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Bill Barber took the Stanley Cup to the Town Hall in Callander where he met local fans for more than four hours.
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Stanley Cup hat trick for Barber
By Kevin Shea | Hockey Hall of Fame
Sept. 22, 2004
Several persons associated with the Tampa Bay Lightning have won Stanley Cup championships -- Chris Dingman and Nolan Pratt with Colorado in 2001, Brad Lukowich and Darryl Sydor with the Dallas Stars in 1999 and Tim Taylor in 1997 with the Red Wings have all previously sipped champagne from the icy cold brim of Lord Stanley's mug. But there's someone tied to the team who is enjoying his third Stanley Cup championship -- Bill Barber. After 12 seasons as a player, Barber served in a number of capacities with the Philadelphia organization, including coaching and scouting. In 2002-03, Barber joined Tampa Bay as director of player personnel. On Saturday, Aug. 28, it was his turn to celebrate with the Stanley Cup. Callander, Ontario is a community on the southeast shore of Lake Nipissing, just south of North Bay. A haven for hunting and fishing, the area also has been called home by a number of celebrated personalities. Actor Michael J. Fox and his family lived in Callander in 1968. Callander also is known as the home of the Dionne Quintuplets -- five identical baby girls born on May 28, 1934. During the darkest days of the Depression, thousands and thousands of tourists flocked to Callander to see the infants. But Callander also is known as a hotbed for hockey, and it's primarily due to the Barber family -- five hockey-playing Barber brothers, with one, Bill, emerging as a Hall of Famer. In 903 NHL regular-season games, Barber collected 420 goals and 463 assists for 883 points. Bill was very proud to see the young Tampa team claim the Cup. As a player, he never got to take the Stanley Cup anywhere. That opportunity didn't emerge until Gary Bettman took over as the commissioner of the NHL. After such a brilliant career, Barber was able to take the Stanley Cup home for the first time ever this summer. The Cup was handed to Barber in Callander at 11:30 that morning, and was immediately taken to the Town Hall. A massive number of fans turned out to see Barber and the Cup; so many, in fact, that in spite of Bill's signing for four hours, many people still went away empty-handed, much to the dismay of Barber. Proceeds from the event went to help build a multi-pad rink in Callander. In the Hall, they had a small shrine to Bill, including several of his jerseys, his miniature NHL trophies (the Jack Adams as coach of the year in 2001 and three all-star plaques) and many newspaper clippings. While signing, Bill wore his Hockey Hall of Fame Honored Member's golf shirt and the ring he received from guiding the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms to the Calder Cup championship in 1998. After the signing, Bill and his brothers retired to a local tavern to reminisce in the presence of the Stanley Cup. Several friends joined the entourage, too. Then, it was over to the Constante family home, where Harleys lined the driveway. The family was holding their annual bocce tournament, competing for the treasured Constanley Cup. It's a lovely trophy, but in contrast to the Stanley Cup, this one has no "Barber" engraved on it. Jan Constante, the designated Cup Keeper of the Constanley Cup, even wears the requisite white gloves when she carries the trophy from place to place. Kevin Shea is the Manager of Special Projects and Publishing at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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