-
Birth
Bobby Orr was born in the town of Parry Sound on the shores of Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada. His grandfather, Robert Orr, was a top-tier soccer pro player who emigrated from Ballymena, Northern Ireland to Parry Sound early in the 20th century. Orr's father, Doug Orr, had once been a hockey prospect and was invited to join the Atlantic City Seagulls in 1942 but turned down the offer. -
Orr and Eagleson
By the time Orr turned 16 in 1964, he was still two years away from playing in the NHL and his father Doug was dissatisfied with the Bruins' treatment of the prospect. Doug had asked the Bruins' Blair for more money for Bobby and was turned down. Doug Orr met Toronto lawyer Alan Eagleson at a juvenile fastball tournament dinner in Parry Sound and asked Eagleson to help out with the situation. Eagleson agreed to work with the family for free and continued to do so for the next two years. -
His Career
Bobby Orr played for the Boston Bruins from 1966-1976 then he played for the Chicago Blackhawks from 1976-1979. Bobby Orr finished his career with 270 goals and 915 points in 657 games. To this day he remains as the only defenseman to lead the NHL in scoring. -
The 1970 Stanley Cup Goal
In 1969–70, Orr went on to lead the Bruins in a march through the 1970 playoffs that culminated on May 10, 1970, when he scored one of the most famous goals in hockey history and one that gave Boston its first Stanley Cup since 1941. The goal came off a give-and-go pass with teammate Derek Sanderson at the 40-second mark of the first overtime period in the fourth game, helping to complete a sweep of the St. Louis Blues. -
1976 Canada Cup
Team Canada had invited a selected strong group of players to participate in the Canada cup. Bobby Orr was one of the players invited. Bobby Orr at this time played for the Blackhawks who had given him permission to play for Team Canada in the 1976 Canada Cup tournament. He almost didn't accept due to his bad knees. Bobby Orr ended up scoring 2 goals and 7 assists with a shattered knees but still played an outstanding game. Canada ended up winning the cup against Czechoslovakia 5-4. -
Retirment
After Orr signed up with Chicago he got into lots of injuries that limited him only 26 games for the next three seasons. He sat out for the entire 1977-78 season. By 1978 Orr had undone over a dozen knee surgeries, and he was having trouble walking and barely skated any more. However, in the summer of 1978 he decided to make a comeback. He played six games of the 1978-79 season and came to a conclusion that he could no longer play and imformed the blackhawks that he was retiring. -
Post-hockey career
Shortly after Orr retired, an independent accountant revealed that Orr's liabilities exceeded his assets, leaving him essentially bankrupt despite being supposedly one of the highest-paid players in the NHL. As well, Orr's taxes were under review. Eagleson had set up a corporation to receive Orr's income and pay Orr a salary, but the arrangement was rejected by US and Canadian tax authorities. Orr served briefly as an assistant coach for Chicago, and as a consultant to the NHL. -
Personal Life
Orr has been known to be fiercely loyal to former Bruin personnel and teammates. When Derek Sanderson had alcohol and prescription drug-abuse problems and wound up penniless, Orr spent his own money to ensure that Sanderson successfully completed rehab. Orr also helped out Bruins trainer John Forristall, his roommate during his first years with the Bruins, who had just been fired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1994. Orr took Forristall into his home for a year until he died at the age of 51. -
Style of Play
Orr inspired the game of hockey with his command of the two-way game. While a few Hall of Fame defencemen, such as Red Kelly, were known for having offensive ability, they were the exception rather than the norm in the NHL before Orr's arrival. Orr's offensive style has influenced countless defencemen who followed him. His speed – most notably a rapid acceleration – and his open-ice artistry electrified fans as he set almost every conceivable record for a defenceman. -
Honours
Two buildings in Parry Sound honour Orr. A museum, called the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame, where his Order of Canada medal is on display along with other exhibits. Also named in his honour is The Bobby Orr Community Centre, a multi-purpose entertainment facility located in his hometown of Parry Sound, Ontario.Orr has been honoured a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. In February 2010, Orr was one of the eight bearers of the Olympic flag at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
