Landon shares his life in hockey with new book and honors his daughter

July 10, 2019 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

“The Puck Stops Here – My (Not So) Minor League Life” is now available for purchase.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo

SPRINGFIELD – Local hockey fans know the name Bruce Landon as a goaltender as well as president and co-owner of the Springfield Falcons, but his new book reveals much more about his career as well as honoring his late daughter Tammy.

Landon has released “The Puck Stops Here – My (Not So) Minor League Life” and will be promoting it at three upcoming events. He will be signing and selling the book at the 1105 Main Street Restaurant in West Springfield on July 17 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; on July 27 from noon to 3 p.m. at “Hockey Day in Springfield” at the Young Building at the Big E grounds; and on Aug. 7 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Springfield Country Club in West Springfield.

All proceeds from books sales will be donated to the Tammy Jacobson-Landon “I Can Hear You Now” Scholarship Fund at the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech. His daughter passed from cancer in February of this year.

Bruce told Reminder Publishing, “Over the years hockey players would sit around and tell stories – these are the ones in the book.”

He recalled how in 2017 his daughter urged him to write down the stories he was sharing with her for a book. Tammy volunteered to edit it as Bruce said he is no writer.

"That’s how it all started,” he said.

He said he would take five to 15 minutes at a time to write down the stories.

“This is not your typical statistics book,” Bruce said. It’s a behind the scenes account of how he went from being a youth hockey player in his native Canada to be drafted by the Los Angeles Kings, playing for the Springfield Kings and then later for the Hartford Whalers.

“The book has stories of my whole life,” Landon explained. “A lot of people know me but they don’t know these stories.”

When his daughter was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2018, he said, “I put the book on the back burner.” Tammy, however, made her father promise to finish his book.

Landon received help from Springfield Republican editorial and former sportswriter Ron Chimelis, who edited the book, but every word is Landon’s.

Landon doesn’t expect to write another book. “It’s one and done,” he said.

“When Tammy was nearing her final hours, I reached over and gave her a kiss on the forehead and said, ‘Tam, your dad finished the book.’ She looked at me with a little smile on her beautiful face. This is that book. It is a promise kept. It is also the opportunity for readers to share our lives and Tammy’s vision, which was the driving force in bringing it to fruition. The Landon Family hopes you will enjoy it and we appreciate the time you’ll invest to be part of our lives and that vision.”

The hardcover book sells for $19.95 and is available from Landon directly for $24 (including shipping). To contact Landon about purchase, email him at nlandon30@gmail.com.

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