OT: Happy 77th Birthday to Bobby Orr

[jmt57]

Today in Hockey History: Boston Bruins Bobby Orr Wins 8th Straight Norris Trophy

Our look at hockey history continues as we remember Bobby Orr winning his eighth straight Norris Trophy for the league's best defenceman.

lastwordonsports.com

1975: The Boston Bruins defenceman takes the best blueliner honour for the eighth straight season. Orr sets a record for his position with 46 goals and has 135 points for the season. His 89 assists ties for the league lead with Philadelphia Flyers forward Bobby Clarke and helps him capture his second Art Ross Trophy.

Orr finishes only four points shy of his record 139 points that he had in 1970-71. He also recorded 102 assists that year, which led the league. The Hall of Famer is still the only defenceman to win the scoring title.​

 

[maust]

Simply The Best hockey player to ever take the ice. The trophies and records go on and on there aren't enough superlatives to describe his game but to this puckhead his 124 +/- IN A SINGLE SEASON (not career) as a #1 D-man is mind blowing. Orr was so much more than just a scorer. As talented in his own end as he was in an opponent's, if the opposition scored with him on the ice they sure as hell earned it. You could feel the change in the crowd every shift Orr came over the boards, we knew we were watching greatness come to life. He was the ultimate teammate and just as fine a person IRL. To site just a couple of examples of his personal grace, he and his wife quietly took in and cared for 1970's Bruins trainer 'Frosty' Forrestall through his struggle and eventual death from brain cancer. He rescued Sanderson from his demons when he was living under a bridge and saw him through multiple rehabs to get him back on his feet. Orr still attends youth hockey spaghetti dinner fundraisers by the ton. An honest list of his kindnesses big and small would be virtually endless.

All hyperbole aside, as a person he is the pro athlete we want all of them to be and I feel blessed to have seen him play live.

 

[captain stone]

Two years ago for his 75th I kept the TV on the NHLN and the DVR at the ready in anticipation of any and all tributes for him… Esposito himself was interviewed on the afternoon program but wasn’t asked ANYTHING about #4; and the last segment of it led-off with a ****ing googoo gagga of some ****ing nappy-****ing-headed rug-rat little bastard before EJ Hradak & his fuzzy sidekick FINALLY mentioned Orr’s 75th as they were waving goodbye… Absolutely ****ing Disgraceful.

 

[DarrylS]

Bobby Orr and I are the same age, back in those days the Bruins were only on Channel 38. In Newport, RI almost impossible to get that station not matter how much tin foil & coat hangers we could used.
I used to go to a local Irish Bar to watch those games and drink $.25 7 0z. bottles of Schlitz, for $2.00 I could watch the whole game and not get too drunk.
The things we do when we are young and addicted to a sport.. never forget those playoffs.

 

[Boomer B]

Bobby Orr and I are the same age, back in those days the Bruins were only on Channel 38. In Newport, RI almost impossible to get that station not matter how much tin foil & coat hangers we could used.
I used to go to a local Irish Bar to watch those games and drink $.25 7 0z. bottles of Schlitz, for $2.00 I could watch the whole game and not get too drunk.
The things we do when we are young and addicted to a sport.. never forget those playoffs.

I’m from Vancouver so hockey has always been a big part of our lives. Nowdays every game is televised but people don’t realize what it was like before. In the 80’s when I was a kid and into the 90’s we would get the Saturday night games on Hockey Night in Canada and the odd weeknight game. Out of 82 games we’d see probably about 25.

I remember in the late 80’s when the Russians came to the NHL, Vancouver got 2 big name Russians (Larionov and Krutov). The first game of the year my brother went to watch at the local bar (I was too young) and I couldn’t wait until he got home to talk about the game. He lied and told me the Canucks won 8-2, and that Larionov had 4 assists and Krutov had a hat trick. In reality the Canucks got blown out.

In the 90’s I’d go to the bar to watch the games with my bro, but the issue was it was a strip bar, and at 19 the T&A was distracting me from the games. When Colorado won the Stanley Cup, Joe Sakic’s dad was at the bar with his friends, and bought the whole bar a round of drinks. We bought them a round back but he was too drunk to drink it.

 

[tuckeverlasting]

met him at my job working my way thru college in the early 80's doing room service(we called it womb service if you catch my drift) at a resort in san diego. walked into the bungalow and he walked around the corner and i immediately recognized him. was kinda shocked to meet bobby orr in sd having grown up in mass. i said i know who you are and he said you do? i said yeah you're bobby orr and he said i am. coolest nicest guy ever. maybe a little cheesy but i got an autograph. we had a lot of celebs and athletes come thru but never thought i would have to come to sd to meet bobby orr. now if bill russell and yaz had come thru all my childhood hero worshipping would have been complete.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Greatest hockey player ever period.

 

[scott99]

One of the greatest skaters in the history of the NHL, top 5 for sure. And obviously an incredible hockey player outside of just the skating. Great defensively, great offensively. I feel he’s in the top 3 of all time alongside Gretzky & Lemieux. IMO, greatest Dman ever.

 

[Pape]

When Colorado won the Stanley Cup, Joe Sakic’s dad was at the bar with his friends, and bought the whole bar a round of drinks. We bought them a round back but he was too drunk to drink it.

sakic's dad was hanging around a strip club? well, thats kinda cool i suppose

and HBD #4

 

[Boomer B]

sakic's dad was hanging around a strip club? well, thats kinda cool i suppose

and HBD #4

The strip club was kind of the neighborhood bar. It wasn’t your typical seedy strip club. Back in the 80’s/90’s in Vancouver there were tons of strip clubs so the ones in the suburbs became somewhat normalized.

 

[Boomer B]

met him at my job working my way thru college in the early 80's doing room service(we called it womb service if you catch my drift) at a resort in san diego. walked into the bungalow and he walked around the corner and i immediately recognized him. was kinda shocked to meet bobby orr in sd having grown up in mass. i said i know who you are and he said you do? i said yeah you're bobby orr and he said i am. coolest nicest guy ever. maybe a little cheesy but i got an autograph. we had a lot of celebs and athletes come thru but never thought i would have to come to sd to meet bobby orr. now if bill russell and yaz had come thru all my childhood hero worshipping would have been complete.

When I was in high school Doug Flutie joined our CFL team, the BC Lions. He was doing a promotional event at a bar and this was before the season. I went with a buddy who’s a huge football fan as well, and the bar was pretty much empty. We were underage but got in, and we ended up sitting with Doug for a while. Nicest guy ever. He signed my card of him when he was with the Pats and told us some NFL stories. He wasn’t a Mike Ditka fan.

 

[JohnJH]

I recall when I was in 2nd and 3rd Grades (I was 6 and 7 years old respectively), they were "The Big Bad Bruins". Orr was only between 23 to 24 at the time (rough estimate). Good times!