Wisconsin sports author Roger Dier recently published John Mayasich-Immigrant Roots to Olympic Gold. Dier shares an inspirational story of hockey great John Mayasich. Mayasich was a member of Team USA’s first Olympic gold medal team in 1960, and he won an Olympic silver medal in 1956.

John Mayasich grew up in Eveleth, Minnesota and won four straight high school state championships. He then starred for the Minnesota Gophers, being named All-American three times, winning multiple scoring titles, and having his jersey retired in 1998-the only Gopher’s player honored with a retired jersey!

Mayasich moved to Wisconsin in 1959 to play for the Green Bay Bobcats. He spent over a decade in Wisconsin and made an indelible mark on hockey in the Badger State. In 1989 he was inducted into the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame.

92-year-old John Mayasich recently shared with me in a phone interview, “We helped get youth hockey started in Green Bay. The Gold Medal Hockey School went for two or three weeks in summer. Bart Starr’s kids were in the hockey school. I was walking distance from Lambeau and Brown County Arena. Tom Bettis, a Packers linebacker, and I were in ROTC together. We were friends with a lot of Packers players. I would see Lombardi around-we had a lot of common friends. Some of the best years in my life were in Wisconsin.”

Author Roger Dier grew up in Green Bay and played hockey with John Mayasich’s son. Dier’s relationship with the Mayasich family brings to life the book John Mayasich-Immigrant Roots to Olympic Gold.

Let’s hear from Roger Dier!

What motivated you to write a biography on John Mayasich? A couple of John’s kids put a bug in my ear to write a biography. He was an American hockey icon. It’s a remarkable story of where hockey can take you. He had an impoverished upbringing; he was born during the Depression…and he achieved so much and impacted so many.

You had a relationship with John Mayasich prior to writing this book? I knew John my whole life. I played against his oldest son in high school. My dad played with John. John’s friendship was one of the crown jewels of my father’s life. I dedicated the book to my dad.

How long did it take to research and write the book? About six months.

How would you summarize John Mayasich’s impact on hockey? In Minnesota, he is the Paul Bunyan of hockey, and he still is. Kids in Minnesota are still chasing John’s records. The U (U. of Minnesota) retired his number-the only Gopher number to be retired.

What is Mayasich's connection to Wisconsin? He came to Wisconsin to play for the Green Bay Bobcats. And he was a featured speaker about hockey in the Fox Valley. He started one of the first summer hockey schools in Wisconsin. Everyone knew him as a high quality, humble person. He was respected for the type of person, not just a hockey player.

What do you want the reader to discover? What it was like in that era in a northern Minnesota mining town. It’s the story of the American Dream. Someone can come from nothing and achieve so much. A young kid with athletic gifts that put the time in. He got to see the world by playing hockey. The friends and relationships made through hockey.

Thank you for writing this book…You are welcome, I appreciate you saying that!

For information regarding John Mayasich-Immigrant Roots to Olympic Gold, please visit: Amazon.com: John Mayasich - Immigrant Roots to Olympic Gold: Roger Dier’s compelling story of an American hockey legend: 9781969868733: Dier, Roger: Books

Yours for hockey,

Matt Carey