For the Pittsburgh Penguins, the summer of 1991 was the best of times and the worst of times. In May, the team celebrated its’ first-ever Stanley Cup. Weeks later they visited the White House. However, the festive mood was shattered in late August with the announcement that the team’s beloved coach, Bob Johnson, had two brain tumors.
Doctors performed emergency surgery to remove one of the tumors, but the second was deemed inoperable. Although the prognosis was grim, “Badger Bob” fought his illness with the heart of a lion. Still passionate about the Penguins and the game he loved, he vowed to return to Pittsburgh for the raising of the championship banner in October.