim Horton had just begun opening up his now famous chain of donut shops, Tim Horton Donuts. Bobby ran one of the stores, just east of Toronto. One day, I was in that store and noticed a Stanley Cup ring on the person who had just given me my coffee. I looked up knowing that I was being served by someone who had won a Stanley Cup. When I realized it was Bobby, I immediately went out into the car and brought my son into meet Bobby. Bob was very gracious and presented my son with an autographed picture and card. Little did Bobby know that it was me who was more excited about meeting him.

During his career Bob played in 964 games, scored 37 goals with 187 assists in the regular season and played in 96 playoff games with 3 goals and 12 assists. Bob remained in hockey coaching the Toronto Toros of the WHA in 1975-76 and continued to sell insurance and farm during his retirement.