Bauer and his brother Ray attended the 1962 Ice Hockey World Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which was the first time North America hosted the World Championships. The Bauer family had a history of international competition. Ray Bauer represented Canada at the 1949 Ice Hockey World Championships as a member of the Sudbury Wolves, and Bobby Bauer coached the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen at the 1956 Winter Olympics and the 1960 Winter Olympics.