Bill Baker played collegiate hockey at the University of Minnesota and, while there, played for two NCAA champions – 1976 and 1979. He was an excellent student in college, taking a predental course load, and was accepted at dental school but deferred it to play for the 1980 Olympic team. After the Olympics, Bill Baker was signed by the Montreal Canadiens, but played mostly with their farm club, the Nova Scotia Voyageurs. In the middle of the 1980-81 season he was traded to the Colorado Rockies, then at the end of the year was traded to the St. Louis Blues. Late in 1981 he was picked up by the New York Rangers, where he was briefly reunited with Olympic coach, Herb Brooks. Baker played in the NHL thru 1983, playing the Rockies, the Rangers, the Montréal Canadiens, and St. Louis Blues.
After retirement he returned to his dental career becoming an oral surgeon and maxillofacial specialist. Along with his team-mates from 1980 he helped light the Olympic Flame at the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. The jersey Baker wore at Lake Placid is on permanent display at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington.
United States