HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Robert Gordon Orr

[Lobster57]

Should be a world holiday.

Click to read more...

 

[Fenway]

Doesn't seem possible that he is 68 years old. That means I am getting

 

[BNHL]

I wish I could have frozen time in 69-70 and relive it over and over,perpetually watching a 22 year old Orr create hockey masterpieces.

 

[Fenway]

I wish I could have frozen time in 69-70 and relive it over and over,perpetually watching a 22 year old Orr create hockey masterpieces.

​

 

[Estlin]

Bobby Orr is the reason that I became a Bruins fan.

 

[Gee Wally]

Man, I loved watching him play.

 

[BruinsCupNow]

Should be a world holiday.

When we were young, a friend and I would exchange cards on March 20th, and declared the day to be known as Orrmas.

So....Merry Orrmas, everyone!

 

[BostonBob]

Bobby Orr is the reason that I became a Bruins fan.

Me too.

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Simply the best hockey player ever.

And from what I've read, he's just a step below Jesus as a person.

 

[DKH]

I was lucky to see him his entire career and easily the most dominant and best player ever. You can have your stats with the Great One or Super Mario.

If you took Jack Eichel and put him in the Catholic Conference that is how I would describe Orr's dominance in every game.

I will always believe a game of Orr's vs Gretzky's would be a complete wipe out for Orr every game.

 

[eightspokedb]

When we were young, a friend and I would exchange cards on March 20th, and declared the day to be known as Orrmas.

So....Merry Orrmas, everyone!

Make it so....Happy Orrmas!!

And to Bobby - Happiest Birthday Blessings to you - and thank you. He is also, to me, the reason I am a Bruins fan.

'nothing compares to you'

 

[Fenway]

I was lucky to see him his entire career and easily the most dominant and best player ever. You can have your stats with the Great One or Super Mario.

If you took Jack Eichel and put him in the Catholic Conference that is how I would describe Orr's dominance in every game.

I will always believe a game of Orr's vs Gretzky's would be a complete wipe out for Orr every game.

Gretzky and Mario played in a much more watered down era than Orr.

You can trace the beginning of the Maple Leafs' almost 50 years of being irrelevant to the internal decision they made that Orr was too young to be signed

Montreal also passed on him

Growing up in Parry Sound, Ontario, it’s no surprise that Bobby Orr was a huge Toronto Maple Leafs fan. It would be a dream come true to wear the Maple Leaf.


Orr’s coach at the time, Anthony Gilchrist wrote a letter to Toronto GM George Imlach. He never responded but Leafs chief scout, R.E. Davidson contacted Gilchrist saying that Orr was too young to be added to the protected list, but would would keep his name “on file”.

The following year Orr was noticed by Montreal Canadiens scout, Scotty Bowman. Bowman would tell Orr years later that he submitted a report to Habs top man, Ken Reardon. He too, brushed off Bobby Orr as “baby”, he was just too young to sign to a contract.

Both Montreal and Toronto were very successful at that time. The Leafs had won 9 Cups and would win another in the ’61-’62 season. The Habs had already won 12 championships with their latest coming in 1960. They were too good to worry about a baby from Parry Sound.

Enter the Boston Bruins….the franchise had won just 3 Cups with their last championship happened in 1941. They were in the market to gamble. Bruins scout Wren Blair was at the same game that Scotty Bowman was. He too was taken back by Orr and his incredible skating abilities.

Unlike the Leafs and Habs, the Bruins were prepared to take a chance on the kid for Parry Sound. Owner Weston Adams gave Blair his approval and when Orr turned 14 he signed a C form with the Bruins.

What did Bobby Orr get in return for signing with the Boston Bruins?

1. His mother’s house would be stuccoed

2. His father would receive a vehicle no newer than a 1956 model (it was 1962)

3. $1,000

4. Orr would received a charcoal colored suit as his “signing bonus”

http://boston.sportsthenandnow.com/...aple-leafs-canadiens-passed-on-future-legend/

 

[BNHL]

I was lucky to see him his entire career and easily the most dominant and best player ever. You can have your stats with the Great One or Super Mario.

If you took Jack Eichel and put him in the Catholic Conference that is how I would describe Orr's dominance in every game.

I will always believe a game of Orr's vs Gretzky's would be a complete wipe out for Orr every game.

It would have to be 1 Semenko for every Gretzky.

 

[pgm16]

Simply the best hockey player ever.

And from what I've read, he's just a step below Jesus as a person.

I believe this to be true !!

 

[Lobster57]

I was lucky to see him his entire career and easily the most dominant and best player ever. You can have your stats with the Great One or Super Mario.

If you took Jack Eichel and put him in the Catholic Conference that is how I would describe Orr's dominance in every game.

I will always believe a game of Orr's vs Gretzky's would be a complete wipe out for Orr every game.

Gretzky might win more of the faceoffs, after that, all Orr.

 

[BostonBob]

And from what I've read, he's just a step below Jesus as a person.

I bet there are a lot of people here that would say that you've got those 2 names in the wrong order.

 

[Fenway]

I bet there are a lot of people here that would say that you've got those 2 names in the wrong order.

I wouldn't go that far

That said - Bobby has been a part of Boston for almost 50 years and there has never been a whiff of off ice problems with him. Bobby and his wife have helped countless people in difficult times and the only thing they ask is not to tell anyone what they have done.

Some 20 years ago I witnessed something remarkable. I was in a sport bar in Harvard Sq and Bobby came in with one of his sons. NOBODY bothered him and everybody knew it was him. Only when he was leaving did we stand up and applaud. I've never seen anything like before or since.

 

[Bruinfan5470]

Bobby Orr is the reason that I became a Bruins fan.

I couldn't agree more, he was definitely the reason why I became a Bruin fan, to see him play at the Old Garden is a time I will never forget.


Happy Birthday to the best Hockey player in the world, Bobby Orr #4!!!

 

[sooshii]

Yup. That's why I'm here as well. Simply the best.

My sister, her husband and their eldest daughter also born on this day. Happy spring everybody!

 

[Ladyfan]

He is such a classy guy.

 

[missingchicklet]

Best all-around hockey player I've ever seen. Bruins and their fans were lucky to have him. Still bothers me to this day his career was cut short.

 

[Pie O My]

I was lucky to see him his entire career and easily the most dominant and best player ever. You can have your stats with the Great One or Super Mario.

If you took Jack Eichel and put him in the Catholic Conference that is how I would describe Orr's dominance in every game.

I will always believe a game of Orr's vs Gretzky's would be a complete wipe out for Orr every game.

i've never been a Gretzky basher (well aside from the "you're not Orr" chants, but i digress) but do Gretzky fanatics understand that the second they say "that wasn't his game" when someone says Orr could fight and defend and blahblahblah that they automatically lose the argument? There is no part of the game that an Orr fan would have to look down, shake his head and say "that wasn't his game". The game of hockey was his game. Period.

 

[bobbyorr04]

Best all-around hockey player I've ever seen. Bruins and their fans were lucky to have him. Still bothers me to this day his career was cut short.

Best Ever!

Happy Birthday Bobby!

 

[Budddy]

Best player of all time...

Reason I became a Bruins fan...

Happy birthday #4!!

 

[Dellstrom]

Even though I never got to watch him, I most likely never would have been a hockey fan without him. My family before me wouldn't have, and a lot of people in the world wouldn't have without the way he revolutionized the game. Happy birthday to the best hockey player of all time.