Mention Bobby Orr’s name to hockey fans and their faces brighten as they recall one of the greatest hockey players Canada has ever been blessed with.
Orr first hit the ice at the age of four on an oversized pair of skates. He began playing hockey in the Parry Sound Minor Squirt Hockey League when he was in kindergarten. At age 9, he won the MVP of the Peewee division. Since he was always playing with older boys, he would skate every night until dark, working endlessly on his skating and his skills.
In 1960, while Orr was playing with the Parry Sound Bantam All-Stars at age 12, NHL scouts looked on in amazement as he played the entire game without a break, except for a 2-minute period when he sat in the penalty box. The team won the championship – and a star was born. Signed to the Boston Bruins when he was only 14, Orr would have to wait four more years before making his official debut with the team in 1966. In his rookie year with the Bruins, Orr won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the 2nd All-Star team. Orr was the first player to negotiate a contract with a lawyer, thus setting the standard for today’s players. An unbelievable defenseman, Orr used his offensive skills to break practically every record, claim every prize, and leave the crowd wanting more. He was the first NHL defenseman to lead the league in scoring. He won the Norris Trophy for Best Defenseman eight consecutive times and was a two-time winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, all in a short 10-year career.
After leaving hockey due to irreparable damage to his knees, Orr embarked on a very successful career in business and athletic management and has dedicated himself to numerous charitable organizations.
