When you think about it, Pete Johnson has been writing this book since he was born. Son of Bob Johnson, Pete remembers growing up, watching every move his father made. To Pete, “Badger Bob” was a legend long before the national championships, long before the Olympic medals, long before the name “Badger Bob” was ever even whispered in the streets of Madison, Wis.

“Awhile back, I was scouting and running a rink and I got out of it, so I wasn’t coaching. I had a lot of time on my hands,” Johnson said. “I contacted a guy who was with the Wisconsin hockey team and was a writer. We got things started, but that was back in the day when you didn’t have easy access to people and so we were trying to get stories out of guys. It wasn’t quite as easy to respond as it is now. Then I got back into coaching. I think (at the time) we sent out emails. A few guys caught wind of it.”

The timing wasn’t right, but it planted a seed. It was a story that wanted to be told, needed to be told. Stories of Badger Bob continued to swirl through the winds of Madison and through rinks across the country for several more years. Then in February 2017, fate resurrected the project and the idea once again gained steam. That’s when Mike Cowan, a retired history teacher and hockey coach, turned the idea into a project. He loved it. Former players sharing their stories of Badger Bob Johnson and turning those stories into a book? It was a book that had the opportunity to write itself. 

After approaching Pete Johnson, Cowan – thanks to his experience writing previous books – sharpened the skates (and pencil) and went to work. What followed were months of phone calls, interviews and emails with former players who were fortunate enough to see Badger Bob at work. It was also determined that the book would fittingly be called, “It’s a great day for hockey” – a saying Johnson used often during his days behind the bench. The phrase is now iconic and can be seen, and heard, throughout the rinks of North America on a daily basis.

“In February, I met with (Pete) and he showed me two stories – one from Kip Pendleton and the other from Dave Arundel,” Cowan said. “I read those two and I said, someone has to finish this book and I volunteered to do that. I didn’t want anyone to think I was going to be making money off it, so I suggested that all of the money be donated to youth hockey or some other charity. And that’s what’s going to happen once we pay the printer.” 

“In February, I sent as many letters as I could to former players. It was interesting trying to get a hold of players on a 10 year-old alumni list. I got some responses with some phone calls and letters and right now we have close to 60 former players who have contributed. There are really some neat stories. Badger Bob was an iconic coach. 

“It’s interesting, I am coaching right now. Over the years, I thought I had become a pretty good coach, and after reading some of the stories and what they are saying about Coach Johnson, I’m using some of his ideas that he used with his teams – ideas I probably should have used 30 years ago. 

“The book is not only a story about Badger hockey; it’s also a story about Coach Johnson at the college level and at the pro level. It’s going to be a reminder on how guys should be coaching when you take a look at what he did and the connection he had with some of his players.”

A successful author of previous books such as, “When Grass Was Green and Skies Were Blue,” “The History of the Fondy Bears” and, “Remembering the Madison Cardinals,” Cowan knew what it took to tell a story, but in this case, the former Badger puckster knew this story would be different. The former players told the story, and what a series of stories they turned out to be. Whether it was a player who rarely saw ice time or the team’s best player, each time Cowan talked with a former player, the narrative was the same. Whether it was a former player from the University of Wisconsin, a player at the national level or a former professional player who roamed the rinks of the NHL, to a man, Bob Johnson turned out to be an influential role model in their career, but more importantly, in their life. Cowan found out what he already knew – Badger Bob’s legacy went well beyond the ice.

“The stories from some of these guys are heartwarming,” Cowan said. “There were times when Johnson was criticized for being too single-minded about hockey, but at the same time, he used hockey as a vehicle to help his players understand their roles in life, their ability to contribute in life whether they were a JV hockey player or a varsity player. We have stories from guys who were JV hockey players who are indebted to the fact that they played for UW as opposed to being sour for not getting ice time. It was really his enthusiasm for the game; that comes out with almost everyone who shared their stories and the impact he had. He was a salesman. He would take some of his players to the Madison East Town shopping center and have them dress in their hockey gear. He would stand by a kiosk and just start selling hockey to people.”

For Pete Johnson, who along with his brother Mark got to see their dad in action every single day, once the stories about his father started coming in even he was caught off-guard from time to time. Both Pete and Mark grew up under the watchful eye of their father and both eventually played for their dad at Wisconsin. Both have also spent their adult careers walking the same road as Bob Johnson, serving as coaches, including stints as assistant coaches at Wisconsin. Today, while Mark continues to run the Wisconsin women’s team, Pete is head coach for the U16 girls’ program at powerhouse Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Faribault, Minn. Pete admits that there still isn’t a day that goes by where he doesn’t incorporate his father’s hockey fingerprint into his program and coaching philosophy.  

“How much a person and a coach can affect someone’s life,” Johnson said when asked about what he has learned through the book writing process. “Also, the path and dream of a player, whether it’s a 17-year-old player who comes down from Calgary, how after four years they grow up to me a man and then go out and raise and family, that type of thing. These days, everyone is in a hurry looking for instant results. It was neat to read the stories about guys who pursued their dream and had a great time and great opportunities and how my dad was a part of that.  

“When Mike started sending the stories, it was weird for me because I knew most of the players. I was familiar with them. I wondered if that was going to change things for me. It really got to me. You knew the players, or you knew of them, but they tell their personal story about their life and their backgrounds. A lot of players came from Calgary. Just the stories about how they came down and got to Wisconsin and how much playing for Wisconsin and my dad meant to them. You get to know the inner perspective from the players who played there which made it really unique. Everyone has their own story and it was kind of neat to see how the players over time evolved and what each one got out of it.”

Bob Johnson died on Nov. 26, 1991, just six months after leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Stanley Cup. When asked about the 1990-91 season, many of the Penguins still talk about the man instead of the hardware. At the time of his death, Johnson held the record for the most NHL wins for an American-born coach. At the college level, Johnson guided the Badgers to three NCAA Championships over the span of 15 seasons. By the time he passed, his personal trophy case was full. But Cowan points out that what makes this book a must-read has nothing to do with records.  

“No one has written a book about him,” Cowan said. “The neat part about it is these are his players telling their stories about him and I think that’s pretty special. I would think that any coach, at any sport, would read the book and pick up some pointers that would help them. So many guys are pointing out the type of coach he was and how he dealt with situations – especially negative situations. He’s the kind of guy who at the pro level would walk into the locker room after his team got spanked 7-1 and talk about how the power-play goal they scored was a beautiful play instead of chewing the guys up and down for the seven goals they let in. Guys at that level, they knew how terrible they played and they didn’t need someone to tell them how terrible they played. What they needed was someone to pick them up.

“You look at a lot of the special coaches out there, they really care about their players,” Pete Johnson said. “It’s more than just the hockey player or the athlete, it’s the whole person. That really comes out and was a huge part of it. You hate to act old and always talk about the past, but I’m coaching younger players right now and it is different. I think we all can learn a little bit from history.”

Shannon Alder once said, “Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” Bob Johnson did a lot of carving and there has been a lot of sharing.

The book “It’s a great day for hockey” will be released in November and can be purchased for $15.95. Advanced sales are available for $12.95 plus $3.00 for shipping. The pre-sale deadline is Nov. 10. All money raised through the sale of the book will profit youth hockey and other charitable causes. For more information, email Mike Cowan at mgcowan96@gmail.com.