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I had originally planned to feature two of the hockey greats at a time, but who would you put in the same category as Bobby Orr? I considered Gordie Howe who was a great player in his own right- he played for a really long time- he was a star... but he was no Bobby Orr. Bobby Orr wasn't just great, he made everyone else around him great. I admit, being from Boston, that I might be a little biased, but I'll attempt to keep this on an even keel and substantiate all claims.
In 1966 pro hockey was in its death throes. Ticket sales were anemic, crowds were small and television revenues from televised games were way down in the US... only the most diehard fans (yours truly) were paying attention. In Boston the Celtics were king, the Red Sox close behind and even the fledgling Patriots of the now defunct American Football League were eclipsing the lowly Bruins' ticket sales. The Bruins hadn't broken .500 in over a decade. But in 1966 everything changed.
In skated an 18 year-old phenom from Parry Sound, Ontario. His name was Bobby Orr, a kid who signed with the Bruins when he was 14. After four years with the Oshawa Generals, he hit the big time. His reputation, even at that tender age, preceded him and the veterans of the league cut him no slack- he took a lot of cheap shots the first couple of years... one from the touted Gordie Howe in his first game, who blindsided him. But Orr got up and kept plugging- the NHL is no place for guys who "can't take it."
Bobby Orr was born for hockey. In an interview, his dad, Doug, said he had a bushel basket nailed to the back wall of the garage when he was six and would stand in his skates shooting pucks into it for hours on end. His dad said the noise drove the family nuts, but he also knew his son was destined for greatness. Rink time was difficult to get in Parry Sound and Bobby, like most other kids played on the surrounding lakes and ponds where a missed shot meant chasing a puck for a considerable distance- this made him strong and fast. He also never wore socks under his skates, only the stirrups from the stockings that cover the pads. He said he could "feel the skates better" and it helped him control his motion.
By 1970, just four years after Orr entered the league the Bruins won their first Stanley Cup since 1941. The addition of Phil Esposito, Wayne Cashman and Ken Hodge from a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks was another key factor in winning- it would be disingenuous to say the Bobby won it by himself. He was a big part of the Bruins' resurrection- as well as the resurrection of pro hockey. Where Orr played, the stadiums filled up... people who didn't even like hockey went to see the kid from Parry Sound handle the puck. He could play keep-away for two minutes straight. Bobby Orr didn't just play hockey, he played chess on ice. He would get the puck behind his own net and look up-ice. It was as though he could read the other team and know what they would do... and then he would take off at breakneck speed, weaving his way around and through the defense. He was virtually unstoppable.
Orr revolutionized the game- a defenseman, he won scoring trophies year after year. Up until he started playing, defensemen would cross the defending team's blue line and pass the puck off and them wait to play defense. Not Bobby Orr... he hit that blue line and kept going. There isn't a position that he couldn't play and play well. There were times when Gerry Cheevers or Giles Gilbert would get caught out of position and Bobby would stand in front of the goal blocking shots.
Bobby Orr played 10 years with the Boston Bruins that included numerous awards and accolades, along with 11 knee surgeries. He could have enjoyed a long and illustrious career like Gordie Howe, but he wouldn't have been Bobby Orr. Bobby only knew one way to play- giving 110% for his team and his teammates. Unlike many of the "stars" who came before and after, he didn't play for the awards and accolades- except of course the Stanley Cup... he played only for his team, never himself. He was probably the most reluctant, self-effacing "star" ever. When interviewed after a stellar performance, Bobby would only talk about how well his teammates had played. He is still respected by his former teammates and opponents alike... he made hockey a better sport and you can't say that about many athletes- especially in this era of self-indulgent, pampered millionaires- Bobby made $35,000 a year.