• Merlin Baur - 1994

Merlin Baur was born and raised on a farm in Halder, Wis.  Being part of the Greatest Generation, he served his country in World War II in the European Theater of Operations.  After the end of the war, while still in Germany, he witnessed the Nuremberg War Trials.  He was discharged as a staff sergeant in 1946.  Baur worked at the Mosinee Paper Mill for 43 years, retiring in 1991.  In his younger days, he played county baseball and fast pitch softball with some of the area’s best players.

In 1969, Baur initiated a four-team city youth hockey league to give kids an opportunity to play this great game  He was instrumental in getting Mosinee’s very first Zamboni, which was really a Farm-All C tractor.  With the help of a local mechanic, they transformed it into a quasi-Zamboni  In 1975, Baur then spearheaded a major campaign to secure funding for the first refrigeration unit and piping for the current Mosinee Recreation Center.  Baur served many years as president of the Mosinee Hockey Association and was on its Board of Directors as well.
 
Baur had four sons who played for the Mosinee Papermakers.  Three sons refereed WIAA and USA hockey games, and coached at various youth levels including one at Marshfield High School.