Starting out his trek, Bauman played the Saskatchewan Junior League for the Prince Albert Mintos, playing 80 games over the 1958-59 and 1959-60 seasons. After not going the Major Junior route, Bauman moved onto the NCAA system, playing for the Michigan Tech Huskies starting in the 1961-62 season, where he would go 24-1-0 in 25 games, helping the Huskies win the NCAA National Championship. Bauman also earned NCAA West First-Team All-American honors, NCAA All-Tournament Team, and WCHA First All-Star Team honors. After a big start to his career, Bauman hoped to keep up the amazing play, but would fall short in the 1962-63 season, finishing with a 16-9-1 record, while ending out his college career with a 12-12-0 record in 24 games in the 1963-64 season. Bauman's save percentage (.916) and longest winning-streak (16 wins) still stand as record for Michigan Tech.
After college, Bauman signed with the Montreal Canadiens, who placed him in the Central League's Omaha Knights for the 1964-65 season, where he would attain a 22-16-5 record in 43 games, as well as going 2-4 in six playoff matches. The 1965-66 season saw Bauman move up to the AHL with the Quebec Aces, getting ample playing time with 52 appearances and a 36-11-4 record to show for it, going 2-4 in the playoffs again. Bauman played most of the 1966-67 season with the Aces, going 21-15-4 in 40 appearances, but would also get time with the Canadiens, going 1-1-0 in his two games there.
However, the best part about Bauman's call up is that he was afforded the chance to play in the All-Star Game that season, which was held for the first time mid-season since the original All-Star Game, which was to benefit Ace Bailey. Also, the previous Stanley Cup champions played a team of stars from other teams, which meant that Bauman got to play. Though it was only for 20 minutes, he stopped all 10 shots he faced. He and his goaltending partner Charlie Hodge are the only goalies to record a shutout in an All-Star Game.
Over the summer, six more expansion teams came into the NHL. Bauman was picked up in the Expansion Draft by the Minnesota North Stars, where he would play in the 1967-68 season, going a dismal 4-13-5 in 26 games, while also seeing time in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, losing two games in only three appearances. The 1968-69 season wasn't as stellar for Bauman either, as he would only play seven times for the North Stars (0-2-1), before being sent to the Central League's Memphis South Stars-- playing in six games there.
After taking a year off from hockey, Bauman returned to his native Alberta, playing for the Calgary Stampeders of the Alberta Senior League. He would play there for two season (1970-71 and 1971-72) before retiring for good.
With his hockey career done, Bauman went into teaching, at the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School in Okotoks, Alberta. He stayed there until his retirement in 1999. He taught math and sciences at the school. However, cancer would claim Bauman's life in 2006, but the memory of his good deeds off the ice will live on.
His career was short, but left a lasting memory in some circles. While going on a scholarship to college to having a cup of coffee in the NHL, moving onto teaching children how achieve their academic best-- Bauman would probably remember more fondly onto the off-ice side than any achievements on the ice.
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